"This song is about that voice inside your head that is constantly reminding you of the worst things that can happen as a result of your actions,“ The Neighbourhood frontman Jesse Rutherford tells Apple Music of “Devil’s Advocate”, which heads up ALT CTRL this week.
“Sometimes it’s so loud you can’t ignore it and it overpowers any positive outcomes that may occur, paralysing you and not allowing you to move forward at all.”
The latest single from the California outfit’s
forthcoming LP Chip "Chrome & The Mono-Tones", it’s a song with a message. “After experiencing different emotional highs and lows, I realise that even my most ideal results have resulted in negative emotions,” he says.
"For us, everything is always playing devil’s advocate—like “Well, what if this doesn’t work out the way that we hope?” or “Could this happen?"—so that term really was on my head a lot on a lot of the verses. There’s also me comparing these things in my life that I’ve experienced, like, "Do I want to hook up with strippers or do I want to be in a fucking solid relationship?” I’ve had these experiences that might be a little bit more cliché in certain ways, but they don’t fulfill me in the same way that maybe the simple things do. I still love a designer suit, but right now I’m wearing a dingy white T-shirt that I’ve had for two years and love. You get an award or whatever it is, and it doesn’t fulfill you the way that maybe you had thought, because you’re thinking about it too much rather than enjoying the process on the way there. It’s impossible to enjoy it once you get there, and I’m just trying to learn lessons in that way." - via Apple Music
“‘Devil’s Advocate’ is a reminder to find deeper
appreciation in the personal details of your own self. You can’t always rely on someone else’s plan to follow through, but if you stick to yours then it doesn’t matter.”
Devil's Advocate
The Neighbourhood Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ha ha
Na-na-na, na-na
Na-na, na-na, na
I trade the whip out for a bike, uh
Designer for some Nikes
Switch the stripper for a wife
I've been moving lightspeed, lightspeed, lightspeed, lightspeed
Lightspeed, lightspeed, lightspeed, lightspeed
Look, I don't wanna try
Keep it cool like iced tea
So if I seem shy
It's 'cause you seem so shiesty
Sellin' what you buy, buy, buy
Just a product of the '90s
If you close your eyes
That's where you'll find me
I'm the devil's advocate
You don't know the half of it
Good luck tryna manage it
If a God is a dog, and a man is a fraud
Then I'm a lost cause
22s on the ride (ride)
Bring me back a five piece (five)
Same ticket for the rent, yeah
But I split it with a dime piece
Married to my friends
They don't always like me
I stay together for the kids, uh
I gotta do the right thing
I'm the devil's advocate
You don't know the half of it
Good luck tryna manage it
If a God is a dog, and a man is a fraud
Then I'm a lost cause
The Neighbourhood's song Devil's Advocate tackles the theme of duality and complexity in an individual's life. The opening lines set the tone for the song wherein the singer talks about trading his car for a bike, designer clothes for Nikes, and a stripper for a wife. The contrast between the two sets of items suggests the singer's decision to transition to a simpler and more grounded lifestyle. However, this transition has not been easy as the singer talks about moving at lightspeed, indicating the frenzied pace of his life.
The chorus reveals the singer's state of conflict as he calls himself the devil's advocate, a phrase that refers to a person who argus against a cause or position, regardless of its merits. The singer claims to be the devil's advocate, suggesting that he is the opposing force in a world full of good. He talks about being a lost cause, which implies that he feels he is beyond redemption. The line "If a God is a dog and a man is a fraud" that follows further emphasizes the theme of duality as he puts God and Man at contrasting ends.
The second verse portrays how the singer is dealing with his inner conflicts, navigating through life's complexities in his way. The lines "I gotta do the right thing" highlight his continual efforts to do better. Overall, Devil's Advocate is a complicated and nuanced portrayal of the human struggle to find balance.
Line by Line Meaning
One, two, three, four
Starting the song with a count-in of 4 beats.
I trade the whip out for a bike, uh
I swapped my luxurious car for a bike.
Designer for some Nikes
I switched from expensive clothes to practical and comfortable sneakers.
Switch the stripper for a wife
I replaced my wild and fun girlfriend with a more stable partner.
Black tie for a white tee, uh
I prefer casual clothing over formal attire.
I've been moving lightspeed, lightspeed, lightspeed, lightspeed
I've been moving very fast and at an accelerated pace.
Look, I don't wanna try
I don't want to make an effort.
Keep it cool like iced tea
I want to remain calm and unruffled like a cold beverage.
So if I seem shy
If I appear reserved or hesitant,
It's 'cause you seem so shiesty
it's because you seem untrustworthy and deceitful.
Sellin' what you buy, buy, buy
You are an active consumer and part of the capitalist culture.
Just a product of the '90s
You are a result of the social, economic and cultural trends of the 90s.
If you close your eyes
If you shut out the outside world,
That's where you'll find me
You will find me in my own thoughts and consciousness.
I'm the devil's advocate
I am questioning and challenging beliefs and practices.
You don't know the half of it
You are not aware of the extent of the situation.
Good luck tryna manage it
It's a difficult task to handle or control the situation.
If a God is a dog, and a man is a fraud
If the all-powerful is servile, and humans are deceitful,
Then I'm a lost cause
I am also hopeless and impossible to save.
22s on the ride (ride)
Large 22 inches rims on the car.
Bring me back a five piece (five)
Get me a $5 chicken meal.
Same ticket for the rent, yeah
The same amount is spent on housing, as is spent on leisure.
But I split it with a dime piece
But I share my expenses with an attractive female.
Married to my friends
I am loyal and committed to my friends.
They don't always like me
Even though I am devoted to them, they sometimes disapprove of me.
I stay together for the kids, uh
I remain united and supportive for the benefit of our mutual companionship.
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Downtown Music Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Brandon Fried, Brett Fair, Danny Parra, Jeremy Freedman, Jesse Rutherford, Mike Margott, Zachary Abels
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@luishumbertopadillacardoso8328
Lyrics:
trade the whip out for a bike
designer for some nikes
switch the stripper for a wife
black tie for a white t
i’ve been moving lightspeed
i don’t want to try
keep it cool like ice tea
if i seem shy
cause you seem shiesty
sellin what you buy
just product of the 90’s
if you close your eyes
that’s where you’ll find me
im the devils advocate
you don’t know the half of it
good luck tryna manage it
if a god is a dog & a man is a fraud then i’m a lost cause
22’s on the ride
put me back a 5 piece
same ticket for the rent
but i split it with a dime piece
married all my friends
they don’t always like me
stay together for the kids
gotta do the right thing
im the devils advocate
you don’t know the half of it
good luck tryna manage it
if a god is a dog & a man is a fraud then i’m a lost cause
@iwanna1276
This is the type of music teenagers will listen to in a few years and say they were born in the wrong generation
@harsheh
@@yashvi2893 fr thats dope
@smashorpass2208
Ur pretty ignorant... That musical style was pretty big in late 1990s and start of 2000s
@3kojimbles895
to be fair, they'll get curated the absolute best
@DeniseSantos-qe5ee
Yes
@luckascaldas4090
Yall just say dumb cringy shit on purpose huh?
@user-qu3xx8pn4j
I feel sorry for the people who only know Sweater Weather :( They're missing out on amazing music like this :(((
@amelie8042
yeah!! like 3 days ago ive only know sweater weather and daddy issues..then ive decided to listen to other songs from thenbhd and now im obsessed with them!
@user-qu3xx8pn4j
Hell yea! I’m so happy you looked into them more, their music is amazing and they’ve been my favorite band for years :D I love seeing new fans :)
@user-qu3xx8pn4j
Welcome to the fandom! I’m so glad you’re here!