The Orwells are made up of five dudes from Chicago, Illinois. They play roc… Read Full Bio ↴The Orwells are made up of five dudes from Chicago, Illinois. They play rock n roll music. Their names are Mario, Grant, Henry, Dominick and Matt. They write songs — scratch that, primitive teenage battle cries — about girls and America and being suspended from high school. Although one might categorize The Orwells’ distinct brand of the blues as garage or punk, they would be wrong. The Orwells sound comes from a deeper, different place–a place both long forgotten and also timeless.

For The Orwells, Remember When will be an introduction of sorts—the 12-track rat-race shows the band’s repertoire of pranging riffs and sneering, snot-nosed vocals. The tracks are a walloping war-cry from a generation that up until this point has only offered bubblegum pop—the animus of The Orwells. It’s quite clear early on the in listening to the LP that the band is well aware of the past, the homage rings through the record, using the ghost of punk’s past as their musical sprit guide. However, the band straddles the thin line between their influences and their originality, ripping riffs and smashing drums in a fashion that their age into being just another fact mentioned in their bio.

Bandcamp: theorwellsmusic.bandcamp.com
Facebook: facebook.com/theorwellsband
Myspace: myspace.com/themonstertones
Twitter: twitter.com/TheOrwells

All The Cool Kids
The Orwells Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

you'd rather stay high
than say hi
you lick your lips
when your mouth gets dry
you catch my eye
but should i even try?
if you want me sugar,
act so shy

what happened to the other guy?
you're gonna hit it
come get with it
just hit it
oh
come on yeah hit it
ah-oh you did it
just hit it
get with it
oh!
you'd rather stay high

than say hi
end

Overall Meaning

The Orwells's song All the Cool Kids is a subversion of teenage culture, where fitting in and conforming has always been a top priority. The lead singer is poking fun at those who prioritize being high/drunk over making meaningful connections with others by choosing to stay isolated and shy. The lyrics "you'd rather stay high than say hi" paints a picture of someone who chooses to conceal themselves from the world, retreating into a safe bubble of substance abuse instead of engaging with others. It hints at the idea that drugs and alcohol have become a substitute for social interaction and a means to cope with loneliness.

In contrast, the lead singer claims he is ready to establish a connection with this person, but wonders if it's even worth pursuing. The line "should I even try?" denotes a sense of doubt and an understanding that this person might not be interested in forging a genuine relationship. The chorus of the song takes on a more direct approach, urging the other person to "just hit it," a slang phrase that roughly translates to "go for it." It speaks to the need for spontaneity and seizing the moment, throwing caution to the wind and succumbing to one's primal instincts.

Line by Line Meaning

you'd rather stay high
You prefer being under the influence of drugs or alcohol over interacting with others.

than say hi
You avoid socializing, even with people you know.

you lick your lips
You display nervousness or attraction by licking your lips.

when your mouth gets dry
You experience dry mouth due to anxiety or drug use.

you catch my eye
You get noticed by people around you.

but should i even try?
Others may hesitate to interact with you due to your demeanor or behavior.

if you want me sugar,
You may have ulterior motives in your interactions with others.

act so shy
You come across as meek and timid around others.

what happened to the other guy?
You may have a history of switching romantic partners or losing friends due to your behavior.

you're gonna hit it
You are going to engage in risky behavior.

come get with it
You are inviting others to join you in your potentially dangerous actions.

just hit it
You are encouraging others to engage in drug use or other questionable behavior.

oh
Expressing excitement or enthusiasm for the idea of engaging in risky behavior.

come on yeah hit it
Pushing others to join in your risky behavior.

ah-oh you did it
Celebrating that someone has given in to your pressure and engaged in the risky behavior.

just hit it
Continuing to encourage reckless behavior.

get with it
Urging others to engage in the behavior with you.

oh!
Expressing excitement and thrill from the risky behavior.

you'd rather stay high
Repeating the opening line to emphasize the preference for substance abuse over socializing.

than say hi
Repeating the second line to reinforce the avoidance of social interactions.

Writer(s): Matthew O'keefe, Henry Brinner, Grant Brinner, Dominic Corso, Mario Cuomo

Contributed by Nora D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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