The song interpolates the main melody from Billy Idol’s hit July 1981 single “Dancing With Myself,” as Julian sings a self-aware commentary about the band’s interaction with its fans and the music scene, as implied by the music video’s point that a lot of what the fans want are sounds reminiscent of their debut album. Making “bad decisions” in the context of the song implies the band making the decision to stray from that sound which doesn’t sit very well to their fans, especially to those who vie for their old sound.
It is also possible to interpret this song as about Julian’s problematic relationship with his father as in the past, Julian hasn’t shied away from being a lyrical critic of his father (see: Barely Legal, When It Started, & Human Sadness by The Voidz).
His parents' tumultuous relationship was well-documented in a 1988 New Yorker profile on his father, John Casablancas. In that article, when Julian’s father found out his girlfriend, Jeanette Christjansen he warned her that he was,
”Not the type of man who would ever change diapers. ”You’ll see; once the baby comes, he’s cute,’" Christjansen recalls saying. “And he would tell me, ’Jeanette, don’t ever ask me that’.”
The cover art features Ron Hicks‘ painting Café Kiss.
Bad Decisions
The Strokes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Moscow, 1972
Always singin' in my sleep
I will leave it in my dreams
Oh, makin' bad decisions
Oh, makin' bad decisions
Makin' bad decisions for you
Yeah, makin' bad decisions
Uh, makin' bad decisions
Oh-oh-oh, makin' bad decisions for you
Pick up your gun
Put up your gloves
Save us from harm
Safe or alone
Oh baby, I hang on everything you say
I wanna write down every word
Do me a favor when you come through
When I look around, don't wanna see you
I don't take advice from fools
Never listening to you
Oh, makin' bad decisions
Yeah, makin' bad decisions
Oh, makin' bad decisions with you
Oh, makin' bad decisions
Oh, oh-oh-oh, makin' bad decisions
Uh, makin' bad decisions with you
Pick up your gun
Put up those gloves
Save us from harm
Safe or alone
You, you didn't listen to me
But I, I didn't listen to you
I waited so long
Listening for
Something to join
I'm making bad decisions
Really, really bad decisions
Oh, oh-oh-oh, making bad decisions
Oh, yeah, oh
Yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah
Ooh, ooh
I'm not gonna give a lot of credit
I don't know how to use, how
'Cause I can't, I can't
I can't, can't make anymore
The Strokes's song Bad Decisions seems to be a love song about a relationship that is ridden with bad choices. The song begins with the lead singer, Julian Casablancas, creating an atmosphere of intimacy by setting a scene where he is with someone in Moscow in 1972. The lyrics "always singing in my sleep, I will leave it in my dreams" might be alluding to a recurring memory or feeling he has about the person he is with.
The chorus, "oh, making bad decisions for you" repeated twice, suggests that both parties in the relationship are making poor choices for each other. The following lyrics, "pick up your gun, put up your gloves, save us from harm, safe or alone" could read as a plea to his lover to fight for their relationship and protect them, whether they are together or apart. Casablancas is holding onto every word his lover says, but with a caveat, as he mentions he cannot take advice from fools and will never listen to that person.
As the song comes to a close, the lyrics "I waited so long listening for something to work, I'm making bad decisions, really, really bad decisions on you" could signal that the relationship is a long time coming and the decisions being made in it are difficult to ignore.
Overall, Bad Decisions is a catchy and upbeat song with romantic undertones. However, the lyrics suggest that the relationship is unhealthy and haunted by poor choices.
Line by Line Meaning
Dropped down the lights, I'm sitting with you
We have lowered the lights and I am here with you
Moscow, 1972
This setting reminds me of a specific time and place
Always singing in my sleep
I frequently dream of singing
I will leave it in my dreams
I will keep this experience in my subconscious
Oh, making bad decisions
I am consistently making poor choices
Making bad decisions for you
I am making bad decisions because of you
Pick up your gun
Take action and be ready for anything
Put up your gloves
Prepare for a fight
Save us from harm
Protect us from danger
Safe or alone
We either stay safe together or risk being alone
Oh baby, I hang on everything you say
I value everything you say to me
I wanna write down every word
I want to remember everything you say
When I look around, don't wanna see you
I don't want to see you when I look around
I don't take advice from fools
I don't listen to those who don't know better
Never listening to you
I will not listen to your advice
Pick up your gun
Prepare for action
Put up those gloves
Get ready for a fight
Oh, making bad decisions with you
I am making poor choices because of you
You, you didn't listen to me
You didn't hear me out
But I, I didn't listen to you
But I didn't listen to you either
I waited so long listening for something to work
I have been waiting a long time for something to succeed
I'm making bad decisions, really really bad decisions
I am making very poor choices
On you, on
These bad decisions are about you
I'm not gonna give a lot of credit
I don't want to give praise where it's not warranted
I don't know how to use hou
I don't know how to use 'hou'
'Cause I can't, I can't
Because I'm unable to
Can't, can't make anymore
I'm no longer capable of making decisions
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Albert Jr. Hammond, Billy Idol, Fabrizio Moretti, Julian Casablancas, Nick Valensi, Nikolai Fraiture, Anthony James
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@sushiro88
[Verse 1]
Dropped down the lights, I’m sitting with you
Moscow, 1972
Always singin’ in my sleep
I will leave it in my dreams
[Chorus]
Oh, makin’ bad decisions
Oh, makin’ bad decisions
Making bad decisions for you
Oh, makin’ bad decisions
Uh-oh, makin’ bad decisions
Makin’ bad decisions for you
[Post-Chorus]
Pick up your gun
Put up those gloves
Save us from harm
Safe or alone
[Verse 2]
Oh baby, I hang on everything you say
I wanna write down every word
Do me a favor when you come through
When I look around, don’t wanna see you
I don’t take advice from fools
Never listenin’ to you
[Chorus]
Oh, makin’ bad decisions
Oh, makin’ bad decisions
Making bad decisions with you
Oh, makin’ bad decisions
Uh-oh, makin’ bad decisions
I’m makin’ bad decisions with you
[Post-Chorus]
Pick up your gun
Put up those gloves
Save us from harm
Safe or alone
[Bridge]
You, you didn’t listen to me
But I, I didn’t listen to you
I waited so long listening for
Something to work
[Outro]
I’m makin’ bad decisions
Really, really bad decisions
I’m makin’ bad decisions
On you, on you
Yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah
Ooh, ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh
I’m not gonna give a lot of credit
I don’t know to use how
‘Cause I can’t, I can’t
I can’t, can’t make anymore
@RichardMNixon-rt5lg
I can throw a spread of favorites at you from a bunch of their albums that don't get as much attention.
Hard to Explain
On the Radio
Automatic Stop
Meet Me in the Bathroom
12:51
On The Other Side
Gratisfaction
Life is Simple in the Moonlight
Welcome to Japan
@tonyshazam6271
The fact that The Strokes look healthy, are having fun, and actually promoting this new album makes it a wild time to be alive! long live The Strokes!😭🤘🏻
@jw9099
Certainly look healthier than in Someday.
@vaughancello
Each of the bodies you see of the band are deepfakes
@freezedriedzombi8242
Tonyshazam
IKR they used to never promote their stuff
@MatthewMan1997
¡Viva Los Strokes!
@tonyshazam6271
NoThisIsPatrick yeah Comedown Machine was really good imo, legit thought that was the end for them tho 😓
@iamyou111
Strokes releasing The New Abnormal was the best thing that happened in 2020
@marinaaa_4563
So true.
@michaelj.burchill9203
Big facts
@lebarosky
This typical fanzine sort of statement might actually be true.