Bleak, quiet guitars and synthesizers back the track’s verses, while full, strong instrumentation comes in for the track’s outro, leaving the listener with an epic outro on The New Abnormal.
Additionally, the song begins with the same chords during the chorus (this time on the synthesizer) as previously heard on the album’s opening track, “Adults Are Talking”. Thus serving as the beginning and end of the “journey”.
In Episode 2 of the band’s podcast/video chat, “5guys talking about things they know nothing about,” the band discusses this track. The New York Mets are a Major League Baseball National League team based In Queens, New York and have not won a World Series since 1986. Julian calls the Mets the team of his youth. Julian wrote the song while waiting on a subway platform, after the Mets had lost a painful National League Wild Card game in 2016 against the San Francisco Giants. Julian wanted to remove the Mets from the song title, naming it “Ode,” only to be talked out of it by Fabrizio Moretti and the band who love the song title. The band views the name as symbolic, with the Mets representing something that you set your heart to that continues to disappoint you.
The track was debuted at their New Years' Eve 2019 Show at the Barclays Center in New York, NY, connecting the song even further to New York.
In August 2010, Julian told press that he wanted to write a new theme song for the New York Mets:
"I’m totally serious[…] I have some ideas, I have to see if they like it. I’ve got a jar stuffed with songs, all these ideas that are just me humming into a recording device.
While not keeping a tone typical to sports theme songs, “Ode to the Mets” may be Julian finally fulfilling his dream to create a song in honor of his favorite baseball team."
Ode to the Mets
The Strokes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Not gonna wake up here anymore
Listen one time, it's not the truth
It's just a story, I tell to you
Easy to say, easy to do
But it's not easy, well, maybe for you
Hope that you find it, hope that it's good
Hope that you read it, think that you should
Sizes you up, plans his attack
Ah-da-da
Drums please, Fab
And I got it all, I got it all
Waiting for me down on the street
But now you gotta do somethin' special for me
I'm gonna say what's on my mind
Then I'll walk out, then I'll feel fine
Yeah, I'm under his thumb, I'm on his back
I will not show my teeth too quick
I needed you there, I needed you there
But I didn't know, I didn't know
Go alone
I'll go alone
We'll go alone
I'll go alone
Back from his trip, he's at the door
When he gets back, he's on the phone
Innocent eye, innocent heart
No, it's not wrong, but it's not right
Innocent time out on his own
Not got gonna do that, I'm out of control
I was just bored playin' the guitar
Learned all your tricks, wasn't too hard
It's the last one now, I can promise you that
I'm gonna find out the truth when I get back
Gone now are the old times
Forgotten, time to hold on the railing
The Rubix cube isn't solving for us
Old friends, long forgotten
The old ways at the bottom
Of the ocean now has swallowed
The only thing that's left
Is us, so pardon the silence
That you're hearing is turning
Into a deafening, painful, shameful roar
"Ode to the Mets" is a song by American rock band The Strokes. The song is an introspective ballad that reflects on age, change, loss, and regret. The track starts with singer Julian Casablancas singing softly and emotionally, accompanied by simple instrumentation. The opening lines set the tone: "Up on his horse, up on his horse / Not gonna wake up here anymore." This is an allusion to the band's wild, youthful days, and the realization that they are growing older and moving on.
The song goes on to explore the idea of finding hope and meaning in the face of change and loss. The verse "Hope that you find it, hope that it's good / Hope that you read it, think that you should" suggests that even though things may be different now, there is still possibility and potential for the future. The chorus, "I'll go alone / We'll go alone" reinforces the idea of self-reliance and self-discovery.
The second verse of the song is addressed to someone the singer is dependent on and deeply attached to. However, the singer is aware that they cannot show their vulnerability and must be cautious. The third verse is about the singer growing apart from old friends and ways of being. The line "The old ways at the bottom / Of the ocean now has swallowed" is an allusion to the feeling of nostalgia and the fact that the past is inaccessible, like something lost in the depths of the sea.
Overall, "Ode to the Mets" is a poignant and introspective meditation on aging, change, and loss, and a fitting tribute to The Strokes' legacy.
Line by Line Meaning
Up on his horse, up on his horse
He's confident and in control
Not gonna wake up here anymore
Moving on from the old ways
Listen one time, it's not the truth
He's sharing a perspective, not concrete facts
It's just a story, I tell to you
The story may contain truth, but it's still a narrative
Easy to say, easy to do
Things may sound easy, but they rarely are
But it's not easy, well, maybe for you
What seems simple to one person may not be simple for another
Hope that you find it, hope that it's good
Wishing well for others
Hope that you read it, think that you should
Encouraging others to take in the story
Cuts you some slack as he sits back
He's lenient as he observes the situation
Sizes you up, plans his attack
Observing the situation before attacking
Drums please, Fab
A request for instrumental accompaniment
And I got it all, I got it all
He has everything he needs
Waiting for me down on the street
Everything he needs is within his reach
But now you gotta do somethin' special for me
There's a condition before he can act
I'm gonna say what's on my mind
He's going to share his thoughts
Then I'll walk out, then I'll feel fine
He'll feel better once he shares his thoughts
Yeah, I'm under his thumb, I'm on his back
He's under someone's authority
I will not show my teeth too quick
He won't reveal his plan right away
I needed you there, I needed you there
He was relying on someone's support
But I didn't know, I didn't know
He didn't know he needed help until it was too late
Go alone
He's moving forward independently
I'll go alone
He's taking action on his own
We'll go alone
There's no guarantee of help along the way
Back from his trip, he's at the door
A character has returned from their journey
When he gets back, he's on the phone
They're getting back to business as usual
Innocent eye, innocent heart
There's a sense of naivety
No, it's not wrong, but it's not right
The situation is morally ambiguous
Innocent time out on his own
Before reality sets in, there's a time of exploration
Not gonna do that, I'm out of control
Frustration that things can't be how they once were
I was just bored playin' the guitar
Music sometimes serves as a distraction
Learned all your tricks, wasn't too hard
Others' methods can be easy to learn
It's the last one now, I can promise you that
This is the final call before a major change
I'm gonna find out the truth when I get back
There is a desire to uncover what was hidden
Gone now are the old times
The past is difficult to return to
Forgotten, time to hold on the railing
The past is far from their current reality
The Rubix cube isn't solving for us
Solving problems isn't as easy as it seems
Old friends, long forgotten
People from the past are often left behind
The old ways at the bottom
Traditional methods are less effective
Of the ocean now has swallowed
The way of the past is now at the bottom of the ocean
The only thing that's left
The current reality at hand
Is us, so pardon the silence
There's no need to speak, things speak for themselves
That you're hearing is turning
The sound of silence is loud and noticeable
Into a deafening, painful, shameful roar
The silence is overwhelming to the point of pain
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Albert Jr. Hammond, Fabrizio Moretti, Julian Casablancas, Nick Valensi, Nikolai Fraiture
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Tchkadua08
Lyrics:
Up on his horse, up on his horse
Not gonna wake up here anymore
Listen one time, it's not the truth
It's just a story, I tell to you
Easy to say, easy to do
But it's not easy, well, maybe for you
Hope that you find it, hope that it's good
Hope that you read it, think that you should
Cuts you some slack as he sits back
Sizes you up, plans his attack
Ah-da-da
Drums please, Fab
And I got it all, I got it all
Waiting for me down on the street
But now you gotta do somethin' special for me
I'm gonna say what's on my mind
Then I'll walk out, then I'll feel fine
Yeah, I'm under his thumb, I'm on his back
I will not show my teeth too quick
I needed you there, I needed you there
But I didn't know, I didn't know
Go alone
I'll go alone
We'll go alone
I'll go alone
Back from his trip, he's at the door
When he gets back, he's on the phone
Innocent eye, innocent heart
No, it's not wrong, but it's not right
Innocent time out on his own
Not got gonna do that, I'm out of control
I was just bored playin' the guitar
Learned all your tricks, wasn't too hard
It's the last one now, I can promise you that
I'm gonna find out the truth when I get back
Gone now are the old times
Forgotten, time to hold on the railing
The Rubix cube isn't solving for us
Old friends, long forgotten
The old ways at the bottom
Of the ocean now has swallowed
The only thing that's left
Is us, so pardon the silence
That you're hearing is turning
Into a deafening, painful, shameful roar
@thejesuschrist
Glorious!
@bluedoris6384
Now I know for a fact this music video is blessed
@__________________________6139
This song is blessed by the man himself
@VonRibbitt
i always knew you had great taste in music jesus, this is a blessed song indeed
@waterdroplets1627
Jesus Christ! It's Jesus Christ.
@jrdnsgrarchvs9163
Jesus approved
@ScreenTeamShow
Amazing song, and surprisingly emotional video.
@johnlee5973
Please come back to youtube
@cwest58
It's so good
@ericmsandoval
Why surprisingly?