Named after a Chinese friend whose name sounds like the Mandarin pronunciat… Read Full Bio ↴Named after a Chinese friend whose name sounds like the Mandarin pronunciation of "bandstand," the Ting Tings -- a scrappy, dance-oriented duo consisting of singer/guitarist Katie White and drummer Jules De Martino -- formed in the Salford district of Manchester, England in 2006. Prior to forming the group, the pair worked together in 2001 when White was in the all-female punk-pop group TKO and De Martino wrote some songs for them. Later the pair reunited, and with another friend formed the trio Eskimo Kiss, which signed to Mercury Records but disbanded, in part due to changing personnel at the label. De Martino and White regrouped, working on their own music and others' at Salford's music commune The Islington Mill. Quickly signed to the local indie label Switchflicker Records, the Ting Tings released their debut single, "That's Not My Name," in the spring of 2007. Following the limited-edition, tour-only single "Fruit Machine," the Ting Tings signed to major-label Columbia later that year. The flipside of the Switchflicker single, "Great DJ," was released as the duo's debut Columbia single in March 2008, followed by the reissue of "That's Not My Name" with a new exclusive B-side remix.

"That's Not My Name" rose to the top of the U.K. charts in May 2008, the same month that the duo's debut album, We Started Nothing, appeared. The Ting Tings spent the rest of 2008 and a large part of 2009 touring in support of the album, which eventually sold over two million copies worldwide, won the 2009 Ivor Novello Award for Best Album, and earned the group a Best New Artist Grammy nomination that December. Early in 2010, De Martino and White moved to Berlin to work on songs for their second album. Inspired by the city's atmosphere and the cold weather, they went in a darker, more electronic direction with their new songs. In August 2010, the Ting Tings offered a taste of their new material, premiering the single "Hands" -- which was mixed by Calvin Harris -- on BBC Radio 1 and officially releasing it that October. After extensive touring and over eight months recording in Germany and Spain, in March 2012 the Ting Tings offered their sophomore album, Sounds from Nowheresville, a collection of songs inspired by the exuberant freedom of the Beastie Boys' classic Paul's Boutique. Two years later, third album Super Critical surfaced. Its October release date was preceded by the April release of first single "Wrong Club."

Word for This
The Ting Tings Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I got twenty emotions rolled into one
I got millions of ideas but I ain't got none
What's the word I need to say now?
It's been on the tip of my tongue all day now

There should be a word for this, when you shoot but you miss
But it feels good, don't know why it feels good
There should be a word for this, when you shoot but you miss

But it feels good, don't know why it feels good

There should be a word for this, when you shoot but you miss
But it feels good, don't know why it feels good
There should be a word for this, when you shoot but you miss
But it feels good, don't know why it feels good

Now, I keep falling, I hit the ground
But I can't work out if I throw myself down
I'm a stick in the mud, can't get me moving
Don't give me your branch or you might just lose it

There should be a word for this, when you shoot but you miss
But it feels good, don't know why it feels good
There should be a word for this, when you shoot but you miss
But it feels good, don't know why it feels good

You know that you're doing it and I know that you know I do
There should be a word for this
It's not I'm rendered speechless, it's just not invented and you can't teach us
There should be a word for this

I got twenty emotions rolled into one
And I got a million of ideas but I can't find none
What's the word I need to say now?
It's been on the tip of my tongue all day now

There should be a word for this, when you shoot but you miss
But it feels good, don't know why it feels good
There should be a word for this, when you shoot but you miss
But it feels good, don't know why it feels good

There should be a word for this, when you shoot but you miss
But it feels good, don't know why it feels good
There should be a word for this, when you shoot but you miss
But it feels good, don't know why it feels good

There should be a word for this
There should be a word for this

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Word for This" by The Ting Tings reflect a sense of frustration and confusion in trying to express oneself. The singer describes having a multitude of emotions and ideas but being unable to find the right words to convey them. They feel like they are constantly on the verge of expressing something important but can't quite articulate it. This is symbolized by the phrase "It's been on the tip of my tongue all day now."

The repetition of the line "There should be a word for this, when you shoot but you miss, but it feels good, don't know why it feels good" emphasizes the internal conflict and contradiction the singer is experiencing. They are referring to a situation where they fail to achieve what they desire or expect, yet paradoxically find some form of satisfaction or pleasure in it. It's a bittersweet feeling that they cannot fully comprehend or explain.

The song seems to be exploring the intricacies and complexities of human emotions and the limitations of language in capturing them. It highlights the gaps and inadequacies of vocabulary, as well as the inability to communicate certain experiences or sensations effectively. Overall, "Word for This" captures the frustrations of trying to convey one's inner world and the struggle to find the right words to express complicated emotions.

Line by Line Meaning

I got twenty emotions rolled into one
I am feeling a multitude of conflicting emotions at once

I got millions of ideas but I ain't got none
I have numerous ideas, but I am unable to settle on one

What's the word I need to say now?
I am searching for the precise word to express my current state

It's been on the tip of my tongue all day now
The word I am trying to articulate has been at the forefront of my thoughts all day

There should be a word for this, when you shoot but you miss
There should be a term to describe the feeling of experiencing failure even though it provides a strange satisfaction

But it feels good, don't know why it feels good
Despite the failure, it brings about an inexplicable sense of pleasure

Now, I keep falling, I hit the ground
I continuously stumble and experience setbacks

But I can't work out if I throw myself down
I am unsure if these setbacks are a result of my own self-sabotage

I'm a stick in the mud, can't get me moving
I feel stuck and unable to make progress or take action

Don't give me your branch or you might just lose it
Don't offer me a lifeline or support, as I may end up destroying it

You know that you're doing it and I know that you know I do
We are both aware that you are causing this situation and I am aware of my own participation

There should be a word for this
There should exist a specific term to describe this unique experience

It's not I'm rendered speechless, it's just not invented and you can't teach us
It's not that I am unable to express myself, but rather there is no existing vocabulary to explain this, and it cannot be taught

I got twenty emotions rolled into one
I am overwhelmed by a multitude of emotions combined into a single state

And I got a million of ideas but I can't find none
I have countless ideas, but I am unable to identify any suitable ones

There should be a word for this, when you shoot but you miss
There should be a term to describe the feeling of failure despite making an attempt

There should be a word for this
This unique experience deserves its own designated term

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Katie White, Jules De Martino

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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