VHS's three core members have played music together for most of their lives. James Bohannon and Conor Cook went to middle school together in New York City, while James went to high school with Nils Vanderlip where they started their first band.
In 2015 VHS formed, based initially around home recordings which the band posted on Soundcloud. VHS began performing around NYC's lower east side rock clubs, eventually selling out several shows at the Mercury Lounge that year. In 2015, they released their debut EP whose lead single "Lean" rose to #8 on the Spotify Viral charts. In 2016, VHS released Stereo Hype, which included the indie hit “Waiting on the Summer." VHS performed at major festivals that year including Lollapalooza and ACL. The band continued to release singles and tour leading up to the release of their debut LP Retrofuturism in November 2018. VHS's songs have also been featured in Shameless, Sunday Night Football, Love, You, and dozens of other TV shows.
I Can't Stand It
VHS Collection Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And she could burn me up
Like a fire
Blonde face in a little white dress
But is she tough enough?
To cut the wire
Don't look but you're making a mess
So you cry
"I'm on fire"
No way I can keep it inside
I could die
Right beside her
I can't stand it
Help me
I can't stand it
Your body is a cage I am a prisoner
Help me
Help me
I can't stand it
Shot down I fell to the ground
Nothing could build me up
Like this desire
A stone face with my head in my hands
Could I be rough enough?
To mystify her
She moves like a ghost in the room
And I cry
"Take me higher"
"Take me higher"
No way I can feel more alive
I could die
Right beside her
I can't stand it
Help me
I can't stand it
Your body is a cage I am a prisoner
Help me
Help me
I can't stand it
Because I have a battle within
I can't decide what you've done to me
I can't stand it
I can't stand it
I can't stand it
Help me
I can't stand it
Your body is a cage I am a prisoner
Help me
Help me
I can't stand it
The song "I Can't Stand It" by VHS Collection is about the agony and confusion of being in love with someone who is potentially dangerous and unpredictable. The lyrics describe the subject of the song as a "cheating wolf," suggesting that they are untrustworthy and deceptive. Despite this, the singer is enamored with them and can't resist their allure.
The metaphorical language continues as the song describes the subject as a "blonde face in a little white dress," indicating their physical attractiveness and innocence. However, the singer questions whether they are "tough enough to cut the wire," indicating that they may not have the strength or resolve to resist temptation.
As the song progresses, the singer becomes increasingly desperate and overwhelmed by their feelings for this person. They describe their body as a "cage" and themselves as a "prisoner," indicating that they feel trapped and powerless in the face of their emotions. The chorus repeats the title phrase "I can't stand it" four times, emphasizing the singer's intense frustration and agony.
Line by Line Meaning
Cheating wolves like a spark in the night
Temptations are enticing like wild animals that appear suddenly and unexpectedly
And she could burn me up
The person being sung about has such intense allure that they could destroy the singer
Like a fire
This destructive allure is compared to a lethal flame
Blonde face in a little white dress
A description of the person who is causing the singer so much torment
But is she tough enough?
Despite her outward appearance, the singer wonders if this person is truly strong enough to handle their situation
To cut the wire
The 'wire' here is a metaphor for the singer's temptation, and the line is asking if the person is strong enough to resist it
Don't look but you're making a mess
The person being sung about is causing the singer discomfort and chaos, despite their attempts to ignore it
So you cry / 'I'm on fire' / 'I'm on fire'
The singer expresses their intense feelings of desire and attraction through a repeated phrase
No way I can keep it inside / I could die / Right beside her
The singer feels overwhelmed by their feelings and feels like they might die if they don't express them
Your body is a cage I am a prisoner
The singer is trapped in their feelings and desires, unable to break free despite their distress
Shot down I fell to the ground / Nothing could build me up / Like this desire
The singer is overcome by their feelings and is unable to resist them, experiencing a 'fall'
A stone face with my head in my hands / Could I be rough enough? / To mystify her
The singer tries to appear strong and confident, but wonders if that is enough to impress the person causing their distress
She moves like a ghost in the room / And I cry / 'Take me higher' / 'Take me higher'
The person being sung about continues to cause the singer intense emotional turmoil, even as they try to resist it
Because I have a battle within / I can't decide what you've done to me
The singer is struggling with their own feelings and the actions of the person causing them, and is unsure how to proceed
I can't stand it / Help me / I can't stand it
A plea for assistance in dealing with the intense feelings being experienced
Help me / Help me / I can't stand it
Repeated pleas for assistance in coping with the situation
Contributed by Aria R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@MylotheMask
What a tune!!❤
@winstonjohnson2340
SUPERB! SAMSH! Smahed it Man
@yayisavedzelda
I can't stand how good this song is
@Bubblesv2
Highly underrated.
Love this band.
@veryawful861
I’m baffled that this hasn’t completely blown up.
@dirtdiverdan
Sounds like something from the 80's. It's good enough that ... I can't stand it! HELP ME! I CAN'T STAND IT!!!!
It's one of those songs that sticks in your head throughout the day.
@alexyacobozzi3991
The mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell and this song is the powerhouse of my brain right now.
@confucheese
Fun fact: Mitochondria is actually a plural word and so this common phrase is actually grammatically incorrect. The correct phrase would be “The mitochondrion is the powerhouse of the cell”.
@debaser76
Favorite song of the new album so far.
@CoryKaye
Omg the wait was so WORTH it!!!