Founded by songwriters Julia Steiner and Dave Sagan during their time studying at Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana, the band relocated back to Sagan's hometown of Chicago in 2015 and released its debut album AOID that same year on Topshelf Records. Neumann joined the band as full-time member in 2016 and Nuccio joined shortly thereafter in 2017. The band released its second album, GN, in 2017 and began gaining notoriety while touring with other rising acts like PUP, Soccer Mommy, Diet Cig, Wild Pink, and more. Rolling Stone named GN one of the “15 Great Albums You Probably Didn’t Hear in 2017,” while Uproxx rock critic Steven Hyden named the album one of the best albums of the year.
Ratboys released its third studio album, Printer’s Devil, in 2020 to more critical praise. MTV called Printer’s Devil “the best album of their career,” while Pitchfork hailed the album's depth as “comforting and sobering all at once.”
Scrobble note: Ratboy (no 's') will scrobble here, but Ratboys with an 's', (which is how it is displayed on Spotify) will not. Although it will appear as if it has on your recently played, the numbers on the artist page will not reflect that.
Not Again
ratboy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Will fall and replace us when we die
Take it from me, I am alive
Or if not, at least this feels right
To be tied
Coffee-sick and spacing
My car drives it'self
Aimless like I'm everywhere
I always took care of how I felt
Or at least tried to listen well for the bell
The time we've taken has been
Every second, a little bit more restless
The sounds have always been right there
To help me hear myself again
(It's you, all you)
Back then, my teenage energy
Would take a thousand shapes
I would wrestle with my wanting
Then laugh it off and fill another page
But, now it's not back then
And my face has hardly changed
I would let it happen back then
Just gotta do it the same way
In Ratboy's song "Not Again," the artist explores the concept of mortality and the passage of time. The opening lines "All the little faces that make up the sky will fall and replace us when we die" suggest that although we may feel significant in our own lives, we are ultimately small and insignificant in the grand scheme of things. The following lines "Take it from me, I am alive or if not, at least this feels right to be tied" indicate that the singer is perhaps struggling with their own mortality and the sense of being tied to life.
The next verse switches gears and delves into a more personal experience of the singer. The lines "Coffee-sick and spacing, my car drives itself, aimless like I'm everywhere" suggest a sense of disconnection and dissociation. The singer appears to be drifting through life and unable to find purpose or direction. However, they mention that they have always tried to take care of how they feel, indicating a desire for self-awareness and introspection. The final lines "to listen well for the bell" suggest that they are trying to pay attention to the world around them for some sort of guidance or direction.
The chorus of the song reflects on the passing of time and how it can make us feel increasingly restless. The repetition of "It's you, all you" suggests that the singer is directing this sentiment towards a specific person or people. They may be suggesting that there are certain individuals or relationships that keep them grounded and connected to life.
The final verse of the song reflects on the passage of time and how the singer's perspective has changed since their teenage years. They mention that their "face has hardly changed" but they suggest that they were more reckless and spontaneous back then. The line "just gotta do it the same way" indicates that they are perhaps trying to recapture some of that youthful energy and fearlessness.
Overall, "Not Again" is a song that explores the themes of mortality, disconnection, and the passage of time. It's a poignant and introspective piece that showcases Ratboy's talent for crafting emotionally resonant lyrics.
Line by Line Meaning
All the little faces that make up the sky
The tiny details in the world are what make life beautiful
Will fall and replace us when we die
When we die, we become just another small detail in the world
Take it from me, I am alive
I am alive and have the ability to experience the world around me
Or if not, at least this feels right
Even if I'm not truly alive, I am content with how things feel in the moment
To be tied
I am trapped, unable to move forward or make a change
Coffee-sick and spacing
I'm feeling detached and disoriented, maybe due to consuming too much caffeine
My car drives it'self
I'm not fully in control of my life or where it's headed
Down Central, up Harlem
I am wandering aimlessly through the city, lost in thought
Aimless like I'm everywhere
I feel like I'm simultaneously everywhere and nowhere at the same time
I always took care of how I felt
I prioritized my own emotions and well-being in the past
Or at least tried to listen well for the bell
I made an effort to pay attention to important moments or signals in my life
The time we've taken has been
Our journey through life has been marked by every moment we've experienced
Every second, a little bit more restless
As time passes, I am becoming increasingly uneasy and anxious
The sounds have always been right there
There have always been sounds in my life, guiding me and helping me reflect on my experiences
To help me hear myself again
These sounds are important for helping me reconnect with my own thoughts and emotions
(It's you, all you)
The people around me, both past and present, have influenced who I am today
Back then, my teenage energy
When I was a teenager, I had a lot of youthful energy and enthusiasm
Would take a thousand shapes
I felt like I could be anything and do anything with my life
I would wrestle with my wanting
I struggled with my desires and aspirations, unsure of what I truly wanted
Then laugh it off and fill another page
I coped with my uncertainty by making art or writing about my thoughts and feelings
But, now it's not back then
I am no longer that same person with limitless potential
And my face has hardly changed
Although I've aged, my core personality and values remain similar to who I was as a teenager
I would let it happen back then
In the past, I was less concerned with controlling my life and more willing to let events unfold naturally
Just gotta do it the same way
Perhaps I should try to recapture that same carefree attitude towards life and embrace the unknown.
Lyrics © TERRORBIRD PUBLISHING LLC
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Sean Gilligan
This band is too cute for school
Richard Vagnino
The end of this video is how my brain thinks ordinary life was before quarantine.
joshua de duque
Been listening to this since it cameout
Sebastian Ziegenbein
Oh dannnng this is good
Manoel luthieri
excellent great
Thomas Hofer
<3
Brandon
this vid is tight
kj22697
aesthetic
Ellie F
Holy hell.
joshua k
Ratboys > RATBOY