This song is DOMINATING MY MIND:
And now it’s okay for me to like it (despite several nauseating phrases in the lyrics), because now I know it’s NOT Justin Bieber singing it. I don’t know WHY I thought it was Justin Bieber, but I was SURE of it, so I must have heard a DJ saying it about the PREVIOUS song or something. Anyway, every time I heard it I found it so catchy and cheerful/sweet-sounding—and yet listening to a 16-year-old sing about “only having tonight” and “the way you make love” made me feel like barfing. Then I looked the song up and found it was not by Justin Bieber but by The Plain White T’s. Now I still cringe at such phrases, but it makes such a big difference that everyone singing the song is LEGAL and doesn’t look like one of my son’s middle school classmates. (And as Annabelle pointed out when I complained about it on Twitter, such songs are WAY IMPROVED if you think of them as “long-distance relationship” songs rather than “one night stand” songs.)
Plus, watch the video a few times and see if you can figure out which band member is cutest. I change about every 10 seconds. Like, Tim Lopez (lead singer on this one) has a really excellent smile and is the obvious choice even though I am usually not drawn to blond guys and even though he TOTALLY looks like a guy who’d be successfully singing his one-night-stand love song at every stop on the tour. Mr. Eyes in the background there (Tom Higgenson) is another possibility with cute-Beatles-type charm (plus the aforementioned good eyes), and then Dave Tirio (blond back-up singer) looks like a sweetie but doesn’t get enough screen time for a good analysis, and we barely see De’Mar Hamilton (drummer) or Mike Retondo (guitar, hat, beard) at all. Well, it’s hard to choose. We’d need to join that fun-looking beach party (refreshingly low on beer-commercial-type people—it’s not that there are NO long-haired girls in bikinis, but there are also a ton of cute vintage tops, cardigans, hats, flower pins, skirts, headbands, and hair that looks like it could go into the water) and give each one a chance.
So I saw this band play this song, live, at halftime at a football game. It was very very cold, and they are very very skinny, and I kept worrying about their skinny band boy selves being freezing, but lead singer man STILL managed to be charming and smiley, despite freezing cold and less-than-appreciative audience. I was prepared to cynically hate them, but found myself charmed by the end.
I love the idea of it being a long distance relationship! The one night stand thing always ruins songs for me. I think that Dave is the cutest. I had to look up their website for a closer look! lol
I like this song alot. It’s hard to go wrong with Plain White T’s though.
Um – yes to interpreting lyrics as describing long distance relationships and not one night stands. I’m with you on the ick factor of 16 year olds singing about their carnal knowledge.
Swistle – you are such a great writer. Thanks for all the frequent blog updates!
“Hair that looks like it could go into the water.” Hee hee – love that.
I am thinking that my favorite is Dave Tirio. He has that appealing shy charm, looking out from under his long bangs. (Bangs?) But I think if I knew him in real life I would quickly get irritated with all the hair in his face.
Your post made me so cheery today! But I have to wait until I get home to watch the video. I feel like I’ve probably heard this song, but I can’t think how it goes.
Exactly the reason why I hate those Kidz Bop CD’s. There are some things children should never sing. Ever.
i so want to hate them for their pop / corny / appealing to teenage girls-ness, but EVERY Plain White T’s song is so darn CHEERY and ADORABLE that i just can’t. i do love this idea of the long distance relationship rather than a one night stand though! brilliant!
The lead singer looks kind of skeevy. I love their song “Hey there Delilah”, so now I wish I had never seen lead singer guy. I don’t want to think about him singing “Delilah”. Anyway, my vote is for the guy with the bass (white guitar, right?) followed by Mr. Beatle at a close second.
It’s fun to talk about boys. I haven’t done this for like a decade. Sad, right?
Thanks for the link; this video totally got me excited to go to the beach this weekend! Though, ah, I’m afraid the shores of Lake Huron, with three little kids, are just a TIDGE less sexy than a Plain White T’s video. Still.
And I love all the dresses and non-bikini beach attire!
I love plain white t’s but hadn’t heard this song. :D. Super cute. thansk!
The first time I head the PWTs I was in a movie theather and “Delilah” came on the PA. Holy cow, that song kicked my butt, because they could’ve written it about me when I was in college and my then fiance, blah blah. It took my breath away and I love that band. That is a catchy tune. Might have to pop over to iTunes in a sec.
Justin Bieber is 17.
I spent about a week straight listening to this song. I like several by the Plain White T’s, and this one is great. Thanks for the “long-distance relationship” perspective; that does improve things.
I’m happy you like this song because I like too, and now I know it’s cool.
— Mairzy
Misty- It’s a different singer for Hey There Delilah—the Beatles-looking guy in the background. The lead guy on this one is usually guitar and back-up vocals.
Anonymous- I was assuming he would have been younger at the time he recorded the song, since he only turned 17 a few months ago. Er, that’s if he’d recorded the song. Which he didn’t.
I wouldn’t kick any of them out of bed ;-)
Damn it. Now I think I have a thing for Mr. Tim Lopez.
I think I love you a little bit more today for being obsessed with this song with me. It’s one of my favorites and got me through a lot of late nights at the office during my busy season a few months ago.
One line that always me laugh is “play the music low and sway to the rhythm of love” because I really do like to play the music low most of the time but I crank this one up loud when I can.
My vote is for the blond back up singer that we see a total of like 2 seconds the whole video. Him, or the lead singer dude that we see the whole time.
I love the Plain White T’s. Since they are from Chicago, I have heard many a radio interview and they just seem so nice. I usually go for the base player, but I don’t do beards so I will have to vote for Dave Tirio.
I really like this song! Oh, and I totally had to go to YouTube and watch the Delilah video to see which guy is singing.
Beatles guy totally reminds me of John Lennon from certain angles. Or Keanu Reeves lol. He also seems a lot younger than Rhythm of Love singer boy.
I went to junior high and high school with him. The lead singer always.looked.exactly.like.that. The first time I saw the video for Hey There Delilah I was creeped out. They were all nice guys though. I still live in the same town and when they were first popular they did a show at the junior high school. My son was in 7th grade. He came home with some of his girlfriends and they were all swooning over the band members (he looked at me, he touched my hand) When I explained that they were actually in their 30s…jaws hit the floor! :)