"Guys" | ||||
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Single by the 1975 | ||||
from the album Notes on a Conditional Form | ||||
Released | 13 May 2020 | |||
Recorded | 2019 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 4:30 | |||
Label | ||||
Songwriter(s) |
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Producer(s) |
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The 1975 singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"Guys" on YouTube |
"Guys" is a song by English band the 1975. It was released on 13 May 2020 through Dirty Hit and Polydor Records as an exclusive the seventh and final single from their fourth studio album, Notes on a Conditional Form (2020). The song was written by band members Matty Healy, George Daniel, Adam Hann and Ross MacDonald. Production of the track was handled by Daniel and Healy alongside Jonathan Gilmore. "Guys" is a mid-tempo indie rock and pop rock ballad that celebrates the band's nearly two decades of friendship, described by Healy as an ode to platonic love and an answer song to "Girls" (2013).
Contemporary music critics reacted favourably to "Guys", highlighting the song's simplicity, sentimentality, and placement as the final track on Notes on a Conditional Form. The single achieved moderate success on worldwide music charts, peaking at number 17 on the US Billboard Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart, number 40 on the New Zealand Hot Singles chart, number 85 in Scotland, and number 96 on the UK Singles Chart. A music video for "Guys" was released on 21 May 2020. It is a compilation of archival footage from the 1975's formative years to the present-day.
"[...] I think that there is a lot of jokes and winks and this and that on my records. And I think that this song was a bit of an antidote for all of that. It’s just nice to have one moment of pure, genuine soppy, naive sentimentality. That is a massive ingredient in being a person."
— Healy, on the song's sentimentality. [1]
"Guys" was one of the last songs created for Notes on a Conditional Form. It was written as a celebration of their years spent together, having formed the band at the age of 13. Healy wanted to write a love song but make it an ode to friendship rather than a romantic story. He noted a perceived lack of platonic love songs dealing with the formative importance of friendships, especially among heterosexual men. Thus, Healy wrote "Guys" as an answer song to "Girls" (2013) from their self-titled debut album (2013), saying he "wanted people to have a love song for their mates." [2] Healy told Zane Lowe of Beats 1 that "Guys" came about "quite easily" owing to the simplicity of the production and emotional lyrics. He made a conscious effort not to make the lyrics ironic or sardonic, choosing instead to embrace sentimentality, allowing himself to feel exposed. Regarding the inspiration behind the song, the singer said it stemmed from conversations the band would have, imagining the difficulties faced by solo artists and sharing their gratefulness for having each other. Healy elaborated further, saying: "[...] we've been a band since we were 13, and they're my best friends. And we've never fallen out. It's a really true song. They're the thing that gives me purpose." [3] [1]
"Guys" has a length of four minutes and thirty seconds. [4] Musically, it is a mid-tempo indie rock and pop rock ballad, [5] [6] incorporating a stripped-down production consisting of soft guitars and violins. [7] [8] Megan Tkacy of Soundigest noted the song featured a subdued, relaxed, and stripped-down composition, omitting the band's characteristic musical elements such as synthesizers, soulful choirs, and production effects. [9] Lyrically, "Guys" is a reflection of the band's journey from teenagers to the present. [10] Healy reminisces on an apartment they rented together, bringing him to tears as he realises his bandmates are the "loves" of his life ("Right then I realized / You're the love of my life"). The singer expresses nostalgia for the band's formative years, wishing to relive the experience: "'Cause we all shared one apartment / Man, they were the golden times / They were the best of my life". [9] In the chorus, Healy sings: "Yeah, the moment that we started a band / Was the best thing that ever happened / And I wish that we could do it again / It was the best thing that ever happened to me". [11] George Cowell of Platform Magazine called it "a grounded, personal and powerful commentary on love", [12] while Brittany Spanos of Rolling Stone called it "a love letter to the band's nearly two decades of friendship." [13] The song is performed in the key of F♯ major with a tempo of 102 beats per minute in common time. [14]
Andrew Sacher of BrooklynVegan said "Guys" was "good stuff" and welcomed a return to the band's "somber, jangly, indie rock side." [5] In her review of the single for Rolling Stone, Spanos called the song "touching" and earnest. [13] Dana Tetenburg of Euphoria said: "[...] in a world with an abundance of songs dedicated to romantic love, a song that acknowledges the love you have for your friends comes as a rather refreshing moment." [15] The Edge critic Alice Fortt gave the song 3 out of 5 stars, complimenting the intimate and personal lyrics, and deemed it straightforward but genuine. [16] Tkacy of Soundigest praised the placement of "Guys" as the album's closing track and said it was "soulful, heartfelt and sure to stay in your head." [9] Stereogum contributor Ryan Leas said "Guys" was characteristically "1975-esque". He noted that unlike many of the band's other songs, it did not require listeners to search for a deeper meaning, saying the track was "just a great, earnest song that's likely to make you reflect on your own friendships". [17]
Dan Stubbs of NME called "Guys" sweet and sentimental. [18] Consequence of Sound writer Samantha Small said the song would be a "live-show winner" and wrote it was "easy to imagine fans swaying and repeating the endearing lines." [19] Ian Gormely of Exclaim! opined: "The track pines for the simplicity of the group's earliest days, mates playing music for the love of it and one another". [20] In his review of Notes on a Conditional Form for Pitchfork, Sam Sodomsky declared "Guys" the most romantic song on the album, deeming it as "an unlikely ode to consistency from a songwriter who has spent his career at war with this very notion." [21] Lindsay Zoladz of The New York Times said the track was an example of the parent album's overarching desire to return to youthfulness, innocence, and privacy. She called "Guys" a "sweetly sad song about yearning to get back to the garden, or maybe just the garage." [22] Variety contributor Chris Willman said the song was unpretentious, a contrast with Notes on a Conditional Form opener "The 1975" (2019), which he deemed portentous. [23] Commercially, "Guys" reached number 96 on the UK Singles Chart, [24] number 85 in Scotland, [25] number 17 on the US Billboard Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart and number 40 on the New Zealand Hot Singles chart. [26] [27]
Prior to its release, the 1975 debuted "Guys" in Nottingham, England, on 15 February 2020, the opening night of their Music for Cars Tour in the UK. The band performed the song in front of archival footage displaying clips from their youth and formative years together. [28] A music video for "Guys" was released on 21 May 2020. It features a compilation of video clips of the 1975 captured over the past decade. The footage shows the band on tour, recording music, and behind-the-scenes on magazine shoots. The Dork editorial staff called it "a heartfelt trip down memory lane from a band who've gone from early days playing pub backrooms to standing as one of the biggest on the planet." [29] [30]
Credits adapted from Notes on a Conditional Form album liner notes. [31]
Chart (2020) | Peak position |
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New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ) [27] | 40 |
Scotland (OCC) [25] | 85 |
UK Singles (OCC) [24] | 96 |
US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs ( Billboard ) [26] | 17 |
The 1975 are an English pop rock band formed in Wilmslow, Cheshire in 2002. The band consists of Matty Healy, Adam Hann, Ross MacDonald (bass), and George Daniel. The band's name was inspired by a page of scribblings found in Healy's copy of On the Road by Jack Kerouac that was dated "1 June, The 1975".
"Sex" is a song by English band the 1975 from their second extended play (EP) of the same name (2012) and eponymous debut studio album (2013). The song was written by band members George Daniel, Matty Healy, Adam Hann and Ross MacDonald. The band co-produced the EP version of the song with Michael and Robert Coles, while Mike Crossey provided additional production. The album version, produced by Crossey and the band, was released as the lead single on 23 August 2013 by Dirty Hit, Polydor Records and Vagrant Records. Written at the age of 19, Healy said the song represents a love letter to prudish teenage girls.
"Somebody Else" is a song by English band the 1975 from their second studio album I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful Yet So Unaware of It (2016). The song was written by band members Matty Healy, George Daniel, Adam Hann, Ross MacDonald, with the first two handling the production alongside Mike Crossey. The song was the last one written for the album; Healy developed the song's lyrics in Los Angeles while in the back of a cab. The singer focused on the after-effects of a breakup, centred on the themes of jealousy and guilt. It was released on 16 February 2016 by Dirty Hit and Polydor Records as the fourth single from the album.
A Brief Inquiry into Online Relationships is the third studio album by English band the 1975. It was released on 30 November 2018 by Dirty Hit and Polydor Records. Initially titled Music for Cars, the album was intended as the follow-up to I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful yet So Unaware of It (2016). The term later denoted an era encompassing both their third album and Notes on a Conditional Form, released in 2020. The band halted recording of the first part after lead singer Matty Healy left for a drug rehabilitation clinic in Barbados, seeking treatment for his heroin addiction. Following the singer's return, the band spent several months completing the album in Northamptonshire and Los Angeles.
"Jesus Christ 2005 God Bless America" is a song by English band the 1975 from their fourth studio album, Notes on a Conditional Form (2020). The song was written by band members Matty Healy, George Daniel, Adam Hann and Ross MacDonald, while Daniel and Healy handled the song's production. It was released on 2 April 2020 by Dirty Hit and Polydor Records as the fifth single from the album. The song features guest vocals from singer-songwriter Phoebe Bridgers. Healy re-wrote the song several times, focusing on the prison–industrial complex and the religious oppression of young people, while the final version was created as a patchwork from each iteration. After meeting Bridgers, the band invited her to record vocals for the song, turning it into a duet.
"It's Not Living (If It's Not with You)" is a song by English band the 1975 from their third studio album, A Brief Inquiry into Online Relationships (2018). The song was written by band members Matty Healy, George Daniel, Adam Hann and Ross MacDonald, and produced by Daniel and Healy. It was released on 18 October 2018 by Dirty Hit and Polydor Records as the fifth and final single from the album. Contributions are featured from the London Community Gospel Choir, who provide the choir vocals, and Amber Bain–known professionally as the Japanese House–who performs several instruments and provides the background vocals. Healy was reluctant to write a song about his former heroin addiction, which prompted him to develop the narrative around Danny, a character meant to represent Healy's struggle with heroin.
"Give Yourself a Try" is a song by English band the 1975 from their third studio album, A Brief Inquiry into Online Relationships (2018). The song was written by band members Matty Healy, George Daniel, Adam Hann and Ross MacDonald, while Daniel and Healy handled the production. It was released on 31 May 2018 by Dirty Hit and Polydor Records as the lead single from the album. The band was inspired by the works of Joy Division, specifically their track "Disorder", which Healy said stemmed from both acts originating from Macclesfield. He wrote the song using a mix of autobiographical and fictional elements, wanting to capture the health and social anxiety experienced by millennials.
Notes on a Conditional Form is the fourth studio album by English band the 1975. It was released on 22 May 2020 by Dirty Hit and Polydor Records. Initially titled Music for Cars, the album was intended as the follow-up to I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful yet So Unaware of It (2016). It later came to denote an era spanning two albums. The first, A Brief Inquiry into Online Relationships, was released in November 2018. The band recorded much of the second album in London, Los Angeles, Sydney, Northamptonshire and in a mobile studio on their tour bus. The album faced several delays and was submitted only weeks before the onset of the global COVID-19 pandemic.
"Love It If We Made It" is a song by English band the 1975 from their third studio album, A Brief Inquiry into Online Relationships (2018). The song was written by Matty Healy, George Daniel, Adam Hann and Ross MacDonald, while the production was handled by the former two. It was released on 19 July 2018 by Dirty Hit and Polydor Records as the second single from the album. Daniel created the song's production in 2015, while Healy collected daily tabloid headlines from 2016 to 2018 to use as lyrics. They became too humorous, so he rewrote the song to summarize the volatile social and political events in that period, using Prince's "Sign o' the Times" as an inspiration.
"TooTimeTooTimeTooTime" is a song by English band the 1975 from their third studio album, A Brief Inquiry into Online Relationships (2018). The song was written by Matty Healy, George Daniel, and Guendoline Rome Viray Gomez, who has the stage name of No Rome, while production of the song was handled by the former two. It was released on 15 August 2018 by Dirty Hit and Polydor Records as the third single from the album. The beat originated from an accident that occurred during "Narcissist", the band's collaboration with No Rome. Having developed a skeletal song structure, the band created the song to celebrate their varied discography and fondness of pop music.
"Sincerity Is Scary" is a song by the English band the 1975 from their third studio album, A Brief Inquiry into Online Relationships (2018). The song was written by band members Matty Healy, George Daniel, Adam Hann and Ross MacDonald, while Daniel and Healy handled the song's production. It was released on 13 September 2018 by Dirty Hit and Polydor Records as the fourth single from the album. Contributions are featured from Roy Hargrove, who performs the trumpet, and the London Community Gospel Choir, who provide the choir vocals. Healy was inspired to write the song to confront his fear of sincerity, using postmodernism in the lyrics to denounce sardonicism and irony, choosing to portray vulnerability and honesty instead.
"I Always Wanna Die (Sometimes)" is a song by English band the 1975 from their third studio album, A Brief Inquiry into Online Relationships (2018). The song was written by band members Matty Healy, George Daniel, Adam Hann and Ross MacDonald. Daniel and Healy handled the production alongside Jonathan Gilmore. Healy began the songwriting process at his home using an acoustic guitar, while the production was built around the song's opening guitar riff. Inspired to create a cinematic, gritty version of Aerosmith's "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing", the band worked with David Campbell, who conducts the string arrangements.
"The Birthday Party" is a song by English band the 1975 from their fourth studio album, Notes on a Conditional Form (2020). The song was released on 19 February 2020 by Dirty Hit and Polydor Records as the fourth single from the album. It was written by band members Matty Healy, George Daniel, Adam Hann and Ross MacDonald, while production of the song was handled by Daniel and Healy. Contributions are featured from Bob Reynolds, who plays the alto and tenor saxophone, and Rashawn Ross, who plays the trumpet and flugelhorn. The brass arrangements were composed by John Waugh, who performs the saxophone alongside Reynolds and Ross. The song originated from a jam session in Los Angeles, California, and was intended to be released as the lead single from the album, ultimately being replaced by "People" (2019).
"Frail State of Mind" is a song by English band the 1975. It was released on 24 October 2019 through Dirty Hit and Polydor Records as the second single, following "People" (2019), from their fourth studio album, Notes on a Conditional Form (2020). It was written by band members Matty Healy, George Daniel, Adam Hann and Ross MacDonald, while Daniel and Healy were responsible for the song's production. "Frail State of Mind" is an experimental UK garage and electronica ballad. Its ambient production is composed of a brisk dubstep beat, a heavy, shuffling drum line, cascading synths, chopped vocal melodies, and influences from a variety of electronic, modern rock, and electronic dance music subgenres. Lyrically, the single revolves around Healy's social anxiety and the themes of depression, fear, apprehensiveness, disappointment, insecurity, and anti-social behaviour.
"People" is a song by English band the 1975 from their fourth studio album, Notes on a Conditional Form (2020). The song was released on 22 August 2019, through Dirty Hit and Polydor Records as the lead single from the album. It was written by band members Matty Healy, George Daniel, Adam Hann and Ross MacDonald. Production of the song was handled by Daniel and Healy alongside Jonathan Gilmore. An anarcho-punk and screamo song, it features an intense, heavy rock instrumentation consisting of desert-rock guitar riffs, straightforward chords, breakneck drums and "renegade" percussion. Lyrically, it is a protest song that calls for change and rebellion to deal with global, political and environmental turmoil, and deals with themes of desperation, urgency and anxiety.
"The 1975" is a 2019 song by the English band of the same name from their fourth studio album, Notes on a Conditional Form. It was released on 24 July 2019, and included on the album as the opening track in May 2020. It continues the tradition of the band's albums opening with an eponymous song, but whereas the previous three had a shared set of lyrics sung by Matty Healy, the 2019 song uses different lyrics delivered by the environmental activist Greta Thunberg. She calls for civil disobedience in response to climate change, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, in a modified version of her speech "Our House Is on Fire" from the 2019 World Economic Forum.
"Me & You Together Song" is a song by English band the 1975 from their fourth studio album, Notes on a Conditional Form (2020). The song was released on 16 January 2020 through Dirty Hit and Polydor Records as the third single from the album. It was written by band members Matty Healy, George Daniel, Adam Hann and Ross MacDonald. Production of the song was handled by Daniel and Healy alongside Jonathan Gilmore. Inspired by Amy Watson, Chelsea Pollard and the idealism of a teenage romance, Healy conceived the song as part of the soundtrack to German, a film he planned on creating. Although the film did not come to fruition, the 1975 continued to work on the song, channeling the sound of their former band Drive Like I Do.
"Nothing Revealed / Everything Denied" is a song by English band the 1975 from their fourth studio album, Notes on a Conditional Form (2020). The song was written by band members Matty Healy, George Daniel, Adam Hann and Ross MacDonald, while the production was handled by Daniel and Healy. The London Community Gospel Choir provide the song's choir vocals. Its creation was inspired by J Dilla and self-reflection, with the band wanting to fulfill their responsibilities as artists by challenging ideas.
"Tonight (I Wish I Was Your Boy)" is a song by English band the 1975 from their fourth studio album, Notes on a Conditional Form (2020). The song was written by band members Matty Healy, George Daniel, Adam Hann and Ross MacDonald alongside Guendoline Viray Rome Gomez and Hiroshi Sato. Daniel and Healy handled the production of the song. It originated from an a cappella sample, with the band gradually merging different pieces of music together to create the final version. Healy was inspired by the Backstreet Boys, producer Max Martin and rapper Kanye West, along with the melodic music of Brandy, Whitney Houston, SWV and TLC.
"If You're Too Shy (Let Me Know)" is a song by English band the 1975 from their fourth studio album, Notes on a Conditional Form (2020). The song was released on 23 April 2020 through Dirty Hit and Polydor Records as the sixth single from the album. It was written by band members Matty Healy, George Daniel, Adam Hann and Ross MacDonald. Production of the song was handled by Daniel and Healy alongside Jonathan Gilmore. FKA Twigs provides operatic background vocals on the song's ambient new-age introduction, Rashawn Ross performs the trumpet and flugelhorn in the choruses, and Bob Reynolds performs the tenor and alto saxophone solo in the bridge. Videos of the band performing the song were widely circulated on social media several months prior to its official release, quickly becoming a fan-favourite, and resulting in a high degree of anticipation among their fanbase.
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