Welcome to our new “Versus” feature, where two of our writers go head-to-head in discussion of the lyrical content of your favorite songs!
British-Irish boy band The Wanted reached commercial success early this year with a hot dance-pop vibe that was new to the charts of 2012. The resounding of their self-titled debut as well as Battleground made waves internationally, earning a lot of positive notoriety for the band.
Check out Jason vs. Gavin on The Wanted’s “Glad You Came” below.
The sun goes down, the stars come out
And all that counts is here and now
My universe will never be the same
I’m glad you came
Your first clue is that this song is about ‘getting it on’ is that the sun went down. Most encounters happen at night! Your second is in the song’s title words, “glad you came,” which are self-explanatory, taking your mind directly into the gutter. It continues:
And I decided you look well on me, well on me
So let’s go somewhere no one else can see, you and me.
Notice he didn’t say “you look well with me.” Plus, encouraging a moment in the dark and secluded? This song is turning out to be more conspicuous! And finally:
Hand you another drink, drink it if you can
Can you spend a little time, time is slipping away,
Away from us so stay, stay with me
I can make, make you glad you came
With a strong finish of alcohol-induced stimulation and the intensity of precious time alone, we see no other way for The Wanted’s song to be perceived. Yes, the kids might overlook it, but the elders know better.
Truth. “Came” is a euphemism for orgasm. And though we’d hope Britain’s most popular boy band export have no shortages of such a thing, or rather no shortages of giving someone else such a thing, isn’t that one of the cardinal rules of being in a boy band – making the lot seem available? The dudes, they call themselves “The Wanted.”
That said, Jason, none of these wantable dudes went near the creation of a lyric of the song. That honor goes to a trio of hit makers (Steve Mac, Wayne Hector, Ed Drewett) that have penned a handful of tunes for the band (“All Time Low,” “Lightening”) as well as hits on an individual basis for everyone from Britney Spears to rivals One Direction. And what super, veiled hit-maker wouldn’t want to lace a cheesy Coldplay opening melody with a backhanded climax joke? Two more essential proofs:
Never once is the “here” mentioned in the opening couplet and the rest of the song defined:
The sun goes down, the stars come out
And all that counts is here and now
That “alcohol-induced” bit, Jason, it’s near manipulative. Why would you go somewhere where you can’t be seen, turn the lights off and then attempt to hand whoever you’re with a drink?
So let’s go somewhere no one else can see, you and me
Turn the lights out now, now I’ll take you by the hand
Hand you another drink, drink it if you can
The copped euro disco beats ensue. The universe metaphors run thick. And to hammer home Jason’s most pivotal cue:
You hit me like the sky fell on me, fell on me
And I decided you look well on me, well on me
Not only is this song subversively filthy. It could be taken as demeaning. And that’s without showcasing the spliced up, stumbling club trip to Ibiza the band partook in for the video.