By Miles Levine, Staff Writer
In May of 2021, Bleachers debuted “How Dare You Want More” on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, becoming the first group to perform live in Studio 6B since the start of the pandemic. The song comes off of their third studio album, Take the Sadness Out of Saturday Night, which was released in July two months later. Lead singer-songwriter and producer Jack Antonoff remembers his roots to create a nostalgic feeling piece of music.
BREAKING DOWN THE SOUND OF “HOW DARE YOU WANT MORE”
“How Dare You Want More” is an upbeat rock song that features a bright-sounding guitar and a blaring saxophone. Antonoff took deep inspiration from the musical style of fellow New Jerseyan Bruce Springsteen when creating the song. The arrangement successfully captures a familiar retro sound. Vocal layering and a trade-off between guitar and sax help give the track this late ‘70s feel.
Despite the song taking heavy influence from one of the best-selling artists in history, Bleachers’ distinct sound remains. Muffled vocals and a choral call and response complete the song in true Bleachers fashion.
DIVING INTO THE LYRICS & MEANING
Jack Antonoff said in an interview with NME that the song reflects his feelings towards a personal conflict. The lyrics convey his displeasure with the state of relationships between family members. Feeling unworthy of change, he expresses shame for wanting more out of life.
The story of “How Dare You Want More” begins once Antonoff confides in another person and is left aimless with nothing else to consume him. Each verse’s lyrics are from the perspective of a different family member regarding the situation at hand. This shift in perspective helps unveil what Antonoff means by the lyrics “Man of secrets, two lives that he's been living in…”
WHAT'S NEXT FOR BLEACHERS?
Bleachers currently await their “2022 Tour.” The tour will kick off with three shows at Roadrunner in Boston on March 24th and 25th. It will continue with 20 other shows across the U.S. and in Canada.
Every Monday, our music staff brings you a new Pick of The Week, detailing some of our favorite songs. Check out our previous Picks of the Week here, and make sure to tune in to WERS 88.9FM!
