Being Funny in a Foreign Language

“Being Funny in a Foreign Language” is a studio album by the band “The 1975” that was released on October 14th, 2022. The 11 tracks on “Being Funny in a Foreign Language” include their hit single, “About You”, amongst many other admirable songs. 

The 1975

Track number one on “Being Funny in a Foreign Language” is titled “The 1975.” Viewer discretion is advised as the lyrics are explicit. This track covers the struggles and experiences of being a teenager. Topics including body image issues, politics, and the abuse of drugs and substances are discussed. The repetition of the lyrics “I’m sorry if you’re livin’ and you’re seventeen,” was a way for the band to empathize with the younger generation of their listeners. 

Happiness

The song titled “Happiness” is the second track on “Being Funny in a Foreign Language.” This track both lyrically and musically expresses the feeling of bliss from being in a romantic relationship with someone who has changed your perspective on love and life in general. The interpretation of this song changes, depending on the listener, as it could be about a current relationship or reminiscing on a past relationship. This song describes the feeling of being in love in its truest, simplest form: happiness. 

Looking For Somebody (To Love)

The title of the third track on “Being Funny in a Foreign Language” is “Looking For Somebody (To Love).” Viewer discretion is advised as the lyrics are explicit. This song is sung from the perspective of a guy who resorts to violence to deal with his insecurities and toxic masculinity. Ironically, the song was composed to sound like an upbeat pop song, yet the lyrics cover very heavy and controversial topics. The band uses this irony to show the normalization of violence and the romanticization of mental health issues in modern society.

Part Of The Band

The song titled “Part Of The Band” can be found on “Being Funny in a Foreign Language” as track number four. Viewer discretion is advised as the lyrics are explicit. Members of “The 1975” wrote this song to share their ideas surrounding topics such as consumerism and addiction. There is no exact or literal meaning behind “Part Of The Band” as it was written for the listener to have their own connection and interpretation of the song. 

Oh Caroline

“Oh Caroline” is listed as the fifth track on “The 1975’s” “Being Funny in a Foreign Language.” The song is written from the perspective of a man who deeply regrets the mistakes he made in a previous relationship. He feels distraught and confesses that he is still in love with his past lover. The character of Caroline was written for the listeners to be able to relate their own experiences to the relationship dynamic expressed in this song. The song represents unrequited love and the desperation of wanting another chance at a relationship. 

I’m In Love With You

The sixth track on “Being Funny in a Foreign Language” is titled “I’m In Love With You.” Viewer discretion is advised as the lyrics are explicit. The song can best be described as the singer’s honest expression of genuine love for their partner. The song’s lyrics suggest ignoring the complexities of love to simply appreciate the feeling of it. The listeners of “I’m in Love With You” are lyrically advised to value current relationships as they are easier to lose than to keep.  

All I Need To Hear

The song “All I Need To Hear” is the seventh track on “Being Funny in a Foreign Language.” The singer expresses how they feel nothing matters without having the person they love be a part of their life. It is implied that the love interest does not share the same feelings as the singer, yet the singer does not care and just wants to be told they’re loved. This song was written to express the thoughts of someone experiencing the pain of trying to move on from unreciprocated love. 

Wintering

The eighth track on “Being Funny In a Foreign Language” is a song titled “Wintering.” This track was written to be a Christmas song covering the stress and anxiety that comes along with reuniting with family during the holidays. Throughout the duration of this song, the singer expresses wanting to leave but deciding to stick it out for the sake of family. The pessimistic view of the holiday season from the vocalist of “Wintering” is meant to be comedic and relatable to the listeners of this song.

Human Too

The ninth track listed on “Being Funny in a Foreign Language” is titled “Human Too.” The song refers to how society places celebrities on a pedestal and immediately criticizes them for any mistakes they may make. This song was written as a way for the band to apologize to their listeners for any controversy they have had involvement in, but explain how they are still normal humans who make mistakes. There are recurring themes of imperfection and fragility expressed through the lyrics of this song as being human nature. 

About You

Track number ten on “Being Funny in a Foreign Language” is a song titled “About You.” This track tells the story of two people who have broken up but still reminisce on the memories from the relationship they had with each other. Though the characters in “About You” are no longer in a relationship, they still share a love for each other and appreciate what they had while it lasted. A female vocalist, Carly Holt-Hann, is featured on this track alongside “The 1975’s” lead vocalist, Matthew Healy, to musically express the dynamic in this story.

When We Are Together

The last song on “Being Funny in a Foreign Language” is the eleventh track titled “When We Are Together.” The song is about the dynamic between two people who have a toxic relationship. They stay together for convenience but are aware they are not good for each other. However, they are convinced things can only get better if they stay together and work on their relationship. The lyrics in “When We Are Together” suggest the difficulty of truly accepting a relationship as toxic.

The Response

Members of “The 1975”, including Matthew Healy, Adam Hann, Ross MacDonald, and George Daniel, have toured across North America, the United Kingdom, and Ireland following the release of “Being Funny in a Foreign Language.” The success of “Being Funny in a Foreign Language” has brung new listeners to “The 1975” to enjoy this album, as well as their previous records.