I need to get my story straight/
My friends are in the bathroom getting higher than the Empire State.
Fun’s “We Are Young” does a great job of capturing the party lifestyle of young twenty-somethings, where the ultimate thing you can do for a friend is help them get home when they are drunk or high. In this world, relationships might not be the best in an objective sense (He did give his girlfriend a scar, but nevermind), but it sounds fun in a certain light.
In “We are Young”, we progress through the author’s night from when everyone starts getting high– to the end, when everyone can barely walk home. In between, he party’s hard because all his friends are in town and because “we’re young so let’s set this world on fire.”
Fun’s “We are Young” hits on so many levels. First it is fun (lowercase ‘f’): It isn’t trying to be preachy; it is just a day in the life. Those songs are okay too. Great production: the tone of the song matches the lyrics really well, and the beautiful Janelle Monáe sings the part of “the girlfriend”. The song sounds like one big party- which is what the song is about. And like any good party song it has a great use of percussion: the drums in the intro verse and chorus are especially good.
We Are Young Lyrics
Give me a second I
I need to get my story straight,
My friends are in the bathroom getting higher than the Empire State.
My lover she’s waiting for me just across the bar,
My seat’s been taken by some sunglasses asking about a scar, and
I know I gave it to you months ago,
I know you’re trying to forget,
But between the drinks and subtle things
The holes in my apologies, you know
I’m trying hard to take it back.
So if by the time the bar closes
And you feel like falling down, I’ll carry you home-
Tonight, we are young.
So let’s set the world on fire,
We can burn brighter than the sun.
Tonight, we are young.
So let’s set the world on fire,
We can burn brighter than the sun.
Now I know that I’m not
All that you got. I guess that I, I just thought
Maybe we could find new ways to fall apart.
But our friends are back,
So let’s raise a tab,
‘Cause I found someone to carry me home.
Tonight, we are young.
So let’s set the world on fire,
We can burn brighter than the sun.
Tonight, we are young.
So let’s set the world on fire,
We can burn brighter than the sun.
Carry me home tonight (Na na na na na na),
Just carry me home tonight (Na na na na na na).
Carry me home tonight (Na na na na na na),
Just carry me home tonight (Na na na na na na).
The world is on my side,
I have no reason to run.
So will someone come and carry me home tonight.
The angels never arrived,
But I can hear the choir,
So will someone come and carry me home…
Tonight, we are young.
So let’s set the world on fire,
We can burn brighter than the sun.
Tonight, we are young.
So let’s set the world on fire,
We can burn brighter than the sun.
So if by the time the bar closes
And you feel like falling down,
I’ll carry you home tonight.
Songwriters: Jeff Bhasker / Andrew Dost / Jack Antonoff / Nate Ruess