I lied about being the outdoor type/
I’ve never owned a sleeping bag let alone a mountain bike.

The Lemonheads never made it bigtime, though they did have a relatively big hit with a cover of Simon and Garfunkel’s Mrs Robinson. Their best song is “The Outdoor Type”—a gem that describes the slight exaggerations that one tells in the beginning of a relationship. This song was also a cover. It was written/recorded by an even smaller band Smudge–an earlier band of songwriter Tom Morgan.

Have you ever noticed that on every dating profile everyone loves to travel? I would say it is over 90% of profiles. I hate travel. Leading with this is not ideal, nor is the fact that I am not into animals. I want a person to have a solid hour invested in me before they learn that I am a no-animal-owning, travel-hating single. Tom Morgan of feels the same way I do, except for him he met a girl who likes “the outdoors” and so he went along with it and said he likes the outdoors too.

It seems like a relatively harmless white lie until he comically lists all the outdoor activities he has aversions to.

We assume that he does not carry on this charade for long, and it doesn’t lead to any tragic misunderstandings—that’s what makes the song fun–rather than a description of something toxic and manipulative. The girl can find out his true nature by asking him if he’d like to join her on a walk. When he says “no” his big plan of a romance is spoiled.

He is also lying about something that is easily verifiable. He is not lying about faith, children, finances or fidelity. Something crazy could even happen and he could join her on a walk and enjoy it and become the outdoor type.

The song brings up the question about when should we share things when we first meet a potential romantic partner. How fast is too fast? How long is too long to wait? Can you say you are “interested” in the outdoors to someone who is outdoors girl when you are clearly an indoor guy? What about if you like looking at pictures of mountains–that’s outdoorsy, right? Should you exclude all people who don’t like the same activities as you right off the bat?

With this short electric-folk inspired song, The Lemonheads are able to raise a bunch of important issues in a fun, tongue-in-cheek way, while also delivering a song with a catchy chorus.

The Outdoor Type Lyrics

Always had a roof above me
Always paid the rent
But I’ve never set foot inside a tent
Can’t build a fire to save my life
I lied about being the outdoor type

I’ve never slept out underneath the stars,
The closest that I came to that was one time my car
Broke down for an hour in the suburbs at night
I lied about being the outdoor type.

Too scared to let you know you knew what you were looking for
I lied until I fit the bill god bless the great indoors
I lied about being the outdoor type
I’ve never owned a sleeping bag let alone a mountain bike

I can’t go away with you on a rock climbing weekend
What if somethings on tv and its never shown again
Its just as well I’m not invited I’m afraid of heights
I lied about being the outdoor type
Never learned to swim can’t grow a beard or even fight
I lied about being the outdoor type

Songwriters: Tom Morgan