Released: 2022
Rock on and tune those antennas in, folks, because we’re about to dive headfirst into the paradoxes and nuance in The 1975’s “When We Are Together.” At its core, this tune is a bittersweet ode to a relationship conspicuous by its highs and lows, memorable moments, and idiosyncrasies, marked by the struggle for emotional balance and personal growth.
The song sways off with the vivid imagery of a first kiss, “Christmas in the Walmart toy department.” It’s a stab at the commercialization of sentimentality, painting a kitschy yet intimate picture of an unconventional modern romance. The singer’s probing journey, whether through “searchin’ New York for a fancy, new apartment” or trying to make sense of “Central Park is Sea World for trees,” hints at a shared life full of shared eccentricities and explorations.
The chorus raises curious eyebrows with the recurring theme of ‘cows wearin’ my sweater.’ Quite the barnyard riddle, right? But keep in proximity to the context, it could be deemed as a metaphor for the comforting yet mundane routines that define their relationship, made palatable by the connection they share. The weather causing cows to ‘lie down’ could be a nod toward external factors bringing about behavioural changes, analogous to swings in their relationship dynamics.
Moving on to “I like socks with sandals, she’s more into scented candles,” – a testament to individual quirks creating the foundation of a unique love language. Yet there’s a sense that things eventually soured, emphasized by “the day we both got cancelled.” This is a commentary on public scrutiny and the cancel culture, this time invading personal spaces wrecking havoc.
The third verse acts as a raw recoil of self-realization. The singer admits to manipulation, bringing to the fore the rarely used term ‘gaslighting.’ It depicts a moment of reflection and accountability, reinforcing the ups and downs that color the narrative of this relationship.
The recurrence of the sweater-wearing bovines and weather metaphor add a chorus-like familiarity, sticking to the song’s bittersweet essence, ending on the note that the singer feels ‘better’ when they’re ‘together.’
Unfurled in the veil of playful metaphors and melancholic tone, “When We Are Together” is a vibrant landscape of contemporary romance, as strained as it is treasured, speaking the unsaid through the language of rock ‘n’ roll poetics.
