Settle Down

## General information

### Release Date

3 February 2010 - 13 August 2013 (Promotional Single)24 February 2014 (US Single)

### Composer(s)

George Daniel • Matthew Healy • Adam Hann • Ross MacDonald

## Music video

**"Settle Down"** is a song by English rock band The 1975, released from their self-titled debut as the fifth single on 24 February 2014. "Settle Down" was added to the playlist of British national radio station BBC Radio 1 on 20 January 2014.

## Background

Released as the third single from The 1975’s self-titled debut album, "Settle Down" tells a tale of a secretive love affair.

*"I used to have a reoccurring dream when I was younger. The narrative was loosely based, but the setting was always the surrounding areas of where my parents grew up. I think I was slightly obsessed with how certain, bleak areas of Northern England contained my history and the soul of my family, my psyche - I always felt connected and disconnected at the same time. Metaphorically and physically I would visit these places frequently as a youngster and in turn have used them as the setting to a lot of the stories in The 1975 - the North East was the visual setting to my formative years."*
*"I suppose, like any narrative, the meaning and the connotations within the story are subjective. I've always been quite fascinated with the potency of same sex relationships, plutonic or otherwise. I was brought up in a very open minded environment, somewhere I felt that, whoever I was, I would be accepted. With this understanding I was also very aware of others, school friends, acquaintances - whom, due to where we lived, probably didn't have such a comfortable place to grow up, we were unaffected and affected by taboos and the small minded at the same time. I've dreamt the story of these two boys on countless occasions - every time drawing a different conclusion on its meaning."*
*"So upon meeting Nadia, who directed the video, I told her about my dream. We sat for hours looking through pictures and talking - it was decided in those moments. We were just to film my dream. The process of making this video was so intensely exciting for me as I was finally working through and figuring out exactly what this place, this story and these characters meant to me. I think now that I understand it. But I'm totally open to suggestions / interpretations. X"*
## Lyrics

A soft sound

To the way that she wears her hair down

Covering up her face.

And oh what a let down,

And I don't seem to be having any effect now

Falling all over the place.

But you're losing your words

We're speaking in bodies

Avoiding me and talking 'bout you.

But you're losing your turn

I guess I'll never learn

'Cause I stay another hour or two.

For crying out loud, settle down!

You know I can't be found with you

We get back to my house

Your hands, my mouth

Now I just stop myself around you.

A small town

Dictating all the people we get around

What a familiar face.

Do you get what I mean now?

I'm so fixated on the girl with the soft sound

And hair all over the place.

And you're sure that I'd learn

I'm pushing through bodies

Avoiding me and walking 'round you.

And you're cold and I burn

I guess I'll never learn

'Cause I stay another hour or two.

For crying out loud, settle down!

You know I can't be found with you

We get back to my house

Your hands, my mouth

Now I just stop myself around you.

A soft sound

And to the way that she wears her hair down

Covering up her face.

And oh what a let down,

I don't seem to be having any effect now

Falling all over the place.

But you're losing your words

We're speaking in bodies

Avoiding me and talking 'bout you.

And you're losing your turn

I guess I'll never learn

'Cause I stay another hour or two.

For crying out loud, settle down!

You know I can't be found with you

We get back to my house

Your hands, my mouth

Now I just stop myself around you.

For crying out loud!

## Videos

The 1975 - Settle Down (Live) (VEVO LIFT)

## Personnel

* **Bass** Ross MacDonald
* **Keyboard** Adam Hann
* **Pro Tools Engineer** Jonathan Gilmore
* **Synthesizer** George Daniel
* **Piano** Matthew Healy
* **Guitar** Matthew Healy, Adam Hann
* **Drums** George Daniel
* **Photography** George Daniel, David Drake
* **Programmer** George Daniel, Mike Crossey, Jonathan Gilmore
* **Design** Samuel Burgess-Johnson
* **Mastering Engineer** Robin Schmidt
* **Mixing Engineer** The 1975, Mike Crossey
* **Vocals** Matthew Healy
* **Engineer:** Mike Spink

## References

1. ↑ https://www.sos-music.co.uk/2014/01/the-1975-settle-down-official-video.html