Robbers

## Music video

 **"Robbers"** is a song by English rock band The 1975, released as the sixth single from their self-titled debut on 26 May 2014.

## Background

"Robbers" is a love song about a toxic relationship. They are too focused on each other to notice the destruction they cause each other.

The title "Robbers" refers to how the lovers are robbing each other of happiness and chances in this world apart from one another. They can’t move on and grow in love because they are so caught up in their toxic relationship.

The 1975 frontman, Matty Healy said the following about the song:

*"‘Robbers' was originally inspired by my love of the Quentin Tarantino film True Romance, the story of an Elvis-obsessed loner who falls in love and marries a prostitute. In the movie, the couple run away to California after killing her pimp and stealing his drugs to start a new life financed by a once in a lifetime drug deal. It’s the sentiment behind the film that appeals to me, the hopelessly romantic notion that two people can meet and instantly fall in love, an escape story where love is the highest law and conquers all against the odds. Characters like Bonnie and Clyde always appealed to me as a teenager – couples so intoxicated with one another that they fear nothing in the pursuit of the realization of each other, actions fueled by blind unconditional love. ‘Robbers’ is an ode to those relationships. The type of relationship all humans long for. All or nothing. This video is about when love makes two people feel they are the centre of the universe."*
The official music video for "Robbers" was released on 27 April 2014, directed by Tim Mattia. The video depicts a couple who rob a shop to obtain money to "fund their alcohol and drug addiction."

Matty shared some insight about what he’d do differently for the music video at their show in Toronto, stating:

*"I love "Robbers"... but If I could do it again, I would do it without guns. because retrospectively it feels a bit weird watching that, seeing as I’m all like, “I stand for all that stuff” but then there I am, fucking around with a gun and all that. It’s not really cool."*
## Lyrics

She had a face straight outta magazine

God only knows but you'll never leave her

Her balaclava is starting to chafe

And when she gets his gun he's begging, "Babe, stay, stay, stay, stay, stay."

I'll give you one more time

We'll give you one more fight

Said one more lie

Will I know you

Now if you never shoot, you'll never know

And if you never eat, you'll never grow

You've got a pretty kind of dirty face

And when she's leaving your home she's begging you, "Stay, stay, stay, stay, stay."

I'll give you one more time

We'll give you one more fight

Said one more line

Be a riot, cause I know you

Well, now that you've got your gun

It's much harder now the police have come

Now I'll shoot him if it's what you ask

But if you just take off your mask

You'd find out everything's gone wrong.

Now everybody's dead

And they're driving past my old school

He's got his gun, he's got his suit on

She says, "Babe, you look so cool, you look so cool, you look so coo-o-o-oo-oo-ool.

You look so cool, you look so cool, you look so coo-o-o-oo-oo-ool."

## Personnel

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

## References

1. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdUH0P480OY&list=PLaLRPSxXgiU671-mAA137Yah4CncQUkKt&index=11