Give Yourself a Try
"Give Yourself a Try" is a song by English band the 1975 from their third studio album, A Brief Inquiry into Online Relationships (2018). The song was written by band members Matty Healy, George Daniel, Adam Hann and Ross MacDonald, while Daniel and Healy handled the production. It was released on 31 May 2018 by Dirty Hit and Polydor Records as the lead single from the album. The band was inspired by the works of Joy Division, specifically their track "Disorder", which Healy said stemmed from both acts originating from Macclesfield. He wrote the song using a mix of autobiographical and fictional elements, wanting to capture the health and social anxiety experienced by millennials.
"Give Yourself a Try"
A lo-fi indie rock and post-punk song, "Give Yourself a Try" revolves around an aggressive pop-punk guitar riff reminiscent of "Disorder". The former's production consists of post-punk guitars, a robotic synth hook, a motorik-leaning beat and influences of Britpop, synth-pop, pop, pop-punk and garage punk. Thematically, it deals with maturing and escaping the trappings of fame, with Healy calling for people to recognize their self-worth and become a part of the world. Lyrically, the song covers ageing, identity and introspection, among others.
Upon release, "Give Yourself a Try" received positive reviews from contemporary music critics, who compared it to the Strokes and praised the lyrics and production, noting the song expands the 1975's sound while retaining their signature style. The song later appeared on several year-end lists and earned a nomination for Best Rock Song at the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards in 2020. Commercially, it reached number 22 on the UK Singles Chart, number 27 in Scotland, number 51 in Ireland and number 12 on the US Billboard Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart. The song was later certified silver in the United Kingdom by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI). An accompanying music video, directed by Diane Martel, was released on 31 May 2018. The visual–which Healy said was inspired by Lady Gaga and self-reflection–features the band performing the song in a mirrored room.
Background and release[edit]
In January 2018, Healy tweeted: "122 days", which led precisely to 1 June. The 1975 later deleted their website and all of their social media accounts.[1] On 1 May 2018, the band uploaded a cryptic Instagram post that read: "Hello."[2] In the same month, their website was updated with a video composed of a cinematic score alongside several images, such as a room full of servers, AI robots, a cityscape filled with skyscrapers, laughing children, a Cardi B video and one of Kanye West's tweets.[2][3] Additionally, it contained a mysterious countdown clock leading to 1 June 2018.[2] However, BBC Radio 1 began running advertisements for the 1975's appearance on Annie Mac's self-titled radio show, set for 31 May 2018. It was then announced that the song would be released one day earlier than intended, while the title was revealed to be "Give Yourself a Try".[4] On 31 May, the song was officially released as the lead single from A Brief Inquiry into Online Relationships.[5][6]
Music and lyrics[edit]
Musically, "Give Yourself a Try" is a lo-fi indie rock and post-punk song with a length of three minutes and 17 seconds (3:17).[11][8][12][13] According to sheet music published at Musicnotes.com by Sony/ATV Music Publishing, "Give Yourself a Try" is set in the time signature of common time with a fast tempo of 184 beats per minute. The track is composed in the key of B major, with Healy's vocals ranging between the notes of E3 and F♯4. It follows a chord progression of B5–B/D♯–Esus2.[14] "Give Yourself a Try" is constructed around a deliberately aggressive,[15] swirling pop-punk guitar riff reminiscent of Joy Division's "Disorder".[12][16][17] The former's production contains an electronic backing, post-punk guitars, "springy" basslines, scratchy layers of feedback,[17] heavy synths,[18] a robotic synth hook,[19] an insistent, motorik-leaning beat,[8][20] a bare-bones drum machine,[21] staticy drums and a skittering drum beat.[22][23] The song has influences of Britpop, synth-pop, pop, pop-punk and garage punk.[12][23][24][25]
Thematically, "Give Yourself a Try" is about growing up and escaping the trappings of fame,[17] with Healy calling for people to recognize their self-worth and become a part of the world.[26] The song encourages genuine self-improvement and acknowledgement of past mistakes,[27] urging people to give themselves a try while offering permission to be who they are.[15] The singer uses sarcasm, self-deprecation and sardonicism in the free-associative lyrics,[17][27] which focus on modern debates, his musings of ageing and identity, the suicide of a young fan,[16][28] introspection, isolation,[26] frivolity and responsibility.[19] Healy speaks from a position of authority and offers advice: "You learn a couple things when you get to my age / Like friends don't lie and it all tastes the same in the dark".[29] The song focuses on regret and self-criticism in the verses, countered by the choruses, which display a more uplifting tone as the singer repeats: "Won't you give yourself a try?"[22][30] Elsewhere, Healy sings about finding grey hairs in a spliff, becoming "spiritually enlightened at 29", contracting STDs, settling into a new version of oneself and the absence of context in modern internet dialogue.[19][24][26]
Lars Gotrich of NPR compared "Give Yourself a Try" to a cross between the "quirky-guitar-jangle" of Phoenix and a sped-up version of "Instant Crush" (2013) by Daft Punk and Julian Casablancas.[31] Cameron Cook of Pitchfork wrote: "Unlike most of the 1975's recent work, this track leaves behind the synth-pop and '80s bombast for something more raw and analog."[17] Steven Kline of Gigwise said the song sounds like the Strokes' "Hard to Explain" (2001) if it were written by Alexa.[24] Thomas Smith from NME said the guitar riff would not sound out of place on the Strokes' Room on Fire (2003).[12] Patrick Hosken of MTV News noted the song "synthesizes generational problems often reduced to overblown bellyaches by folks not affected".[23] Morgan Enos from Billboard wrote that "Give Yourself a Try" focuses on "the point in your 20s when you ease up on sowing your wild oats and focus on settling in".[19] Ben Beaumont-Thomas and Laura Snapes of The Guardian compared the song's riff to Room on Fire "rendered as a polyphonic ringtone", while noting the lyrics veer between ludicrous and devoutly sincere, which "[suggest] being kinder to yourself as you grow up".[32]
Credits adapted from A Brief Inquiry into Online Relationships album liner notes.[55]