Matt Healy Explains The New 1975 Song Give Yourself A Try

2 June 2018, 13:00 | Updated: 2 June 2018, 13:01

The frontman has been telling Radio X about some of the inspirations on the band’s new single, which previews their third album, A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships.

“It’s difficult, because it means different things to you at different times,” says Matty Healy when asked to explain the lyrics to the new song by The 1975. “It’s really difficult to be eloquent about it, because you get it perfect and someone asks you to be MORE eloquent about it.”

But the frontman is being pretty eloquent, we think. Give Yourself A Try was released, as predicted, on Friday 1 June 2018, and is the first teaser from the band’s forthcoming third album, A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships. The album - which was originally rumoured to be called Music For Cars - is due in "October-ish", according to Matty.

Healy told Radio X’s Dan O’Connell: “I haven’t even finished the album. It’s about two-thirds finished. It’s because I’m trying to live the truth about all those big hyperbolic things I say. There’s a sincerity to this album. Being ironic all the time is being a bit scared of being human."

But Healy gave us a pretty good account of some of the themes mentioned in the new song: everything from millennials to STDs to Matty’s own recent personal struggles. Here’s his brutally honest take on the lyrics to Give Yourself A Try...

The 1975 - Give Yourself A Try

“Like friends don’t lie and it all tastes the same in the dark…”

“It’s definitely a statement about being a millennial. I think that line’s about authenticity, really. And the things that have permanent value that stay there. Value is only part of worth and you learn that in relationships.”

“You’re getting spiritually enlightened at 29…”

Everyone sits there in sixth form and goes materialistic things aren’t the we need to look for. But you give it a shot! Then you get to 27 or 28 and think that’s a bit rubbish. You know the song Love Me, it was very important that it wasn’t ‘Poor Me’. Because you have people who are famous, who say Oh, what a nightmare. To be honest with you, I’m not that famous. If you like music, then you know who I am. It’s about whether you acquire that knowledge, it’s about searching for that truth in amongst things that you thought were going to provide you with the answer. This golden whatever, or this award. It’s not what it’s about, we all know that. I think it’s that bloke Ram Dass that said that?”

“And getting STDs at 27 really isn’t the vibe…”

I don’t know where that line came from, I just remember thinking it was funny. With me, I genuinely forget which parts are autobiographical and which parts aren’t. Because the lyrics become such an innate part of my identity that as soon as they go out there, I just accept them as truths anyway! So that’s not about me! I wasn’t getting STDs, babe - that’s to my girlfriend, but she knows that.”

“It’s funny cos you’ll move somewhere sunny and get addicted to drugs...”

“Yeah, that’s autobiographical. Was it prescription drugs? I was definitely a victim of that culture. I’m kind of versed in that. The ‘golden years’, we call it. But I’m in a much better place now. What’s difficult sometimes is writing about the really present past, like stuff that happened a couple of months ago. It’s difficult to be objective about it, to not be emotional enough to write about it.

“Yeah, I was addicted to drugs, I’ve spoken about my history with drugs, I’m not going to hold back and lie, because it’s been a nightmare. The end of last year up until when I thought this record started to get good, round about the start of February, was a absolute nightmare. Cos I was getting clean, I was trying to figure out what I wanted the 1975 record to be… Luckily I learned that I never need to do that, because whatever happens is just what it’s gonna be.

“The record’s about telling the truth. People can deal with being told the truth. What they can’t deal with is being messed around. If you think that you’re helping someone by hiding the truth, then you’re probably not.

“So all of these things that have happened have made me think that all I have is to tell the truth. That’s the only tool I have to navigate through the world - otherwise I’ll just get it wrong.

“Apart from.. I moved to various sunny places, I didn’t get a permanent place, I still have to do that!”

Give Yourself A Try is available now from the1975.com.