Unboxing Lyrics: 5sos Edition *ALBUMS ONLY*

Old Me

Written by: Ashton, Luke, Brian Lee, Dre Moon, Billy Walsh, Louis Bell, Ali Tamposi and Andrew Watt

Genre: Pop, mild RnB

Lyrics and their meaning:

Shout out to the old me
And everything he showed me
Glad you didn't listen when the world was tryna slow me
No one could control me
Left my lovers lonely
Had to fuck it up before I really got to know me
The protagonist is dedicating this to their past. They're acknowledging that they did mess up and do stupid things, but they made you who you are. As well as taking your time to opportunities and seizing the moment glad you didn't listen when the world was tryna slow me. 

Never a night alone
Anywhere you wanna go
Woke up in the morning
Wearing someone else's clothes
Pictures in my phone
With people I don't know
Woke up in the morning
How the hell'd I make it home?

We've taken a trip into the protagonist's past. Probably when they were in their late teens, early twenties and thinking, 'I just wanna get with someone right here, right now' and not thinking of the consequences. I'm getting that this character could have been a player when they were younger...

And they wondered how long I could keep it up
But I wondered if I ever, if I'd ever get enough
And I did some shit I never should've done
I would do it over now
I'd do it over

The people they're close with are worried about them and don't know if they'll survive living life like this. It's a reflection of the time. 

You may have a memory, and every time it's triggered you remember the bad things about it and all that. I believe that and I did some shit I never should've done can mean that OR it can be taken literally. I mean, everything can be taken literally or figuratively. That specific line could mean substance abuse. Drugs or alcohol, so it could literally mean, they used a drug or alcohol that they regretted. 

All of the mistakes I made, I made, I made, I made
Whatever the price I paid, I paid, I paid, I paid
Shout out to the old me
And everything you showed me
Had to fuck it up before I let you get to know me

This is again the protagonist reflecting on their past. It's basically reinforcing the fact that they made mistakes and payed a price for those mistakes.

Another round, here we go
Going in, blow for blow
Look into the mirror, take the punches that I throw
I'm constantly reminded
Of all the compromises
By the people from my past who have a hard time letting go

Back with the 'rock 'n' roll lifestyle', a new person every night, drugs, alcohol, money ect...

In this verse you can hear how the protagonist is slightly regretting their choices from the past, creating the person they would be in the future. 

Devil at my door
Got me knocking, knocking, knocking
On the other side
Ashes on the floor
But I'm walking, walking, walking
Out of here alive

There are two parts to this bridge, and in my opinion, they mean two completely different things in my opinion. You start with Devil at my door, it could potentially mean the police as in a devil that is stopping them from using that 'shit' that they shouldn't have done. And knocking on the other side can mean that they were forced into jail or custody from their terrible behaviour thanks to those drugs. 

The next part to the bridge starts with 'ashes on the floor'. Continuing on with the previous theme of the police, it could be that they were locked up and got bailed out. Or, the part could be taken as Ash is on the floor i.e. something has happened to a person that they are close to because of their actions, resulting in them changing their behaviour. 

Favourite Lyric: Ashes on the floor

Yay or nay: Absolute YAY!

What it reminds me of: coming to terms with your past and thinking how it made you the person you are today.