It is a weird thing, honestly. Most bands start an album with a generic intro or maybe just jump straight into the first single. Not this lot. If you have ever sat through a full record by Matty Healy and company, you know the drill. You hear the same lyrics—"Go down, soft south, check out the terrace"—over and over, but the music behind it morphs every single time. It is a tradition that has become a bit of a cult obsession for fans.
The song titled The 1975 by The 1975 isn't just a track. It is a mission statement. It’s a sonic signature that tells you exactly which "era" you are about to step into. It’s kinda like a status report for the band’s collective mental state.
The Original Vibe: Where It All Started
Back in 2013, when they released their self-titled debut, nobody really knew if this gimmick would stick. The first version of The 1975 by The 1975 was glitzy. It was 80s-drenched. It felt like a neon sign flickering to life in a rainy Manchester alleyway. George Daniel’s production here was all about atmosphere.
They used the same lyrics for the intro of their second album, I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful yet So Unaware of It. But the energy shifted. It became choral, expansive, and almost overwhelmingly bright. It’s the same words, yet the feeling is totally different. You’ve got these layers of vocals that make it feel like a religious experience, which is ironic considering Healy’s well-documented views on religion. It was our first hint that the band wasn't going to just repeat themselves.
The Great Greta Thunberg Pivot
Then came 2019. This is where things got controversial for some and deeply moving for others. For the album Notes on a Conditional Form, the band scrapped the "Go down, soft south" lyrics entirely. Instead, they gave the floor to climate activist Greta Thunberg.
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It was a bold move. Some fans hated it because they wanted the familiar comfort of the old lyrics. Others saw it as the ultimate punk rock gesture. The track is five minutes of Greta speaking over a minimal, ambient orchestral swell. It wasn't about the band anymore; it was about the world ending. Honestly, it was a heavy way to start an album that eventually veered into UK garage and house music.
Why the Lyrics Actually Matter
If you look at those recurring lyrics—the ones about the "terrace" and "sugar on your lips"—they feel like a fever dream of youth. They are snippets of a conversation or a memory that Matty Healy can’t seem to shake. By keeping the lyrics the same (mostly), the band creates a yardstick. You can measure their growth by how they dress up those same few lines.
In the most recent iteration for Being Funny in a Foreign Language, they changed the lyrics again. This time, it was a frantic, LCD Soundsystem-inspired masterpiece. It’s all about the "death of the sun" and being "a young guy." It’s hyper-aware. It’s fast. It’s neurotic. It captures the feeling of living in 2022 and 2023 perfectly.
What People Get Wrong About the Intro
A lot of critics think it’s just ego. They see a band naming a song after themselves on every album and roll their eyes. But if you talk to the die-hards, they’ll tell you it’s about continuity. In an era where people just shuffle playlists, The 1975 is obsessed with the album as an art form.
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The intro acts as a "Previously on..." segment in a TV show. It grounds you. It says, "Okay, we’re still the same guys, but here is how we’ve changed since the last time we talked."
The Evolution of the Sound
To really understand the impact, you have to look at the production credits. George Daniel is basically a scientist in the studio.
- 2013: Ambient, guitar-heavy, moody.
- 2016: Maximalist, pop-focused, shiny.
- 2018: Glitchy, electronic, anxious.
- 2020: Minimalist, spoken-word, political.
- 2022: Organic, live-sounding, energetic.
There is no "standard" version. Each one is a product of its time. When you listen to the 2018 version from A Brief Inquiry into Online Relationships, it sounds like a computer waking up. It’s cold and robotic, which fits an album that deals so heavily with the internet and addiction.
How to Listen Like an Expert
If you really want to appreciate what’s happening here, do yourself a favor: play all five versions of The 1975 by The 1975 back-to-back.
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You’ll hear the transition from a group of kids from Wilmslow trying to sound like INXS to a world-class headline act that isn't afraid to let a teenager talk about carbon emissions for five minutes. It’s a journey.
Don't just skip to the hits like "Chocolate" or "Somebody Else." The intro sets the table. If you skip the intro, you’re missing the context of the entire meal.
The Impact on Modern Pop
You’re starting to see other artists do this now, too. This idea of a "signature" opening. But nobody does it with the same level of commitment. The band has basically built a brand out of a 2-minute intro. It’s savvy marketing, sure, but it’s also high-concept art.
Whether you find Matty Healy’s antics exhausting or brilliant, you can’t deny the craft. The way the band uses this specific track to reboot their identity every two or three years is a masterclass in longevity. They don't just release music; they create eras. And every era starts with these few chords.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Listeners
- Deep Dive the Credits: Look up the production notes for the 2022 version. It was co-produced by Jack Antonoff, which explains that specific "live in a room" energy compared to the heavily sequenced 2018 version.
- Check the Live Versions: The band often mashes these intros together during their live sets. Search for their "At Their Very Best" tour footage to see how they transition from the new intro into the classic hits.
- Track the Lyric Changes: Pay close attention to the 2022 version's lyrics. It’s the first time Healy really critiques his own persona within the "The 1975" intro framework, mentioning "I'm sorry if I'm living and I'm 17."
- Analyze the Visuals: Each intro is paired with a specific aesthetic (White light for era 1, Pink for era 2, Neon for era 3). Watching the music videos or stage visuals alongside the audio provides the full picture of the band's evolution.
By understanding the evolution of this one specific track, you gain a shortcut into the entire discography of one of the most polarizing and important bands of the last decade. It’s not just a song; it’s the heartbeat of the band.