Toothbrush

"Toothbrush" by DNCE explores the transitional phase in a romantic relationship between a casual fling and a more serious commitment. The central narrative revolves around the singer, Joe Jonas, encouraging his partner to leave a toothbrush at his apartment. This simple, everyday object becomes a powerful symbol for taking the next step and making the relationship more permanent and public. The lyrics convey a desire to move beyond the ambiguity of just spending nights together into a recognized partnership. Phrases like "We don't need to keep it hush" explicitly state the singer's readiness to be open about their connection. The song captures the feeling of wanting to solidify a bond that has grown through shared intimate moments, such as waking up "tangled in sheets" and wanting to "play the moment on repeat." It’s about the shift from spontaneous encounters to a more deliberate and acknowledged togetherness, making the private affair a more stable part of their lives.

The narrative begins with an invitation, a solution to a recurring morning rush. The protagonist observes his romantic interest always leaving in a hurry, and he suggests a simple, yet significant, step forward: she can leave her toothbrush at his place. This isn't just about convenience; it's a signal that he's ready for more, that they don't need to keep their burgeoning connection a secret. He wants to move past the ambiguity and into a more defined stage of their relationship.

He describes the intimate moments they share, painting a picture of domestic bliss and casual sensuality. Waking up together, tangled in the sheets, and repeating these cherished moments has become a comfortable and desirable routine. He's captivated, 'half hypnotized,' by her presence. The scene is detailed with personal touches: her standing in his t-shirt from the night before, her hair endearingly messy, creating a sense of raw, unfiltered intimacy. His request for her to close the door is a gentle plea for privacy, to enclose their shared world and prolong the moment.

The singer expresses a growing confidence and certainty about their future. He's past the point of questioning where things are headed. He knows that the next time they meet, she will come home with him, that she will stay the night. This isn't an arrogant assumption but a reflection of the deep connection he feels. The repeated plea for her to leave her toothbrush becomes a central mantra. It’s a low-pressure, sweet way of asking for a greater commitment. He's laying his feelings bare, admitting he's falling for her and is ready to build something more substantial than a series of one-night stays. The song captures that pivotal, exciting limbo between a casual fling and a serious relationship, with the toothbrush acting as the tangible symbol of that next step.

"Toothbrush" was written by Joe Jonas, Ilya Salmanzadeh, James Ghaleb, and Rickard Göransson. Production was handled by Ilya. The song was initially released as part of DNCE's debut extended play (EP) called "Swaay" on October 23, 2015. It was later sent to contemporary hit radio on May 17, 2016, as the second official single from the EP, following their massive hit "Cake by the Ocean." The track was also included on their self-titled debut studio album, which was released on November 18, 2016. The band DNCE itself was formed in 2015 and consists of Joe Jonas, drummer Jack Lawless, and guitarist JinJoo Lee, with former member Cole Whittle on bass at the time of the song's release. The accompanying music video, directed by Luke Monaghan, premiered on May 17, 2016. It famously features plus-size model Ashley Graham as Joe Jonas's love interest, a casting choice that was widely praised for promoting body positivity and diversity in media. Joe Jonas stated in an interview that Graham was the only person they had in mind for the role, calling her "so beautiful."

"Toothbrush" follows a conventional verse-chorus structure common in pop music. The rhyme scheme is generally simple and effective, often using couplets (AABB) or alternating rhymes (ABAB) within its verses to create a smooth, easy-to-follow lyrical flow. For instance, in the pre-chorus, "limbo" is paired with a near rhyme in the following line's rhythm, while "hypnotized" finds a perfect rhyme in the subsequent couplet with "night." The chorus uses the repetition of the key phrase "leave a toothbrush at my place" as an anchor, with the rhyming words "hush" and "rush" leading into it. The song maintains a mid-tempo groove, set at approximately 105 BPM in the key of G Major. This tempo gives the song a relaxed yet danceable feel, mirroring the lyrical theme of moving from a tentative to a more comfortable and steady stage in a relationship. The rhythm of the vocal melody plays against the steady funk-pop backbeat, creating a syncopation that adds to the song's infectious quality.

Musically, "Toothbrush" is a dance-pop and pop-rock track with a groovy, funk-influenced bassline and a catchy, melodic hook. A notable stylistic choice is Joe Jonas's use of a prominent falsetto in the chorus, which was compared by some critics to the style of Maroon 5's Adam Levine. The song's instrumentation includes standard pop-rock elements like guitar, bass, and drums, complemented by synthesizers that add to its danceable quality. The production is clean and polished, typical of mainstream pop from that era. Lyrically, the song employs a direct narrative address, speaking to the romantic partner. It uses repetition effectively, particularly with the line "You can leave a toothbrush at my place," turning it into a memorable refrain. The imagery is both sensual and relatable, with lines like "standing there in your underwear / And my t-shirt from the night before / With your messed up hair" creating a vivid and intimate picture for the listener.

"Toothbrush" was the second single from DNCE's debut EP "Swaay" and their self-titled album, following the massive success of "Cake by the Ocean." While not as commercially successful as its predecessor, "Toothbrush" performed respectably, peaking at number 44 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and charting in several other countries. Its biggest cultural impact came from its music video, which starred popular plus-size model Ashley Graham as Joe Jonas's love interest. This casting was widely praised by media outlets and the public for challenging conventional beauty standards in mainstream music videos and promoting body positivity. The video generated significant discussion about diverse representation in entertainment. The song solidified DNCE's fun, funk-pop sound and image, showcasing a slightly more romantic and sincere side compared to the playful absurdity of "Cake by the Ocean."

The most significant symbol in the song is the toothbrush itself. It transcends its simple hygienic function to become a potent metaphor for commitment and the progression of a relationship. Leaving a toothbrush at a partner's home is a modern dating milestone, a non-verbal way of 'planting a flag' and indicating a desire for a more long-term relationship (LTR). It signifies moving past the stage of a casual hookup to something more established, suggesting permanence and the intention to return. The act implies a level of comfort, intimacy, and a step towards domesticity. In the context of the song, asking his partner to leave her toothbrush is the singer's way of asking for more without the pressure of a direct, formal conversation. The lyrics "We don't need to keep it hush / You can leave a toothbrush at my place" frame this act as a move toward openness and away from secrecy, solidifying the toothbrush as a symbol of their evolving, and increasingly serious, connection.

The most prominent recurring phrase and central motif is the line, "You could leave a toothbrush at my place." This phrase is repeated throughout the song's choruses, acting as the core thesis and hook. Its repetition emphasizes the singer's main desire and the central theme of the song: advancing the relationship to a new level of seriousness and domesticity. Another repeated set of lines, "Stuck in a limbo / Half hypnotized / Each time I let you stay the night, stay the night," serves as a recurring motif that describes the captivating and slightly uncertain state of the relationship before the proposed 'toothbrush' commitment. The repetition of "stay the night" highlights the existing pattern of their encounters, which the singer now wants to evolve. Finally, the confident assertion, "I know you're coming home with me," is repeated, underscoring the singer's growing certainty about their mutual connection and future together.