Someday

"Someday" by The Strokes is a poignant reflection on youth, friendship, and the passage of time. Lyrically, the song delves into a feeling of nostalgia for "the good old days" while simultaneously acknowledging the inevitability of change and the drifting apart of friends. The song is often interpreted as a conversation, or an internal monologue, about the anxieties and pressures of growing up. It touches upon feelings of inadequacy, the failure of promises, and the struggle to find one's place in the world. The central theme is the bittersweet recognition that while the past is cherished, the future is uncertain, and relationships are subject to change. The line "Alone we stand, together we fall apart" encapsulates this complex view of companionship and individuality. Despite its melancholic and introspective lyrics, the song's upbeat and cheerful melody creates a striking juxtaposition, a hallmark of The Strokes' style. This contrast between the sunny instrumentation and the vulnerable, somber lyrics about loss and fear gives the song its unique emotional depth. It’s seen as a love letter to youth, capturing the fleeting feeling that anything is possible, even with the underlying knowledge that it won't last forever.

The song captures a moment of reflection on the past and a look toward the future, tinged with a sense of bittersweet nostalgia. The narrator seems to be in a transitional phase of life, grappling with the changes that come with growing up. There's a feeling of looking back on 'the good old days' with a mix of fondness and the sad realization that those times are gone. The lyrics touch on themes of friendship, relationships, and the pressures of life, all while acknowledging that time is slipping away.

A central theme is the idea of promises and expectations, both personal and from others, and how they often don't work out as planned. There's a sense of disillusionment, as expressed in the line “Promises, they break before they're made.” This is coupled with a feeling of personal inadequacy, possibly fueled by criticism from a past relationship. The narrator is trying to work hard and improve, perhaps to prove something to themselves or others, but there's an underlying weariness to this effort.

The recurring phrase “someday” acts as a focal point for these feelings. It's a word that holds both hope and a sense of indefinite postponement. There's a desire to stop wasting time and make the most of life, but it's a resolution set for some point in the future. This creates a tension between the desire for change and the inertia of the present moment.

The song also explores the dynamics of relationships, particularly the idea that sometimes being together can lead to falling apart, while being alone offers a semblance of stability. This paradoxical thought highlights the complexities of human connection. Despite the melancholic undercurrent, the song's upbeat tempo and catchy melody create a feeling of hopeful resignation. It's an acceptance of life's imperfections and the challenges of navigating young adulthood, all wrapped in a wistful daydream about what was and what might be.

"Someday" was written by The Strokes' lead singer, Julian Casablancas. It was recorded in March and April of 2001 at Transporterraum in New York City. The song was produced by Gordon Raphael, who was instrumental in crafting the raw, lo-fi sound of the band's debut album, Is This It. The band, and Casablancas in particular, aimed for a sound that was simple and direct, not overly polished in the studio. They were inspired by the production of bands like The Velvet Underground and the straightforward approach of The Ramones. The album was recorded with a minimalist microphone setup to capture a compressed and explosive sound. "Someday" was one of the songs the band had been rehearsing and performing in their early sets at New York venues like the Mercury Lounge, which helped them build a following and eventually sign with RCA Records. The song was released as the third single from Is This It on September 23, 2002.

"Someday" is built on a straightforward and propulsive rhythm that has been described as a "pogo-stick drumbeat." The song is in the key of A Major and maintains a consistent, upbeat tempo throughout, which contrasts with its nostalgic and somewhat melancholic lyrical themes. The rhyme scheme is generally simple, often following an AABB or ABCB pattern in the verses, which contributes to the song's catchy, pop-like quality. The rhythmic interplay between the instruments is a key feature. The steady, driving bass and drums provide a solid foundation for the two guitars to weave their intricate, interlocking melodies. This creates a sense of both tightness and effortless energy. Casablancas's vocal melody often follows its own rhythmic path, sometimes syncopating against the main beat, which adds to the song's laid-back, conversational feel. The overall effect is a track that is both danceable and reflective, with the rhythm pushing the song forward while the lyrics look back.

Musically, "Someday" is defined by the signature interplay between the two guitarists, Nick Valensi and Albert Hammond Jr., who play interlocking, melodic lines rather than traditional chords and riffs. This technique, a form of harmony counterpoint reminiscent of Johann Sebastian Bach's work, creates a rich and complex texture. The song features a bright, jangly guitar tone and a driving, "pogo-stick" drumbeat that gives it an upbeat, danceable feel. Julian Casablancas's vocal delivery is intentionally nonchalant and slightly distorted, a key element of the band's 'effortlessly cool' aesthetic. The production by Gordon Raphael is deliberately lo-fi, aiming to capture the raw energy of a live performance. Lyrically, Casablancas uses a conversational and introspective tone, filled with candid observations and poignant one-liners that feel both personal and universally relatable. The contrast between the melancholic lyrics and the cheerful music is a prime example of juxtaposition, a technique The Strokes often employ to create emotional complexity.

"Someday," along with the entire Is This It album, had a profound cultural impact, often credited with reviving rock and roll and kick-starting the garage rock revival of the early 2000s. At a time when mainstream charts were dominated by nu-metal and pop, The Strokes brought back a raw, minimalist, and effortlessly cool aesthetic that influenced countless bands, including acts like Arctic Monkeys, The Killers, and Kings of Leon. The song itself became a quintessential indie rock anthem. "Someday" peaked at number 17 on the US Modern Rock Tracks chart and number 27 on the UK Singles Chart. It has been featured in films such as Click (2006) and Delivery Man (2013). The song has been covered by various artists, with a notable version by Julia Jacklin in 2017 for triple j's 'Like A Version', which reinterpreted the song in a slower, more melancholic style, further highlighting the sadness in the lyrics. The Strokes' visual style of skinny jeans and leather jackets, showcased in the song's music video, also became a defining look for the indie scene of that decade.

The central metaphor in "Someday" is the title itself, which functions as a symbol of both hope and procrastination. It represents a future point in time when things might be better, or when the narrator will finally take action ("Someday, I ain't wasting no more time"), yet it remains perpetually out of reach. This captures the youthful feeling of having an infinite amount of time, while simultaneously fearing that it's running out. The "good old days" serve as a symbol for a romanticized past, a common trope of nostalgia, but in the context of the song, it also highlights the anxieties of the present. The line "Alone we stand, together we fall apart" is a powerful paradox that works as a metaphor for the fragile nature of relationships in youth, suggesting that sometimes closeness can lead to friction and collapse.

The most significant recurring motif in "Someday" is the word "someday" itself. It appears at the end of the chorus and serves as the song's emotional and thematic anchor. Its repetition emphasizes a feeling of longing and deferred hope, a promise to oneself that is yet to be fulfilled. The phrase "the good old days" is another key recurring idea, establishing the song's nostalgic tone and its focus on the past. The line "I ain't wasting no more time" is a recurring resolution that follows the wistful chorus, creating a cycle of reflection and determination. Musically, the song is built on a highly memorable and repetitive guitar hook that opens the track and reappears throughout, making it instantly recognizable. This catchy, looping guitar line is a musical motif that reinforces the song's themes of reminiscence and the cyclical nature of thought.