The Adults Are Talking

"The Adults Are Talking" is a multi-layered song that lends itself to several interpretations, primarily revolving around themes of power dynamics, generational conflict, and internal band struggles. The title itself is an idiom for children being excluded from important conversations, which the song metaphorically applies to various scenarios. One prominent interpretation is a critique of the powerful elite—be it politicians, corporate leaders, or record executives—and their relationship with the general populace or the artists they manage. The lyrics touch upon being misjudged ("They've been sayin', 'you're sophisticated' / They're complainin', over-educated") and facing criticism, which can be seen as a reflection of the band's own experiences with public perception and the music industry.

The line "Stockholders / Same shit, a different lie" explicitly points towards a disillusionment with corporate structures and the insincere nature of those in power. This suggests a commentary on the tension between artistic integrity and commercial pressures. Another layer of meaning relates to a generational divide, where the "adults" represent an older, established order that dismisses the perspectives and agency of a younger generation. The song captures the frustration of trying to effect change or simply be heard in a system that seems rigged against you.

Furthermore, some listeners and critics have interpreted the song as a reflection of the internal dynamics and past tensions within The Strokes themselves. The conversational nature of the dueling guitars could symbolize the creative push and pull between band members. The lyrics about trying to "do the right thing but without recompense" and the confusion that follows could allude to the challenges of collaborating and maintaining relationships within a band. Ultimately, the song's ambiguity allows for these different interpretations to coexist, creating a rich and thought-provoking piece of commentary on power, communication, and authenticity.

The song begins with an observation about how others perceive them, labeling them as "sophisticated" and "over-educated," suggesting a sense of being judged and perhaps misunderstood. The narrator then describes someone speaking the very words they've been dreaming of, urging this person to repeat them, hinting at a desire for validation or a shared understanding. This is followed by a feeling of being unfairly blamed and criticized by a collective "they," who will "crucify and shame" them. The lyrics express a sense of being a "problem" that they can't help, while simultaneously trying to capture someone's attention, metaphorically "climbin' up your wall."

A recurring warning, "Don't go there 'cause you'll never return," is paired with the intimate thought, "I know you think of me when you think of her." This creates a complex emotional landscape of temptation, forbidden territory, and romantic entanglement. There's a frustration in trying to do the right thing without any reward or recognition. This feeling is compounded by a situation where a wrongdoing was praised, leaving the narrator confused and unable to complain. They feel a push and pull, a desire for them to act, but also to do so in a way that mirrors the other person's actions.

The imagery of waiting for an elevator while someone speaks the words of a dream reappears, emphasizing a moment of potential connection and shared ideals. This is contrasted with a dismissal of questions and excuses, as information is now readily available "here and everywhere." The chorus repeats, reinforcing the themes of unrewarded effort and the confusing internal conflict of being pushed to act in a prescribed manner. A bridge then shifts to a declaration of not wanting anything or anyone, acknowledging that it's not the other person's fault. This suggests a retreat from the complexities and demands of the situation.

The song concludes with a pointed reference to "Stockholders," followed by the cynical observation, "Same shit, a different lie." This broadens the song's scope, implying a critique of corporate or societal structures. A sense of resignation and failed attempts is conveyed through the repeated line, "I'll get it right sometime, oh, maybe not tonight." The song fades out with some studio chatter, adding a raw, behind-the-scenes feel to the polished track.

"The Adults Are Talking" was the first song to be publicly performed from The Strokes' sixth studio album, The New Abnormal. The band debuted the track live on May 13, 2019, at a charity benefit show at The Wiltern in Los Angeles, nearly a year before the album's official release. The album itself, released on April 10, 2020, was the band's first full-length record in seven years and was produced by the acclaimed Rick Rubin. The recording sessions took place at Rubin's Shangri-La studios in Malibu, California, with additional work done in various studios in Los Angeles and Hawaii.

The song was written by all five members of The Strokes, with frontman Julian Casablancas penning the lyrics. The creation process for The New Abnormal was noted for being more collaborative and cohesive than their previous efforts. The band performed the song at a rally for U.S. presidential candidate Bernie Sanders in February 2020, further cementing its political undertones. "The Adults Are Talking" was officially released as a single to alternative radio stations on November 3, 2020. A music video, directed by longtime collaborator Roman Coppola, was released on December 1, 2020. The video humorously depicts the band in a baseball game against a team of highly skilled robots.

"The Adults Are Talking" features a driving rhythm and a subtle yet effective rhyme scheme that work in tandem with its musical elements.

Rhyme Scheme: The song doesn't follow a strict, conventional rhyme scheme throughout, opting for a more fluid and natural-sounding structure. However, there are clear instances of rhyming couplets and patterns. For example, in the first verse, "sophisticated" is paired with "overeducated," and later, "shame us" with "problem" (a slant rhyme). The verses often employ an AABB-like structure, but it remains loose. The overall effect is one that feels conversational rather than rigidly poetic, which suits the song's theme of communication.

Rhythm and Meter: The song is characterized by a brisk tempo and a propulsive 4/4 time signature, driven by a combination of a drum machine and live drums. This creates a steady, almost motorik beat that is highly danceable and energetic. The rhythmic interplay between the two guitars is a key feature, with their staccato, interlocking riffs creating a complex, syncopated layer over the straightforward beat. Julian Casablancas's vocal delivery often plays with this rhythm, sometimes delivering lines in a relaxed, almost spoken-word manner, and at other times soaring melodically in his falsetto. This contrast between the rhythmic precision of the instruments and the more fluid vocal phrasing adds to the song's dynamic tension.

The overall rhythmic feel is one of tense energy and forward momentum, which complements the lyrical themes of struggle, frustration, and the desire to break through barriers. The consistent beat provides a sense of inevitability, while the intricate guitar work and vocal melodies express the complexities and conflicts within that structure.

"The Adults Are Talking" showcases a blend of The Strokes' classic sound with new sonic textures, a result of both the band's evolution and producer Rick Rubin's influence.

Musical Techniques:

• Interlocking Guitars: A signature of The Strokes' style, the song features intricate, dueling guitar riffs from Nick Valensi and Albert Hammond Jr. The guitars often engage in a call-and-response fashion, creating a conversational texture that mirrors the lyrical themes of dialogue and miscommunication. They employ techniques like pizzicato and palm-muting to create a tight, rhythmic, and melodic drive.
• Vocal Delivery: Julian Casablancas employs a mix of his classic, slightly distorted croon and a prominent, soaring falsetto, particularly in the latter half of the song. This dynamic vocal approach adds emotional range, from a sense of detached coolness in the verses to a more poignant and vulnerable feeling.
• Rhythm Section: The song is built on a foundation of a drum machine, which gives it a steady, almost motorik beat reminiscent of new wave acts like Joe Jackson. This is layered with Fabrizio Moretti's live drumming, which adds organic fills and energy. Nikolai Fraiture's "cruising" bassline provides a solid, melodic anchor.
• Production: Rick Rubin's production gives the song a polished and clean sound, which is a departure from the rawer, "underground" feel of their earlier work. The use of effects like tape echo on the guitar contributes to the song's atmospheric quality.

Literary Techniques:

• Idiomatic Title: The title itself is an idiom used as a central metaphor for power dynamics and exclusion.
• Ambiguity: The lyrics are deliberately ambiguous, using pronouns like "they" and "you" without specific antecedents. This allows for multiple interpretations, whether political, personal, or relational.
• Repetition: The repetition of phrases like "Don't go there 'cause you'll never return" and "Climbin' up your wall" creates lyrical motifs that reinforce the song's central themes of warning and persistent struggle.
• Irony: There's a layer of irony in the song, particularly in the contrast between the upbeat, danceable music and the cynical, frustrated lyrical content.

Upon its release, "The Adults Are Talking" was met with widespread critical acclaim, with many hailing it as a standout track on The New Abnormal and a return to form for The Strokes. The song was praised for successfully blending the band's signature sound with new, mature elements. The album itself won the Grammy Award for Best Rock Album in 2021, the band's first-ever Grammy win, cementing the song's place as part of a significant and celebrated work in their discography.

The track achieved considerable popularity, going viral on platforms like TikTok and reaching number 8 on the Billboard Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart. The band's performance of the song on Saturday Night Live on October 31, 2020, brought it to an even wider audience. The accompanying music video, directed by Roman Coppola, was also well-received for its creative and humorous concept.

Culturally, the song resonated with a feeling of political and social frustration prevalent at the time of its release. Its themes of generational conflict, distrust of authority, and the struggle against powerful, faceless systems found a receptive audience. "The Adults Are Talking" is often cited as one of the best songs of 2020 and is considered by many fans and critics to be one of the strongest tracks in The Strokes' entire catalog, proving their continued relevance two decades after their debut.

"The Adults Are Talking" is rich with symbolism and metaphorical language that contributes to its layered meaning.

• The Title as a Metaphor: The central metaphor is the phrase "the adults are talking," which traditionally serves to silence children. In the song, it symbolizes a broader power dynamic where a group in authority (politicians, corporate executives, or even a dominant party in a relationship) dismisses the voice and agency of those they deem inferior or less important. It represents a condescending attitude and a refusal to engage in genuine dialogue.
• "Climbin' up your wall": This recurring phrase can be interpreted in a few ways. It can symbolize a persistent effort to get someone's attention or to overcome a barrier they have put up. It suggests a struggle for connection or recognition in the face of indifference or resistance.
• The Elevator: Waiting for an elevator while someone speaks "all the words I'm dreaming" is a powerful image. The elevator could symbolize a rise to a new level of understanding, power, or connection. It represents a moment of potential and shared vision, a hope for upward mobility or a significant change that is just out of reach.
• The Baseball Game (in the music video): The music video, directed by Roman Coppola, introduces its own set of metaphors. The baseball game between The Strokes and a team of flawless, athletic robots symbolizes the struggle of humans against seemingly insurmountable, dehumanizing forces—be it technology, corporate machinery, or societal expectations. The band's ultimate, albeit clumsy, victory suggests that human spirit and unpredictability can triumph over sterile perfection.
• Stockholders: The explicit mention of "stockholders" at the end of the song serves as a direct symbol for corporate power and the profit-driven motives that the band sees as a source of deceit and corruption ("Same shit, a different lie"). This grounds the song's more abstract frustrations in a tangible critique of capitalism.

"The Adults Are Talking" utilizes several recurring phrases and musical motifs that are central to its structure and meaning.

• "Don't go there 'cause you'll never return / I know you think of me when you think of her": This couplet forms the core of the chorus and is the most significant recurring lyrical motif. It establishes a central conflict involving a tempting but dangerous situation and a complex romantic entanglement. Its repetition reinforces the sense of a cyclical, inescapable dilemma.
• "Climbin' up your wall": This phrase appears in the first verse and its repetition emphasizes a feeling of persistent, perhaps futile, effort to gain someone's attention or overcome an emotional barrier. It paints a vivid picture of struggle and determination against resistance.
• The Dueling Guitar Riff: The most prominent musical motif is the intricate, interlocking guitar riff that opens the song and reappears throughout. This call-and-response between the two guitars acts as a non-verbal representation of the song's title, a conversation happening that the listener is privy to. It is the song's primary instrumental hook and a classic example of The Strokes' signature sound.
• "Maybe not tonight": The repetition of this phrase in the outro conveys a sense of resignation and cyclical failure. After the declaration "I'll get it right sometime," the repeated "maybe not tonight" adds a feeling of indefinite postponement and weary acceptance of the current situation.
• "You were sayin' all the words I'm dreaming": This line is repeated in different verses, highlighting key moments of perceived connection and understanding. Its recurrence underscores the importance of these moments to the narrator and their longing for a shared reality.