“102” is an acoustic song that features in The 1975’s third album, A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships, as a Japan Bonus Track for the record.
Background[]
Healy laments about a lost love who did not reciprocate his feelings. Whilst it was previously believed the title might refer to the time, 1:02 in the morning, and that there is little official information available about the meaning behind the track,[1] Matty has confirmed this song was written when he was 15 about a girl he had romantic feelings for; the title of the song simply reffering to her house number, '102', through a comment in response to an incorrect quote posted on The 1975 subreddit.
The song first saw the light of day through live performances which were uploaded to YouTube. In 2013, fans got a glimpse of the track with a video of an acoustic performance by Healy. Two years later, another clip surfaced of him playing the song alongside Adam Hann, The 1975’s guitarist. In 2016, a purported studio version of the track leaked online.
Finally, the group dropped an official recorded version of the acoustic performance in November 2018 ahead of the release of A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships. Done in black-and-white, the video features lead singer Matty Healy softly singing into a mic while strumming a guitar. The single-shot video circles around Healy as he plays alone in a room. The camera gets in close offering an intimate portrait, fitting the acoustic take of the song.
The new video mirrors the composition of an earlier release, which shows Healy sitting on a park bench singing and playing the guitar. The older version, which has been circulating online for at least five years, is also in black and white. There is a third video that features the British musician with 1975 bandmate Adam Hann playing lead guitar. This is the only one in color.
The three versions offer a unique insight on the evolution of The 1975. In the first video the sound of the wind and the birds in the park can be heard in the background. The camera is shakier and probably handheld -- a contrast to the professional quality of the new release. Instead of creating a homemade atmosphere with Healy playing outside, the third version is more produced. Healy is in a large room that looks like a studio equipped with a piano and drum set. Both the camera and the mic are more crisp.
Lyrics[]
Well, we're here
We're at the common again
Smoked six of the ten fags that I only bought an hour ago
Said, "Well I, I like the look of your shoes
I like the way that your face looks when I'm arguing with you"
And so when, when we all grow old
I hope this song will remind you I'm not half as bad as what you've been told
And when I knock at a hundred and two
And I see your pyjamas
I can't stop smiling at you
That's why we're here, we're at the common again
I've been pouring my heart out towards your optimistic grin
I said, 'Well I, I like the cut of your jib
I like the way that your face looks when you're yapping on about him"
But on this shirt I found your smell
I just sat there for ages contemplating what to do with myself
I called you up at a hundred and two
We just sat there for ages
Talking about that boy what was getting on to you
Personnel[]
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