Matchbox Twenty’s “Back 2 Good” Lyrics Meaning
“Back 2 Good” by Matchbox Twenty is centered on a fruitful romantic relationship – in the past tense. By way of explanation, the singer is relaying his feelings as he is dealing with the aftereffects of that romance reaching its irreversible conclusion.
He still finds himself in need of intimate companionship. Indeed he more or less acknowledges such as something every individual requires. And he does successfully find some. Yet it pales in comparison to what he is used from his past romance. And he understands that this is also the way that the person he is with feels. She may be with him but is “thinking about somebody else”. And likewise, she is also privy to the fact that their interaction is “phony as hell”.
Thus the singer finds himself desiring to get things “back to good”. That is to say, without stating it outright, that he wishes he were once again cool with his ex and their romance still active. But, as singer/songwriter Rob Thomas explained it, the narrator knows that he ‘f**ked up a good situation’.
So there are two ultimate conclusions he seems to come to. One is that the world is full of people with similar regrets to his own. And the other is that his heart will never truly go “back to good”.
Quick Facts about “Back 2 Good”
“Back 2 Good” was released on 1 October 1996 by Atlantic Records as part of the maiden album of Matchbox Twenty’s musical career. This album is titled Yourself or Someone Like You.
The song was co-written by its lead singer Rob Thomas and its producer Matt Serletic.
“Back 2 Good” peaked at number 24 on the Billboard Hot 100 and fared even better in Canada, reaching number 11 on the RPM Singles Chart.
Although Rob Thomas no longer listens to Yourself or Someone Like You decades after its release, he has stated that “Back 2 Good” is the one track from the album he enjoys playing live the most.
Thx for the interpretation. This is soooo sad :’( 💔
I’m confused as to why we should keep this under our heads. Isn’t the expression keep this under our hats meaning keep the secrets? Love the song🙂
Under our heads I see as more keeping our feelings specifically secret maybe vs keeping it under our hats is more of a general secret keeping thing. That was my thought.
It seems to me to be about the propensity of human nature to eventually get bored with a monogamous relationship, seek an outside tryst, and the guilt that inevitably follows. Just my thoughts. Whaddya think?
I agree
Agreed
I’ve always got the sense while he is certainly singing about someone he’d been in a relationship with, he also hits on a wider sort of two-facedness we all have. We’re all in that position, we all have harmful secrets and darker wonderings. And when we inevitable screw up, we’re all equally lost on how to get back to what we had before.
Perfectly said
Fu-kin nailed it
This song I think is about people out of the young, fun, in love phase of their relationship. They are just out and catch that old high of simpler times and find themselves in a hook up. They sneak out of the bar hoping no one really notices, but the sober morning leaves them in shame and regret, fearing that they will lose the committed relationship they are in. You build this family but the day to day issues of life makes you miss the happy, flirty, less responsible days. People get caught up in an attraction and just want to feel that way again but not to the point that it disrupts the life they have. People will talk crap about seeing you out talking to someone but are out looking for that validation themselves.
Imagine “you realize” your wife/ husband/BF etc, is sexually attracted to someone you cannot eliminate from your life. Such as in my situation a younger sister. Imagine escaping that reality by reaching out to somebody else!! Taking about it is only more destructive to the relationship, your just crazy imaginative “ jealous “””
It’s nothing, it’s so normal
You just stand there I could say so much
But I don’t go there ’cause I don’t want to
It was a family gathering, It was obvious..
Of course when I cracked… my family said it’s nothing but me being jealous….
My realization that I had treated others, in my past relationships in a similar manner, unveiled the wheel of karma.
In the end, no matter how badly you want to go back, the damage is done and simply can’t be forgotten!!
And I couldn’t tell
Why everyone here was doing me like they do
But I’m sorry now
And I don’t know how
To get it back to good
Sounds like a song about cheating and the repercussions of it
This song is so brilliantlyrics written.Like most songs it is open to interpretation.All the opinions I have read here have merit.Its about how the song makes you feel and your interpretation of the lyrics.Great song with so many meanings.To me it’s about cheating on your partner who is the best thing in your life,and the hypocrisy that follows.Everybody judging you for your wrong.Then them going g out and doing the same thing,thinking it is normal,and how if we don’t think or say anything how it becomes the normal.