After releasing amazing music videos for “Sincerity Is Scary” and “It’s Not Living (If It’s Not With You),” The 1975 has turned heads towards the next visual work from their latest album. We have been blessed with an acoustic version of “Be My Mistake” song from The 1975’s 2018 album ‘A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships.’
In “Be My Mistake,” Matt Healy of The 1975 laments about a hookup with a girl. This girl was a one-time deal, while he is still hung up on the girl she really loves. Matt spoke about the song with Pitchfork;
“‘Be My Mistake’ is just about guilt. It’s about when you are a young person and you struggle sometimes to figure out what you really want. And sometimes, like a lot of things, it requires you to make a mistake before you actually understand what you have. And then maybe you push people away, and then you realize that the idea of a casual relationship with somebody is just not really something that you want.”
This stripped down version with an acoustic guitar and pure vocals intensify the story behind the lyrics. The Giorgio Testi directed video is completely black and white to showcase the mood of the video.
Watch “Be My Mistake” Music Video by The 1975
Lyrics Review and Song Meaning of “Be My Mistake”
Notice how the song says “mistake” and not “cheat.” So we have to take it that he is not with his true love at the moment of this happening. Either she never was his or she recently broke up with him.
Verse 1
We find Matt Healy inviting this girl to be his mistake. Maybe things are rough between himself and his girl, or maybe they are not together at all. He knows it would be a mistake to do this hookup, but he needs an out as well.
His girlfriend or ex-girlfriend has bought him jeans as well. This signifies that their relationship is beyond random hookups. They are in the gift-giving phase. It is shocking to hear that this one-night-stand girl is wearing those jeans.
It is very clear that pretty much everything that this hookup does, reminds Matt of the girl she lost.
Pre-chorus
These lines happen just before the hookup happens. The girl is waiting outside his hotel room and he wants her inside the room soon. Most likely, he does not want anyone to know that he is bringing in hookups.
Chorus
Matt Healy thinks ‘jokes’ are what will be used to cut the tension between this random girl and himself. He suggests that the jokes would not help him in this situation. He would rather be drunk out of his mind to commit this mistake.
Verse 2
Even towards the end of “Be My Mistake,” The 1975 still regrets their decision to call up this random hookup.
Matt also draws a clear line between lust and love between these two girls he is stuck with. This hookup girl does make him “hard” referencing an erect penis. With her, Matt only has sexual feelings. But the girl he loves makes him weak. She is his kryptonite.
“Be My Mistake” is definitely an emotional track. How was this inspired? We might not know. But we might have our own experiences of ‘mistakes’ in our lives.
Let us know what you think about this brand new music video and Matt Healy’s amazing vocals on this acoustic track.
Full Lyrics to “Be My Mistake” by The 1975