Science vs. Romance

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Single cover.

Science vs. Romance is an indie rock song by Rilo Kiley. It was composed by Jenny Lewis and Blake Sennett and first released as track 2 on Take Offs and Landings released on 2001-07-31. Later, in 2002, it became the debut single for the album with About the Moon as the B-side. Although they song's lyrics aren't very forthright, it appears to describe wanting to view the world through more innocent eyes after becoming jaded with adulthood, particularly in how it applies to relationships. I've heard it suggested the song is about coming to grips with the fact that a forced long-distance relationship isn't working out and needs to be ended, I can certainly see that.

This was the very first Rilo Kiley song I heard having been recommended to me by an online friend. While I didn't much care for the song at first listen, there was something about the mellow sound and depressing lyrics that drew me in and caused me to play the song on repeat a couple dozen times; it even inspired me to write a poem. Many listens later, it became a favorite of mine, and, along with Wires and Waves, Paint's Peeling, and The Good That Won't Come Out became my gateway into a love affair with Rilo Kiley.

Jenny's vocals in this song are a bit nasal and wavering at moments, and Blake's backups are also a bit off, but I find that to be part of the song's charm. I like the soft instrumental break before the "facts versus romance" section, and really like the harder break after them.

Whenever I listen to the song now, it takes me back to a time when I was dating a girl out of state, and the song, though I didn't know it at the time, became a fitting anthem for my long-distance relationship that didn't work out.

Lyrics

I used to think if I could realize I'd die
Then I would be a lot nicer
Used to believe in a lot more
Now I just see straight ahead

That's not to say I don't have good times
But as for my days
I spend them waiting

Crash sites keep me up at night
Impact division it splits in two
Directly underneath you

As for those things (as for those things)
That act as markers in your life
But in between (but in between)
You can't remember
And so it seems (and so it seems)
That you've grown up and over me (up and over me)
And these silly things (these silly things)
I like to dwell on

Test sites keep me up at night
Chainlink and meters
I talk to you
It's cold out there
But I'm telling you
I'm lonely too

Facts versus romance
You go and call yourself the boss
But we're not robots inside a grid

Text versus romance
You go and add it all you want
Still we're not robots inside a grid

Zeros and ones

Videos

Links