Last You Heard of Me
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| "Last You Heard of Me" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by Joyce Manor | ||||
| from the album Cody | ||||
| Released | September 14, 2016 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 3:08 | |||
| Label | Epitaph | |||
| Songwriters |
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| Producer | Rob Schnapf | |||
| Joyce Manor singles chronology | ||||
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"Last You Heard of Me" is a song recorded by the American rock band Joyce Manor. The song was released on September 14, 2016, through Epitaph Records, as the second single from the band's fourth studio album, Cody. "Last You Heard of Me" recounts a predictable night at a karaoke bar that ends in a regretful romantic entanglement. Though it shares songwriting credits between the band members, the song was largely written by frontman Barry Johnson. Its tangential lyrical style was inspired by the work of Mark Kozelek and based on a sense of ennui and lethargy with drunken nights.
Critics enjoyed "Last You Heard of Me", with many singling out its slow-building storyline for praise. Its punk sound was often likened to Weezer. Its music video was directed by Christopher Good and depicts a Clue-style dinner party gone wrong at a mansion called "Joyce Manor".
"Last You Heard of Me" shares songwriting credits between all of the members of Joyce Manor at that time, though it was primarily written by frontman Barry Johnson. He penned the song's lyrics during an inspired weeklong session in November 2015, during which he came up with many of the other songs on Cody, the song's parent album. Most of the songs required little revision: "They were all coming out finished. [...] I couldn't really tell you what or why, though. Nothing in my life happened. I'm not sure I was consciously reflecting on anything," Johnson remembered.[1] The song's direct lyrical approach was inspired by the work of Mark Kozelek.[2] Musically, the song has frequently been likened to Weezer.[3][4]
The song's unusual structure eschews a chorus for a linear and tangential style,[5] following a storyline that builds slowly throughout the song.[6] Johnson narrates in first person from the Alibi in Portland, Oregon,[2] where he waits in line for karaoke requests in-between drinks.[7] He follows behind Sonia, a friend or love interest,[8] to smoke weed; he abhors "the stuff," opting instead for a cigarette.[9] Outside, he locks eyes with a muse—perhaps implied to be a previous lover[10]—and as the instrumental builds, Johnson recounts in flashes the rest of the evening: "Start to finish sad defeat / Shivering, lying next to you / And that's the last you heard of me."