The Strokes

Released: June 3, 2016

Songwriter: Albert Hammond Jr. Julian Casablancas

Producer: Gus Oberg

[Verse 1]
Unchain me
It's not my midnight yet
Act like a fox but think like a sheep (Wall Street)
Unchain me
Cause this is my bank’s advice
We’re gonna give it back to you
Some other day

[Pre-Chorus]
Take off from the runway
Thinking of a sad day
Racing down the highway
Looking at me sideways

[Chorus]
What side are you standing on?
What side you standing on?
What side are you standing on?
What side you standing on?

[Verse 2]
Unchain me
It’s time
I know the way uptown
Unchain me
I've waited for the time
Get you with your pyjamas on

[Pre-Chorus]
Take off from the runway
Thinking of a sad day
Playing with his new toys
Looking at the sad boys

[Chorus]
What side are you standing on?
What side you standing on?
What side are you standing on?
What side you standing on?

[Bridge]
And we take
What we like from them
And then say
“What do you want from me?”

[Guitar Solo]

[Bridge 2]
Don’t wait so long
Way too long
They wait too long
I can’t stay awake too long
You never wait for some
Other generation
I’ll wait somewhere
Alone
Get it in your head, get out of (my way)

[Chorus]
What side are you standing on?
What side you standing on?
What side are you standing on?
What side you standing on?
What side you standing on?
What side you standing on?

[Outro]
Ohhhh

The Strokes burst onto the scene at a time when rock fans were desperate for an alternative to the rap-rock that was dominating the airwaves. That the band lived up to expectations after being hailed ‘saviors of guitar rock’ solely based on the strength of a three song EP is a testament to the quality of their flawless debut, July 2001’s Is This It.

Ultimately, they are a band that truly relies on the strength of the entire lead singer Julian Casablancas, lead guitarist Nick Valensi, drummer Fabrizio Moretti, guitarist Albert Hammond Jr., and bassist Nikolai Fraiture. However, much of The Strokes' output has been influenced by the domineering vision of Casablancas' songwriting.

Before he took a small step back on their third album, January 2006’s First Impressions of Earth, and then isolated himself to record March 2011’s Angles, Casablancas was involved in almost every step of The Strokes' recording process. He wrote all of the lyrics and the music on their first two albums and was constantly involved in the mixing of the records.

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