Song Details
- Album Release Date: 2012
- Genre: emo
Song Meaning of “Stuck In ’03” by I Call Fives
“Stuck In ’03” by I Call Fives is a song about the feeling of being stuck and not being able to move on from fond memories of the past. The title references the year 2003, without identifying too closely what moment or event the nostalgia is attached to. The song speaks to the challenges of growing up and accepting that we can’t continue to hold on to the “fantasies” of our youth forever.
The song starts off with the lines “It used to seem that I could do no wrong/ But these days that’s not true,” showing how the nostalgia is mixed with a sense of disappointment in the present. The motif of the night, “It’s getting close to midnight/ And I’m stuck in ’03,” further emphasizes the sense of being stuck in time, with reminders of the past lingering in the dark of night.
The next lines, “I tried to pull up stakes and make a change, But I never could find the way,” illustrate the difficulty of transitioning to adulthood. The singer focuses on how things are “not the same” and how they “held so tight to those fantasies,” longing for the days when life was simpler and seemingly without struggles.
The chorus of “Stuck In ’03” speaks to the struggle of wanting to return to how things were but being aware that it’s not possible. The lyrics “And I’ll stay here, in my regrets/ ‘Cause I can’t come back to what I raised” express the singer’s despair at the thought of never being able to inhabit the same mindset as before.
“Stuck In ’03” speaks to the universal experience of nostalgia and longing for the simpler days of the past. It speaks to the need to let go of the nostalgia and to accept that though life is not as carefree as before, it’s important to keep growing and adapting to new situations.