This is probably the happiest bop you’ll ever hear about being a complete failure. The drums start with a fast, clean beat. Multiple palm-muted rhythm guitars and a mobile bass hold the space and the tempo throughout the song.

Lead guitar 1 slides into the intro with all its reverb-laden glory, laying out a simple, catchy melody (we’re really all here for this lead guitar, right?). During the verse, Lead 2 comes in with arpeggios on ascending chords. When the chorus hits, Lead 2 plays descending arpeggios while Lead 1 lays out hook after hook. The two Leads dance around each other like this for the rest of the song.

The vocals are smooth but almost vulnerable at times. The synths come in the first chorus, filling in sound with pensive chords. They are more insistent when they come back in on the second chorus. They come into their fullness in the outro (ok, maybe some of us are here for the synths). You may be contemplating all of your failures at this point in the song, but at least you have something sublime to listen to while you do it.

No tassels
We don’t like where you’re from
Your hair is all wrong
And the clothes that you have on

We’ve all had experiences where we didn’t measure up to what people expected of us. Some things you can change in an attempt to meet those expectations. Other things, like where you are from, you can never change. What do you do when you face such all-encompassing criticism?

Your friends say it’s all done wrong
The plans you make are never gonna shape
Your friends say it’s all done wrong
The plans you make are never gonna shape
Well it’s all done wrong

Maybe what you do is start evaluating the friends you’re hanging around. Really, who needs to be discouraged in this way? I find that the excessive criticisms you receive from people (the type that include words like “all” and “never”) usually reveal more about who they are than what the criticisms say about you. Maybe it’s time to think about that.

The big mistake
We don’t like what you’ve done
Because of one month long
Well it’s lost all of its fun

The mention of “one month long” makes me wonder if this a reference to the infamous, solo, month-long Gold recording sessions. To call Gold “all done wrong” is foolhardy indeed.

Unless we are talking about the Gold vinyl reissue, then . . .

It’s all done wrong