Fall Out Boy - Pop, Rock
The Last of the Real Ones by Fall Out Boy Lyrics
2 Plays
Duration: 3:48
View ArtistStory Behind the Song
Released on September 14, 2017 in North America and a day later worldwide, "The Last of the Real Ones" arrived as the third single from Fall Out Boy's seventh studio album, *Mania* (2018). Pete Wentz described the track as "the closest thing to a love song we've had but it's pretty fucking twisted still," a characterization that captures the song's blend of romantic sentiment and dark energy. Critics backed that duality up sonically, categorizing the song across pop rock, synth-pop, electronic rock, and rock. The band debuted it live at House of Blues in Chicago on September 16, 2017, before bringing it to a national television audience on *Jimmy Kimmel Live!* two days later. The accompanying music video, directed by Mccoy | Meyer, features Wentz tied up in the back of a car and attacked by llamas wielding a shovel — a visual setup drawing clear comparisons to Kanye West's "Flashing Lights" video. The song later found further cultural reach as part of the *NBA 2K19* soundtrack.
Lyrics
[Verse 1] I was just an only child of the universe And then I found you, and then I found you You are the sun and I am just the planets Spinning around you, spinning around you You were too good to be true, gold plated But what's inside you? But what's inside you? I know this whole damn city thinks it needs you But not as much as I do, as much as I do, yeah [Chorus] 'Cause you're the last of a dying breed Write our names in the wet concrete I wonder if your therapist knows Everything about me I'm here in search of your glory There's been a million before me That ultra-kind of love You never walk away from [Post-Chorus] You're just the last of the real ones You're just the last of the real ones You're just the last of the real ones (You're just the last of the real ones) You're just the last of the real ones (You're just the last of the real ones) You're just the last of the real ones [Verse 2] I am a collapsing star with tunnel vision But only for you, but only for you My head is stripped, just like a screw that's been tightened too many times When I think of you, when I think of you I will shield you from the waves if they find you I will protect you, I will protect you Just tell me, tell me, tell me I, I am the only one Even if it's not true, even if it's not true, yeah [Chorus] 'Cause you're the last of a dying breed Write our names in the wet concrete I wonder if your therapist knows Everything about me I'm here in search of your glory There's been a million before me That ultra-kind of love You never walk away from [Post-Chorus] You're just the last of the real ones You're just the last of the real ones You're just the last of the real ones (You're just the last of the real ones) You're just the last of the real ones (You're just the last of the real ones) You're just the last of... [Bridge] I'm here, at the beginning of the end Oh, the end of infinity with you I'm here, at the beginning of the end Oh, the end of infinity with you I'm done with having dreams, the thing that I believe Oh, you drain all the fear from me I'm done with having dreams, the thing that I believe You drain the fear from me [Chorus] 'Cause you're the last of a dying breed Write our names in the wet concrete I wonder if your therapist knows Everything about me I'm here in search of your glory There's been a million before me That ultra-kind of love You never walk away from [Post-Chorus] You're just the last of the real ones You're just the last of the real ones You're just the last of the real ones (You're just the last of the real ones) You're just the last of the real ones (You're just the last of the real ones) You're just the last of the real ones
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Meaning of "The Last of the Real Ones" by Fall Out Boy
The narrator finds an almost cosmic significance in a singular relationship, framing it as a solitary discovery after a period of cosmic isolation. The initial lines paint a picture of an "only child of the universe" who then "found you, and then I found you," immediately establishing a profound sense of singular importance. This is amplified by celestial imagery: "You are the sun and I am just the planets / Spinning around you." The narrator's world, or at least their emotional orbit, is entirely dictated by this person's presence, suggesting an all-consuming devotion that borders on obsession. The central tension arises from the narrator's desperate need to believe this person is unique and irreplaceable, even if it means bending reality. They acknowledge the external world's perception of this person's desirability – "this whole damn city thinks it needs you" – but insist their own need is greater. This is underscored by the repeated plea, "Just tell me, tell me, tell me I, I am the only one / Even if it's not true," revealing a deep-seated insecurity and a willingness to accept a comforting lie over a potentially devastating truth. The lyrics masterfully employ contrasting ideas to highlight the intensity of this fixation. The idea of being "gold plated" suggests a superficial perfection that might hide flaws, yet the narrator is drawn to it. More striking is the self-deprecating imagery of a "collapsing star with tunnel vision" and a head "stripped, just like a screw that's been tightened too many times," both conveying a sense of internal damage or exhaustion directly linked to thinking about this person. This internal turmoil is contrasted with the external declaration that the person is "the last of a dying breed," a phrase repeated insistently, almost like a mantra. Ultimately, the effectiveness of these lyrics lies in their raw portrayal of dependency and the lengths one might go to preserve a feeling of specialness in a relationship. The narrator isn't just in love; they're in search of "glory" and an "ultra-kind of love" that never falters, a quest that feels both deeply personal and universally understood in its yearning for unwavering connection. The repeated assertion of the person being "the last of the real ones" becomes a desperate attempt to solidify the relationship's unique status, making it seem too precious to ever let go or to be anything less than perfect.
This AI-assisted editorial analysis was reviewed, improved, and approved by the LyricsWeb editorial team.
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Credits
- Writers
- Illangelo
- Andy Hurley
- Joe Trohman
- Patrick Stump
- Pete Wentz