Ivy is Blonde’s most nostalgic sounding track. The instrumentals alone set a mood of reminiscing and reflection. Frank’s passion-filled voice further fuels the mood, and really places you in the center of his emotional state. This track is set in the part of Frank’s life as a young 19 year old, where his innocent and chill summers were coming to a conclusion. It explores his falling in love with a man, of which was unrequited for a time until it was finally reciprocated, much to Frank’s disbelief. This track was created based off his rather tragic love story, of which is told in an open letter he had written in 2012.
“I thought that I was dreaming,
When you said you loved me.
I had no chance to prepare,
I couldn’t see you coming”
- For years, Frank thought that the man he fell for would never love him back (Open Letter - “He wouldn’t tell me the truth about his feelings for another 3 years.”). They spent almost all their summer days together when they had met, which is why the summer vibes are so strong in this track.
- After waiting endlessly, the one he loved finally loved him back. It was so unbelievable to him, that he was very taken aback and did not know how to react emotionally; he did not see it coming. The relationship “started from nothing”, and was fresh and completely new for him.
It’s quite alright to hate me now
When we both know that deep down
The feeling still deep down is good”
- Ivy is a story that Frank is telling of his past. Frank acknowledges their mutual feelings of negativity when he says “I could hate you now, it’s quite alright to hate me now”, but still remembers fondly that the love they had shared was still worth the while, even now; “the feeling still deep down is good” .
“If I could see through walls
I could see you’re faking
If you could see my thoughts
- The walls refer to emotional walls, or barriers that people put up in order to avoid getting hurt. Frank is talking about how if the man he loved put his guard down and became true to himself, that he’d finally see his true intentions and feelings.
- His “thoughts” and “faces” in his head are looping back to the fantasies that he’s had about his ex-lover.
“Safe in my rental like an armored truck back then
We didn’t give a fuck back then
We’ll never be those kids again”
- “armored truck” refers to his feelings and such still being safe from the hurt that was ultimately coming. They used to be carefree and young, and living in the moment. Frank acknowledges that they have both matured and grown apart, and will never be the same way they once were together.
“We’d drive to Syd’s, had the X6 back then
My waves wouldn’t dip back then
Everything sucked back then
- Syd is an old friend of Frank’s, and the lead singer of The Internet. The X6 is in reference to Frank’s BMW, which is one of many times that Frank uses his cars to tell an emotional story.
- Things were simple, and problems weren’t as heavy as they are now.
- The chorus repeats, which further emphasizes the emotions Frank had felt at the time of his childish summer romance. -
“In the halls of your hotel
Arm around my shoulder so I could tell
How much I meant to you… meant it sincere back then
We had time to kill back then”
- Frank reminisces more on their old times together, with a rather fond but also sad tone. He remembers the feelings they had felt at the time, which really makes the track true to its nostalgic elements.
We’ll never be those kids again
It’s not the same, ivory’s illegal
- “You ain’t a kid no more, we’ll never be those kids again” this is the second time that this line has been sung, which is essentially Frank snapping back into reality and understanding that the way things are now are nothing like they used to be.
- “It’s not the same, ivory’s illegal, don’t you remember?” Ivory is in reference to cocaine. More reminiscing.
“I broke your heart last week
You’ll probably feel better by the weekend
Still remember, had you going crazy
The feeling deep down is good”
- It is revealed to us here that Frank’s ex-lover was mostly superficial in emotion; he was able to get over the heartbreak quickly.
- The sexual aspects of their relationship was clearly intense; “had you going crazy, screaming my name the feeling deep down is good” .
- chorus again, but this time Frank sings it with more emphasis and is really trying to put forth his emotions in this one. -
“All the things I didn’t mean to say
There were things you didn’t need to say
I’ve been dreaming of you
I’ve been dreaming of you”
- Frank is feeling immense regret and heavy emotions about his ex-lover and their previous relationship.
- Frank sings the last 3 lines with a quickly intensifying grainy overlay, which makes it sound like he’s screaming about dreaming of his ex-lover.
The end of the track has noises of him presumably throwing and breaking things in frustration and anger about his emotions.
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