Why Including Bleachers’ Album Title in ‘Stop Making This Hurt’ Was Important to Jack Antonoff
As the frontman for Bleachers, Jack Antonoff created original songs “91” and “Chinatown” for 2021’s Take the Sadness Out of Saturday Night. This musician explained the creative process behind “Stop Making This Hurt” and the importance of including the album title in this track.
Jack Antonoff wrote ‘Stop Making This Hurt’ from ‘Take the Sadness Out of Saturday Night’
As one of the originals included on Take the Sadness Out of Saturday Night, “Stop Making This Hurt” became a favorite of many Bleachers fans. During one YouTube video, Antonoff explained the creative process behind this song.
Although some listeners believe this song started with a piano, Antonoff shared that it began with his guitar and by writing about people in his life. Antonoff explained the lyrics about driving and being as free as the night, even if that meant seeing “stop making this hurt” on street signs.
“And then I thought, ‘ok, it’s too sinister.’ I’m not owning anything. I’m just saying ‘you stop doing this…,’” Antonoff explained. “So, who am I in this song? And this is where the song becomes a song. Because without [the album title,] even with that heart chord, and even with the story I’m telling, it’s still, ‘well, then, why am I telling this story?’”
Jack Antonoff included the lyric ‘Take the Sadness Out of Saturday Night’ in ‘Stop Making This Hurt’
Bleachers’ album title is a recurring theme throughout its songs. The first reference was in “Chinatown,” when Antonoff sang “gimme, gimme, gimme, gimme that big red light and take the sadness out of Saturday night.”
In “Stop Making This Hurt,” Antonoff again sings the album title. It appears in the song’s bridge, after several lyrics about Antonoff’s friends and family.
“I knew I wanted to say the album title again,” Antonoff continued in the same YouTube video. “It changes the whole tone of the song.”
“Because I’m screaming ‘stop making this hurt…’ And then I’m finally understanding the people in my life,” he said. “I recognize in you my friends and my parents and my sister, my collaborators. We barely survived. And we’re… doing our best.”
The next part of the song, Antonoff added, is a celebration, starting with some horns and secret singers added to the track. That celebration was even extended to the “Stop Making This Hurt” music video, where Antonoff danced in a diner along with other Bleachers members.
Jack Antonoff explained the meaning behind other ‘Take the Sadness Out of Saturday Night’ songs
Thanks to the Bleachers YouTube channel, this artist explained the meaning behind other Take the Sadness Out of Saturday Night songs. That includes “Chinatown,” which the group later performed on Saturday Night Live.
Bleachers will presumably perform “Stop Making This Hurt” along their 2022 tour, in addition to other tracks from the album. In the meantime, Take the Sadness Out of Saturday Night is available on most major streaming platforms.
