Hard To Explain

The Strokes · Is This It [2001]

Was an honest man

Asked me for the phone

Tried to take control

Oh, I don't see it that way

I don't see it that way

Oh, we shared some ideas

All obsessed with fame

Says we're all the same

Oh, I don't see it that way

I don't see it that way

raised in carolina

I'm not like that

Trying to remind her

When we go back

I miss the last bus, I take the next train

I try but you see it's hard to explain

I say the right things but act the wrong way

I like it right here but I cannot stay

I watch the TV, forget what I'm told

Well, I am too young, and they are too old

The joke is on you, this place is a zoo

you right its true

Says hecan't decide

I shake my head to say

Everything's just great

Oh, but I just can't remember

I just can't remember

raised in carolina

She says, I'm not like that

Trying to remind her

When we go back

I say the right things but act the wrong way

I like it right here but I cannot stay

I watch the TV, forget what I'm told

Well, I am too young, and they are too old

Oh, man, can't you see I'm nervous so please

Pretend to be nice so I can be mean

I miss the last bus, we'll take the next train

I try but you see it's hard to explain

Hard To Explain - The Strokes

Released on the landmark 2001 album Is This It, 'Hard To Explain' stands as a defining track in The Strokes' early career. The song captures the band's signature blend of post-punk energy and melodic sensibility, featuring the iconic 'I'm not gonna make it' hook that became a staple of their sound. Recorded during a pivotal era for alternative rock, the track exemplifies the raw, lo-fi aesthetic that helped define the NYC indie scene of the early 2000s. Its enduring popularity highlights the band's ability to craft anthemic songs that resonate across generations, cementing their status as influential architects of modern indie rock.