Short for Arthur aren’t keen on beating around the bush with their newest single, “Manhattan.” They get right down to spelling out the business of the new jam: it’s strictly a matter of getting down to business. Which isn’t to say the song might be open to other interpretations….
“The song is about the birds and the bees! Making love! Sexy time!” says Jordan Best, Short for Arthur’s key player, with rather a lot of enthusiasm. “It’s our spin on a love song.”
The band cheekily explains that, much like their band name, there’s some wordplay afoot. With the song’s chorus repeating “Manhattan to Mississippi,” it’s a rather sly way to sneak in a “man to miss” with a wink and nod.
“Manhattan to Mississippi,
Where all the pretty people live,
Manhattan to Mississippi,
Again and again and again and again”
“The thing I love about music and art is that the observer or listener is free to interpret it as they will and create an entirely new meaning themselves,” says Best. “I always say there are three things when it comes to art: One, the artist’s intention. Two, the viewer’s interpretation, and three, the product as is.
“For this song, you can take it as a literal journey from one place to another or the dance of life that created every living thing and creature around us and is the reason we’re here today.”
Cheekiness aside, the track culminates in an untethered pair of solos from Best and guitarist Dylan Bingham that reflect the song’s sensuality in a more literal sense.
“It’s my inner sun ray shining through. As in if Ray Charles and Ray Manzarek of The Doors had a baby,” says Best. “Jack White is pretty weird with his keys and music in general. So, of course, he always had an influence on the way I play; always going against the grain and thinking outside the box, expressing yourself freely and authentically, all while making love to your instrument.”
You’re welcome for that particular image. See how long you can keep that from coming to mind next time you’re standing at the edge of a stage.