Discover the story of the song > Modern Girls & Old Fashion Men – The Strokes

The lyrics are about gender roles in relationships. The protagonist talks about how modern girls always get their way and old-fashioned men always want a mistress. He feels like he doesn't belong in this mindset. The chorus speaks about how the protagonist doesn't want to be controlled or told what to do by his partner, who always thinks about herself. The bridge talks about falling down and needing help, and the outro repeats the idea that the partner is always thinking about herself and the protagonist feels unloved.