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About

Genius Annotation

This is a love song about a toxic relationship. They are too focused on each other to notice the destruction they cause each other.

The title “Robbers” refers to how the lovers are robbing each other of happiness and chances in this world apart from one another. They can’t move on and grow in love because they are so caught up in their toxic relationship.

The 1975 frontman, Matty Healy said the following about the song:

‘Robbers’ was originally inspired by my love of the Quentin Tarantino film True Romance, the story of an Elvis-obsessed loner who falls in love and marries a prostitute. In the movie, the couple run away to California after killing her pimp and stealing his drugs to start a new life financed by a once in a lifetime drug deal. It’s the sentiment behind the film that appeals to me, the hopelessly romantic notion that two people can meet and instantly fall in love, an escape story where love is the highest law and conquers all against the odds. Characters like Bonnie and Clyde always appealed to me as a teenager – couples so intoxicated with one another that they fear nothing in the pursuit of the realization of each other, actions fueled by blind unconditional love. ‘Robbers’ is an ode to those relationships. The type of relationship all humans long for. All or nothing. This video is about when love makes two people feel they are the centre of the universe.

Q&A

Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning

Is there anything Matty regrets about the music video for Robbers?
Genius Answer

Matty shared some insight about what he’d do differently for the music video at their show in Toronto, stating:

I love “Robbers”… but If I could do it again, I would do it without guns. because retrospectively it feels a bit weird watching that, seeing as I’m all like, “I stand for all that stuff” but then there I am, fucking around with a gun and all that. It’s not really cool.

Live Performance
Genius Answer

What did The 1975 say about "Robbers"?
Genius Answer

Matty Healy, lead singer of the group, has said:

‘Robbers’ was originally inspired by my love of the Quentin Tarantino film True Romance, the story of an Elvis-obsessed loner who falls in love and marries a prostitute. In the movie the couple run away to California after killing her pimp and stealing his drugs to start a new life financed by a once in a lifetime drug deal. It’s the sentiment behind the film that appeals to me, the hopelessly romantic notion that two people can meet and instantly fall in love, an escape story where love is the highest law and conquers all against the odds. Characters like Bonnie and Clyde always appealed to me as a teenager – couples so intoxicated with one another that they fear nothing in the pursuit of the realization of each other, actions fueled by blind unconditional love. ‘Robbers’ is an ode to those relationships. The type of relationship all humans long for. All or nothing. This video is about when love makes two people feel they are the centre of the universe.

What else have the artists said about the song?
when was it written?
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