You used to get it in your fishnets
Now you only get it in your night dress
Discarded all the naughty nights for niceness
Landed in a very common crisis
Everything’s in order in a black hole
Nothing seems as pretty as the past though
That Bloody Mary’s lacking in Tabasco
Remember when you used to be a rascal?
Oh the boy’s a slag
The best you ever had
The best you ever had is just a memory
And those dreams weren’t as daft as they seem
Aren’t as daft as they seem
My love, when you dream them up
Flicking through a little book of sex tips
Remember when the boys were all electric?
Now when she’s told she’s gonna get it
I’m guessing that she’d rather just forget it
Clinging till I’m getting sentimental
Said she wasn’t going but she went still
Likes her gentlemen not to be gentle
Was it a Mecca dauber or a betting pencil?
Oh the boy’s a slag
The best you ever had
The best you ever had is just a memory
And those dreams weren’t as daft as they seem
Aren’t as daft as they seem
My love, when you dream them up
Oh, Flo, where did you go?
Where did you go?
Where did you go? Whoa
You’re falling about
You took a left off Last Laugh Lane
Just sounding it out
But you’re not coming back again
You’re falling about
You took a left off Last Laugh Lane
You were just sounding it out
But you’re not coming back again
You used to get it in your fishnets
(Falling about)
Now you only get it in your night dress
Discarded all the naughty nights for niceness
(You took a left off Last Laugh Lane)
Landed in a very common crisis
Everything’s in order in a black hole
(You were just sounding it out)
Is anything as pretty in the past though?
That Bloody Mary’s lacking in Tabasco
(You’re not coming back again)
Remember when you used to be a rascal?
Reflecting on Lost Youth and Changing Times
“Fluorescent Adolescent” by Arctic Monkeys captures the bittersweet nostalgia of growing up and moving on from youthful rebellion. The song paints a vivid picture of a woman reminiscing about her wilder days, now replaced by routine and a sense of longing for the past. With clever wordplay and sharp observation, the lyrics reflect on how dreams and passions fade as adulthood sets in. Lines like “You used to get it in your fishnets, now you only get it in your night dress” perfectly illustrate the shift from excitement to monotony, while the refrain about lost love and fleeting pleasures adds emotional depth.
Song Credits
Songwriters: Alex Turner, Jamie Cook, Nick O’Malley, Matt Helders
Release Year: 2007
Label: Domino Recording Company