Written by lead singer and frontman Alex Turner and produced by James Ford and Mike Crossey, “505” was released on April 23, 2007, as the final track on Arctic Monkeys’ second studio album, “Favourite Worst Nightmare“.
A fan favorite, “505” gained popularity on TikTok in August 2022, where it was featured in various videos, including those highlighting the soft grunge, 2014 Tumblr aesthetic. This viral success led to a surge on Spotify, making it the band’s third most popular song with an average of 1.7 million plays per month. The song peaked on the UK Singles Chart and ranked 64 on the 2022 annual chart. Additionally, it became the biggest indie song in the UK in 2022.
The song “505” marks a turning point in Alex Turner’s songwriting, revealing newfound emotional depths. But what inspired the song, and what is the meaning behind “505”?
“505” Lyrics
I’m going back to 505
If it’s a seven hour flight or a forty-five minute drive
In my imagination, you’re waitin’ lyin’ on your side
With your hands between your thighsStop and wait a sec
When you look at me like that, my darlin’, what did you expect?
I’d probably still adore you with your hands around my neck
Or I did last time I checkedNot shy of a spark
The knife twists at the thought that I should fall short of the mark
Frightened by the bite, though it’s no harsher than the bark
The middle of adventure, such a perfect place to startI’m going back to 505
If it’s a seven hour flight or a forty-five minute drive
In my imagination, you’re waitin’ lyin’ on your side
With your hands between your thighsBut I crumble completely when you cry
It seems like once again you’ve had to greet me with goodbye
I’m always just about to go and spoil the surprise
Take my hands off of your eyes too soonI’m going back to 505
If it’s a seven hour flight or a forty-five minute drive
In my imagination, you’re waitin’ lyin’ on your side
With your hands between your thighs and a smileArctic Monkeys – “505“
Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: Alex Turner
505 lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Arctic Monkeys “505” Meaning
“505” is a song about longing, regret, and the pain of separation. The lyrics describe a journey, both physical and emotional, to a place of comfort and love, symbolized by the number “505.” The song’s lyrics center on a relationship, with the protagonist returning to a specific place associated with a significant moment or person.
It is often regarded as one of the band’s first love songs, with Alex Turner mentioning in an interview with NME that it is “the first proper love song we’ve done… as in like, ‘Oh, it’s that one person’“. Turner admitted the song was about an ex-lover, which fans believed refers to his then-girlfriend, Johanna Bennett.
The “505” number is from the hotel room where his girlfriend was staying. From the band Totalizer, Bennett co-wrote the Arctic Monkeys track “Fluorescent Adolescent”. She told The Guardian in 2007: “We were on holiday and had cut ourselves off from everything. We were in a really quiet hotel and didn’t watch TV or listen to that much music. So as not to drive each other mad we started messing around with these words like a game, singing them to each other.”
Johanna is now married to Kings of Leon’s Matthew Followill, and together they have three children.
“505” Video
The organ chords in “505” are similar to those featured in Ennio Morricone’s soundtrack for the classic Western The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, particularly during the moment when Angel Eyes appears before the final showdown.
