“Jules Said” by The Vanns is a fiery, sardonic, and cautionary tale about the perils of ignoring blatant red flags in a relationship. Based on a deep dive into the lyrics and fan interpretations online, the song is a universally relatable story of being burned by a dishonest partner after consciously disregarding the wise, “I-told-you-so” advice of a trusted friend.
The track bristles with the energy of betrayal, cynical humour, and the messy, high-stakes consequences of misplaced trust. It’s a swaggering rock anthem for anyone who has ever learned a hard lesson in love and loyalty. In this article, we explore the meaning of this song, breaking down its metaphors and emotions.
A Deceptive Relationship: “Keeping Lies to Yourself”
The song throws the listener directly into the heart of a confrontation. The narrator opens with a direct accusation, “Honey, you’re keeping lies to yourself when there’s four other guys you run with me.” This line immediately establishes the central themes of infidelity and deception. There’s no ambiguity; he is explicitly calling out his partner for her dishonesty and for treating him as just one of many options. The use of the endearing term “Honey” is dripping with sarcasm, setting a tone of bitter intimacy.
The verse continues by exposing the one-sided and hypocritical nature of the relationship. The narrator points out, “You can cry to yourself when you decide you need help and you’re lonely.” This suggests a dynamic where his partner only seeks him out for emotional support when her other ventures fail, using him as a dependable safety net. He is the shoulder to cry on, but only when it’s convenient for her. This highlights a profound lack of respect and reciprocity, portraying him as an emotional convenience rather than a valued partner.
This painful realization leads to the verse’s conclusion, a moment of crushing self-doubt: “Now I’m second-guessing, I was under the impression you loved me.” This is the sound of an illusion shattering. The narrator is forced to re-evaluate the entire foundation of their connection, grappling with the fact that the love he believed was real may have been a complete fabrication. It’s a moment of heartbreak filtered through the dawning, sickening awareness of his own naivete.
The Voice of Reason: Who is Jules and What Did They Say?
At the core of the song is the chorus, which introduces the titular character and the sage advice that was ignored. “Jules” serves as the archetypal voice of reason—the cynical, worldly-wise friend who can see the red flags from a mile away and isn’t afraid to point them out. Jules is the anchor of the song’s narrative, representing the external wisdom that we often dismiss when caught in the intoxicating whirlwind of a new romance. The specificity of the name makes the story feel authentic, like a real conversation being recounted between friends.
Jules’s advice is delivered in the form of a memorable and witty aphorism: “If she’s got a horse in the stable then she’s not exactly stable in the head.” The phrase “a horse in the stable” is a classic, almost folksy metaphor for having a backup partner—keeping someone in reserve while pursuing other options. Jules then brilliantly twists this equestrian metaphor with a pun, equating the act of maintaining a “stable” of lovers with being emotionally or mentally “unstable.” It’s a piece of dark, humorous wisdom that is both clever and devastatingly accurate.
The true emotional weight of the chorus lies in the narrator’s regret: “I guess I should’ve listened when Jules said.” This is the central lament of the song. He had the information he needed, he received a clear warning from a trusted source, but he chose to ignore it. Now, faced with the consequences of his partner’s infidelity, he is left to replay that advice in his head. This makes the song a universally relatable tale about learning a painful lesson the hard way and the bitter feeling of knowing your friend was right all along.
A Cynical Worldview: “Show Me Somebody… With Their Head Screwed On”
The post-chorus sees the narrator’s personal heartbreak metastasize into a much broader, more cynical worldview. Feeling burned by his experience, he issues a challenge: “Show me somebody, I mean, anybody / With their head screwed on.” His specific betrayal has led him to a general conclusion that perhaps no one is trustworthy or stable. This is a common psychological defense mechanism after being hurt—projecting one’s negative experience onto the rest of the world as a way to make sense of the pain and protect oneself from future disappointment.
This cynicism is immediately followed by a moment of crucial self-analysis: “Guess I’m a fool for believing, I’m trying to please the wrong / Ones, and that’s a problem.” Here, the narrator shifts the blame, at least partially, onto himself. He identifies his own character flaw: he is a “fool” whose desire to please others leads him to invest in the “wrong” people. He recognizes that this is a recurring “problem,” a pattern of behaviour that makes him vulnerable to being taken advantage of. This introspection adds a layer of maturity to his bitterness, showing that he is learning not just about her flaws, but about his own.
This section effectively serves as the song’s philosophical core. The narrator emerges from the experience not just with a broken heart, but with a fundamentally changed perspective. His naive belief in love has been replaced by a hardened cynicism, but also with a clearer understanding of his own tendencies. It’s the sound of someone growing up the hard way, where wisdom is forged in the fire of betrayal.
The Sardonic Heart of Through The Walls
“Jules Said” occupies a unique and important space in the emotional landscape of The Vanns’ debut album, Through The Walls. Arriving after the melancholic longing of “Red Eye Flight” and the bittersweet passion of “Chelsea,” this track injects a shot of adrenaline and sardonic wit into the record. It represents yet another facet of modern relationships—the one defined by deception and the bitter sting of being played for a fool. It yanks the listener from the romantic haze of the previous track and throws them into a world of cynical realism.
The song’s musical style is a key part of its effectiveness. It has a swaggering, upbeat, almost pub-rock energy that feels infectious and fun. The bouncy rhythm, driving guitar line, and the call-and-response structure of the chorus create a sound that you can’t help but move to. This creates a brilliant and deliberate juxtaposition with the deeply bitter and angry lyrical content. This technique—pairing sad or angry lyrics with upbeat music—is a classic songwriting tool that The Vanns employ to perfection here, making the cynical message even more potent and memorable.
While the band hasn’t publicly identified a specific “Jules,” the character functions perfectly as an everyman (or everywoman). In online forums, fans speculate and relate, seeing Jules as a representation of that one brutally honest friend everyone has—the one who will tell you the harsh truth you don’t want to hear. The use of a real-sounding name, rather than a vague pronoun, grounds the story in a layer of authenticity that makes the advice—and the regret of ignoring it—feel all the more real.
The Messy Consequences: “Another One On The Way”
Just when the listener thinks the song is a straightforward tale of infidelity, the post-chorus introduces a dramatic and high-stakes complication. The narrator paints a chaotic picture of his ex-partner’s life, and by extension, his own: “She’s now waiting to find out if she’s got another one on the way.” This line abruptly raises the stakes from simple heartbreak to a potential life-altering crisis—an unplanned pregnancy.
This revelation adds a serious layer of anxiety and real-world drama to the narrative. The narrator, referred to in the third person as “He’s now waiting,” is caught in the crossfire of this stressful situation. He is trapped in a state of limbo, forced to wait for news that could permanently tie him to the very person who deceived him. This potential consequence makes her infidelity seem not just hurtful, but monumentally reckless, proving Jules’s assessment of her instability to be tragically understated.
The song emphasizes the partner’s recklessness by immediately following this dramatic line with, “she’s out dating anyone with something nice to say.” This paints a portrait of a person moving through life with a complete disregard for consequences, seeking validation from any available source while a major life crisis looms. This chaotic behavior serves as the ultimate validation of Jules’s warning. The situation is not just unstable; it’s a complete mess, and the narrator is stuck in the middle of it.
A Moment of Seduction: “Lay Me Down on the Table”
The chorus begins not with Jules’s advice, but with a memory of a seductive invitation from his partner: “You said, ‘Lay me down on the table’.” This line is a snapshot of pure physical passion and desire. It represents the powerful, carnal allure that made the narrator susceptible to her deception in the first place. It’s the voice of temptation, a memory of a moment when instinct and passion overruled logic and reason.
The structure of the chorus is brilliant because it places this seductive memory in direct opposition to Jules’s wise words. The narrator is presenting the two competing voices that were in his head: the voice of his partner’s raw, physical invitation versus the voice of his friend’s cynical, rational warning. This juxtaposition perfectly illustrates the internal conflict that so many people face—the battle between a powerful physical connection and the nagging intellectual awareness that something is wrong.
Ultimately, this memory of seduction serves as the narrator’s Exhibit A in the case against himself. He is admitting that he chose to listen to the thrilling, in-the-moment request to “lay me down” instead of the prescient and practical advice from Jules. He was blinded by passion, and by including this line, he is acknowledging the bait he willingly took. It makes his current predicament feel less like a random tragedy and more like the predictable outcome of a choice he consciously made.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are answers to 20 common questions about the lyrics of “Jules Said.”
1. What does the phrase “a horse in the stable” mean?
- It’s a metaphor for having a backup romantic partner, or keeping one’s options open by having someone in reserve while dating other people.
2. Who is Jules in the song?
- Jules represents the wise, cynical friend who gives the narrator a warning about his partner’s untrustworthiness. Jules is the voice of reason that the narrator regrets ignoring.
3. What is the pun in Jules’s advice?
- The pun is on the word “stable.” Jules says if she has a “stable” of lovers, she is not mentally or emotionally “stable” herself.
4. What is the central theme of the song?
- The central theme is a cautionary tale about ignoring red flags and the wise advice of friends in a relationship, leading to betrayal and regret.
5. What lies is the partner “keeping to anurself”?
- She is hiding the fact that she is involved with multiple other men (“four other guys”) at the same time as she is with the narrator.
6. What does the line “I was under the impression you loved me” reveal?
- It reveals the narrator’s moment of heartbreak and disillusionment, as he realizes that his entire perception of their relationship was based on a lie.
7. What does the narrator mean by “Show me somebody… with their head screwed on”?
- After being betrayed, he has developed a cynical worldview, expressing a belief that perhaps no one is truly stable or trustworthy.
8. What “problem” does the narrator identify in himself?
- He realizes he has a pattern of being a “fool” who tries to please the “wrong” people, making him vulnerable to being taken advantage of.
9. What is the “another one on the way” that the partner is waiting to find out about?
- This refers to a potential unplanned pregnancy, a high-stakes consequence of her reckless behavior that has trapped the narrator in a state of anxiety.
10. What does the wordplay “He’s outdated, she’s out dating” signify?
- It highlights the swift and brutal aftermath of the breakup. The narrator (“He”) feels obsolete and left behind, while his ex-partner (“she”) has already moved on and is actively dating other people.
11. How does the memory “Lay me down on the table” conflict with Jules’s advice?
- It represents the powerful physical passion and seduction that blinded the narrator to the logical and rational warning that his friend Jules was giving him.
12. What is the overall tone of the song?
- The tone is cynical, sardonic, witty, and high-energy. It’s an angry and bitter song that masks its pain with clever wordplay and a bouncy rhythm.
13. How does the upbeat music contrast with the lyrics?
- The energetic, almost fun-sounding music creates a brilliant juxtaposition with the bitter, cautionary tale in the lyrics, making the song’s cynical message more memorable and impactful.
14. How does this song fit into the narrative of the album Through The Walls?
- It acts as a dose of harsh, cynical realism after the more romantic and bittersweet preceding tracks, exploring another facet of modern relationships: infidelity and deception.
15. Is the narrator a reliable narrator?
- He is emotionally biased, but he appears to be reliable in his recounting of events. His self-awareness about being a “fool” adds to his credibility.
16. What does the partner do when she’s “lonely”?
- According to the narrator, she contacts him for emotional support, using him as a safety net only when she needs help and has no one else.
17. What does the song say about friendship?
- It highlights the importance of listening to trusted friends who have an outside perspective on our relationships, even when their advice is not what we want to hear.
18. Does the narrator take any responsibility for what happened?
- Yes. He admits he “should’ve listened” to Jules and calls himself a “fool for believing,” acknowledging his own naivete and poor judgment.
19. What is the emotional state of the narrator throughout the song?
- He is in a state of bitter regret, cynicism, and anxiety, grappling with the fallout from his partner’s deception and his own foolishness.
20. What is the ultimate lesson of “Jules Said”?
- The ultimate lesson is the importance of trusting your intuition and the wisdom of those who care about you, as ignoring clear red flags in a relationship will almost inevitably lead to pain and regret.