How I Met Your Mother may not have ended the way some fans wanted, but there are many other aspects that fans should be thankful for. For instance, the soundtrack. Remember when we found out that Robin was a Canadian popstar that went by the name Robin Sparkles? Or Barney’s song about his love for suits?
While these songs have given us much joy and pleasure, have you ever been curious to analyze the lyrics? If you take a closer look, some songs had been foreshadowing the Ted/Robin endgame. From Florence and The Machine’s “Shake It Out” to Bloc Party’s “This Modern Love,” here are the 10 best lyrics in the show’s songs and musical numbers.
“You’re good at pull-ups and have radical hair/ I hate my dad he’s so unfair”
Taken from Robin’s song “Sandcastles In The Sand”, the song relates to the news anchor reconciling with a former flame. However, Robin ends up heartbroken when he leaves her.
If there was one line that stood out the most, it had to be these two contrasting lines. Considering that this is meant to be a love song Robin wrote about her ex-boyfriend, you can tell that this is meant to be a typical teenage love story. Already we can see that Robin’s father didn’t approve of her boyfriend but can you blame him if the only good quality she can pick is his physique and hair? Still, it’s funny to see a more open and innocent side to Robin.
“If I get married he will always be second to you”
This line was taken from Robin’s song “P.S. I Love You”, which premiered in the episode of the same name. Before the song is revealed to be dedicated to Paul Shaffer, Barney spends most of the episode obsessing over the lyrics.
However, if fans look closer at the lyrics, there is a subtle foreshadowing of Barney and Robin’s future. Robin may not have fallen for another guy, but she did make Barney second to another love of her life - work. The main reason the pair split was because Barney was tired of the lack of stability in their lives, with Robin’s career sending them around the globe. They just had a different outlook on life in the end.
“What are you holding out for?/ What’s always in the way?”
The Bloc Party’s “This Modern Love” was a song that was playing in the background of the episode “Come On”. It can be found in the ending scene where Ted finds Marshall waiting on the steps to their apartment after Lily called off their engagement.
Once again, the song is a natural fit when you compare the lyrics to the events in the show. For most of season 1, Lily was at a crossroads about whether she should pursue her dreams or not. Marshall was oblivious to her worries until this moment and couldn’t understand why she had to postpone their wedding. The line chosen does seem to symbolize the thoughts going through Marshall’s head at the time.
“I took it in silence I took it to heart/ I carried it quietly over the wall”
Fans may recall the gang “leaping into the future” after they had a tough year. This occurred in the season 4 finale, where the viewer watches as Ted and the gang jump the roof to the other apartment. In the background, you can hear A.C. Newman’s song “Prophets” playing.
The lines were shown to be a perfect fit for this scene, especially when the scene preceding this saw Lily advise Ted about his career. Lily tells him that life has a way of working itself out and he should go along with it. Although Ted was hesitant to do so, he is seen to accept the decision - as expressed when he jumps the roof.
“Nothing suits me like a suit”
If there was one song that could sum up Barney Stinson, it has to be his “Nothing Suits Me Like A Suit”. Performed by Barney in the episode “Girls Versus Suits”, the GNB employee battles with himself about whether he should choose his wardrobe over Karina - the newest bartender at MacLaren’s.
For this entry, the line chosen is the same as the title as it is the most memorable. The fans are well aware that Barney wouldn’t be seen without his suits as this is where all his powers lay. It gives him confidence and made him look more sophisticated than other guys. Let’s not forget the iconic suit pajamas he has aswell.
“Throw every last care away/Let’s go to the mall. Today.”
Robin’s teenage years provided fans with a lot of songs, but the most memorable had to “Let’s Go To The Mall”. This first appeared in the episode “Slap Bet” when Robin expressed hatred for the mall and the gang tried to work out the reason why.
Out of all the lines, this one proved to be the most relatable and can be explained in two ways. The first one could be telling us to console ourselves in retail therapy and try to forget our worries. The other could be a sort of “seize the day” meaning and advising you to do whatever you want.
“I’ve been a fool and I’ve been blind/I can’t leave the past behind”
“Shake It Out” was playing at the end of “No Pressure” where Robin moved out of Ted’s apartment after the architect confessed his feelings for her. Since she didn’t reciprocate, she and Marshall agreed it was best to give Ted space.
The line stands out the most when you consider the Ted/Robin situation. No matter how many women Ted dated, something always kept bringing him back to Robin. The whole point of him telling the story was for his kids to give him their blessing to date Robin again. We should have seen their reunion coming a mile away.
“I’ll never make the same mistake”
Fans of Cat Stevens may recognize this line from his song “The Wind”, where the musician debates his conflict with fate and spirituality. It can be found in the season 7 finale where Ted is struggling with the thought of losing Victoria again. In the end, he ends up driving off into the sunset with the baker - which would suggest he wouldn’t make the same mistake as last time.
However, it is important to note that this line is cut from the song. Ironically, it should have been heard in the background when Robin asks Ted if she could speak to him before the ceremony. Once more, it can be seen to foreshadow Ted choosing Robin once again.
The opening verse of “Future Days”
This song was played over Barney and Robin’s wedding ceremony. While the wedding is taking place, the camera pans across the room and focuses on several characters. First being Robin’s parents and Barney’s family, then panning across the faces of the members of the gang.
Out of all the songs, this proves to be a perfect fit as all the characters are instrumental in Robin and Barney’s wedding. If Ted didn’t go on the date with Robin, she wouldn’t have met the gang. She wouldn’t have become close friends with Lily or have met Barney, and if there was no wedding, Ted wouldn’t have met Tracy. They have all played a key part in each other’s lives.
The opening verse of “Heaven”
The ending to the show may not have been what the viewers were expecting, but the closing lines of the show pretty much summed up the series perfectly. Over the credits, fans will be able to hear the lyrics “Our children will always hear romantic tales of desperate years/… you’re my best friend.”
The premises of the show was based on Ted telling his kids the story of how they met their mother. He told them how the gang met, how they all got to the places they were now but most of all, how they all stuck together through the years. It’s probably a story their grandchildren would hear aswell.
