Give me your hands, show me the door
I cannot stand to wait anymore
Somebody said be what you’ll be
We could be old and cold and dead on the sea
But I love you more than words can say
I can’t count the reasons I should stay
Give me some rope, tie me to dream
Give me the hope to run out of steam
Somebody said it could be here
We could be roped up, tied up, dead in a year
I can’t count the reasons I should stay
One by one they all just fade away
Iʼm tied to the wait and sees
Iʼm tired of that part of me
That makes up a perfect lie to keep us between
But hours turn into days
So watch what you throw away
And be here to recognize thereʼs another way
Give me some more time in a dream
Give me the hope to run out of steam
Somebody said it can be here
We could be roped up, tied up, dead in a year
But I love you more than words can say
I can’t count the reasons I should stay
One by one they all just fade away
But I love you more than words can say
Behind the Music: Meaning & Story
The Community theme song, titled “At Least It Was Here,” is performed by the Los Angeles-based indie rock band The 88. Released as part of the show’s soundtrack in 2010, the song is celebrated for its paradox: an upbeat, catchy melody paired with surprisingly dark and melancholic lyrics. While the show first premiered on NBC on September 17, 2009, the theme quickly became a staple of the series’ “meta” and self-aware identity.
The lyrics, featuring lines like “We could be roped up, tied up, dead in a year,” have led to much fan speculation regarding their meaning. Many interpret the song as a reflection of the “Greendale experience”—a place where people go when they have “run out of steam” or are “tied to the wait-and-sees.” It captures the bittersweet reality of the study group: a collection of individuals who are stuck in life but find a strange, fleeting sense of belonging with one another.
Beyond the opening credits, the show’s musical identity was forged by Academy Award-winning composer Ludwig Göransson. Göransson’s score was instrumental in the show’s famous genre-parody episodes, ranging from epic orchestral arrangements for paintball wars to spaghetti western themes. Community concluded its “six seasons and a movie” journey (at least the TV portion) on June 2, 2015, but the theme remains a nostalgic anthem for “Human Beings” everywhere.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the name of the Community theme song?
The song is titled “At Least It Was Here” by the indie rock band The 88.
Who composed the background music for Community?
The show’s score was composed by Ludwig Göransson, who later won Oscars for his work on Black Panther and Oppenheimer.
Why are the lyrics so dark?
The lyrics are often interpreted as a commentary on the feeling of being stuck or at an impasse in life, which fits the theme of diverse adults returning to a community college to start over.
