# Social Climb

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"**Social Climb**" is a song by American [rock](/source/Rock_music) duo [I Dont Know How but They Found Me](/source/I_Dont_Know_How_but_They_Found_Me). It appears as the third track on their debut EP, *[1981 Extended Play](/source/1981_Extended_Play)*, released through [Fearless Records](/source/Fearless_Records) on November 9, 2018. The song was written by bassist and vocalist [Dallon Weekes](/source/Dallon_Weekes) and co-produced with [Jason Hill](/source/Jason_Hill_(singer)). On August 8, 2019, a music video filmed at the [Alfred McCune Home](/source/Alfred_McCune_Home) was published for the track, symbolizing feeling alone in a crowd.

## Background

Following a decade of living in [Los Angeles](/source/Los_Angeles), [Dallon Weekes](/source/Dallon_Weekes) felt isolated amidst an energetic life in the city.[3][4] He started writing a song with the theme, finishing it in 2017 as "Social Climb" and performing it live thereafter with drummer [Ryan Seaman](/source/Ryan_Seaman) as [I Dont Know How but They Found Me](/source/I_Dont_Know_How_but_They_Found_Me).[5] The song begins with a central synth melody,[6] built around by Weekes' vocals and [alternative rock](/source/Alternative_rock) instrumentation. It lyrically advocates for maintaining independence and fighting toxic influences.[2] The track released as part of *[1981 Extended Play](/source/1981_Extended_Play)* on November 9. Sophie Walker of *[DIY](/source/DIY_(magazine))* compared the song's to [Fall Out Boy](/source/Fall_Out_Boy)'s work, highlighting "chant-worthy choruses, thunderous drum beats and arena-tailored hooks".[6] Anna Rose of *Hysteria Magazine* was enticed by its varied sound and debauched lyricism, classing it with music used in the animated sitcom *[Rick and Morty](/source/Rick_and_Morty)*.[7] Weekes called it his favorite track of the EP, particularly for the equipment used on it by co-producer [Jason Hill](/source/Jason_Hill_(singer)).[8]

## Music video

On August 8, 2019, a music video for "Social Climb" premiered on [YouTube](/source/YouTube) at midnight [EST](/source/Eastern_Time_Zone), teased the day before via [Instagram](/source/Instagram).[9] The video features Weekes and Seaman wandering a mansion surrounded apathetic partygoers, performing the song among them. The duo later participates in activities such as a [séance](/source/S%C3%A9ance) and viewing various talents. Intermittently, fictitious information appears as on-screen text.[1][2] As the video ends, a phone number for the [Harvard sentences](/source/Harvard_sentences) is displayed. Collin Goeman of *[Alternative Press](/source/Alternative_Press_(magazine))* likened this to a "70s-era mystery film",[10] while Carly Tagendye of *Heart Eyes Magazine* compared it to sets from *[American Horror Story](/source/American_Horror_Story)*.[2]

The video was directed by Christian Jacobs and filmed at the [Alfred McCune Home](/source/Alfred_McCune_Home) in [Salt Lake City](/source/Salt_Lake_City), [Utah](/source/Utah).[10] Due to time constraints, it was recorded across eight hours instead of the duo's typical two-day schedule.[11] Resources were additionally limited, so they opted to use modern equipment instead of the older technology presented in I Dont Know How but They Found Me's previous videos. To compensate, various filters are used to make the footage appear dated. Weekes took inspiration from the film *[The Shining](/source/The_Shining_(film))* (1980) for the video's location and style, while his wife, Breezy Douglas-Weekes, did casting.[10] The cast attendees acted lifeless to mimic feeling alone while surrounded by people, representing the song's meaning.[12]

## Personnel

Credits adapted from the EP's liner notes.

- [Dallon Weekes](/source/Dallon_Weekes) – lead vocals, instruments, [production](/source/Record_producer)
- [Ryan Seaman](/source/Ryan_Seaman) – drums
- Matt Appleton – horns
- [Jason Hill](/source/Jason_Hill_(singer)) – production
- [WZRD BLD](/source/Drew_Fulk) – [mixing engineer](/source/Audio_mixing_(recorded_music))
- Michelle Mancini – [mastering engineer](/source/Mastering_(audio))

## References

1. Vigil, Dom (August 8, 2019). ["I DONT KNOW HOW BUT THEY FOUND ME Release Video for "Social Climb""](https://preludepress.com/news/2019/08/08/i-dont-know-how-but-they-found-me-release-video-for-social-climb/). *Prelude Press*. Retrieved February 18, 2025.

1. Tagendye, Carly (August 12, 2019). ["iDKHOW Comment on the L.A. Social Hierarchy with Single "Social Climb""](https://hearteyesmagazine.com/music-videos-we-love/idkhow-social-climb). *Heart Eyes Magazine*. Retrieved February 18, 2025.

1. ["Watch iDKHOW's New Video For Social Climb"](https://www.kerrang.com/watch-idkhows-new-video-for-social-climb). *[Kerrang!](/source/Kerrang!)*. August 8, 2019. Retrieved February 18, 2025.

1. ["iDKHOW have shared a fancy new video for 'Social Climb' ahead of their very-nearly-here London show"](https://readdork.com/news/idkhow-have-shared-a-video-for-social-climb-ahead-of-their-very-nearly-here-london-show/). *[Dork](/source/Dork_(magazine))*. August 8, 2019. Retrieved February 18, 2025.

1. Riddell, Rose (December 11, 2018). ["Interview: IDKHOW on their new EP, touring, and more."](https://www.coupdemainmagazine.com/dallon-weekes/15089). *Coup De Main Magazine*. Retrieved February 18, 2025.

1. Walker, Sophie (November 9, 2018). ["I Don't Know How but They Found Me - 1981 Extended Play"](https://diymag.com/article/i-dont-know-how-but-they-found-me-1981-extended-play). *[DIY](/source/DIY_(magazine))*. Retrieved February 18, 2025.

1. Rose, Anna (November 7, 2018). ["I DON'T KNOW HOW BUT THEY FOUND ME // 1981 Extended Play"](https://www.hysteriamag.com/dont-know-found-1981-extended-play/). *Hysteria Magazine*. Retrieved February 18, 2025.

1. Wardlaw, Mike (April 26, 2019). ["iDKHOW Tells Us How They Fashioned Their '1981 Extended Play' \[Exclusive Track-by-Track\]"](https://v13.net/2019/04/idkhow-tells-us-how-they-fashioned-their-1981-extended-play-exclusive-track-by-track/). *V13 Media*. Retrieved February 18, 2025.

1. Whybrow, Tatiana (August 8, 2019). ["iDKHOW Release New Video for 'Social Climb'"](https://www.melodicmag.com/2019/08/08/idkhow-release-new-video-for-social-climb/). *Melodic Magazine*. Retrieved February 18, 2025.

1. Goeman, Collin (August 8, 2019). ["Dallon Weekes on the future of iDKHOW, clue-filled "Social Climb" video"](https://www.altpress.com/dallon-weekes-idkhow-social-climb-video-interview/). *[Alternative Press](/source/Alternative_Press_(magazine))*. Retrieved February 18, 2025.

1. Bax, Mike (October 17, 2019). ["iDKHOW's DALLON WEEKES on Creativity, Spontaneity, a Full-Length Album, and Christmas Songs \[w/ Audio\]"](https://v13.net/2019/10/idkhows-dallon-weekes-on-creativity-spontaneity-a-full-length-album-and-christmas-songs-w-audio/). *V13 Media*. Retrieved February 18, 2025.

1. ["I DONT KNOW HOW BUT THEY FOUND ME - Social Climb (Behind The Scenes)"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mO0qAsTbSo4) ([YouTube](/source/YouTube) video). I DONT KNOW HOW BUT THEY FOUND ME. September 19, 2019. Retrieved February 18, 2025.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Social Climb](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_Climb) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_Climb?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.