Category Archives: 2000s songs

The top 500 songs from the 2000s. Lyrics, interpretations and meanings from your favorite bands. Coldplay, Christina Perri, Christina Aguilera, Death Cab for Cutie, Greenday, Arcade Fire, and all your favorite bands from the 2000s ranked.

#412 There Is- Box Car Racer

That there’s someone out there who feels just like me
There is…

Box Car Racer is comprised of two-thirds of Blink-182, and not surprisingly, “There Is” sound’s similar to Blink.  Blink-182’s best songs are their serious songs, and Boxcar Racer, similarly, is at their best here discussing young love. The narrator is away on vacation and can’t stop thinking about his girlfriend. The song is written like a letter he is writing to her about all of his thoughts he is having on this lame vacation. He’d rather be spending time with his girl.

There is meaning
Box Car Racer

He reminisces about their time together and it makes him feel special. He wonders if she is thinking about him right now. Is she sleeping well at night? How lucky is he to have found someone who feels just like him? They sing about love earnestly.

The sound is that light punk sound from the late nineties: The melody sounds great but there is not much vocal variation beyond about a half an octave. That is their sound. The steady drum performance by Barker is also worth noting. The snare drums are mixed high and he has a couple mini-solos. There is an acoustic and electric guitar that almost provide background sound for the rhythm of the drums.

There Is Lyrics
this vacation’s useless
these white pills aren’t kind
i’ve given a lot of thought on this 13-hour drive
i missed the grinding concrete where we sat past 8 or 9
and slowly finished laughing in the glow of our headlights
i’ve given a lot of thought to the nights we use to have
the days have come and gone
our lives went by so fast
i faintly remember breathing on your bedroom floor
where i laid and told you but you swear you loved me more

do you care if i don’t know what to say?
will you sleep tonight, will you think of me
will i shake this off pretend it’s all okay
that there’s someone out there who feels just like me
there is

those notes you wrote me
i’ve kept them all
i’ve given a lot of thought of how to write you back this fall
with every single letter in every single word there
will be a hidden message about a boy that loves a girl
do you care if i don’t know what to say?
will you sleep tonight, will you think of me
will i shake this off
pretend it’s all okay that there’s someone out there who feels just like me
there is

do you care if i don’t know what to say?
will you sleep tonight, will you think of me
will i shake this off
pretend it’s all okay that there’s someone out there who feels just like me

do you care if i don’t know what to say?
will you sleep tonight, will you think of me
will i shake this off
pretend it’s all okay that there’s someone out there who feels just like me
there is

written: Tom Delonge, Travis Barker

#409 Just Another- Peter Yorn

And you’re my baby
You’re just another girl.

Peter Yorn’s “Just Another” is about a casual relationship that Yorn is no longer into. It is hard to tell. The lyrics aren’t exactly tight, nor do they lend themselves to interpretation. I think Yorn is of the school of thought that if it sounds like a complete sentence and kind of conveys what I am going for, then perfect. Whereas, others might want to proofread their lyrics and try to convey their emotions through words as if they were poetry. To each his own, I guess.

Just Another Meaning
Peter Yorn

The melody and simple instrumentation of “Just Another” are what makes this a great song. Also the line “you’re just another girl” is one of those anthem-y type lines that help to bring home a song. (Kind of like Just Like a Woman…except not near that level). The guitar is simple, but very effective. Finger-picking on an acoustic guitar usually sounds really good. Yorn has a couple guitars going at once during the song. The light strings are expected. What is not expected in the harmonica solo. It creates a dissonance of sorts that helps create the unique vibe of “Just Another”.

Just Another Lyrics

You and I we’re two of a kind
I hate to say it but you’ll never relate
What makes you tick
It makes me smile.
You said that I should get away from it all
And bury my head in the sand if I want to
I think you
Should thank me now.

You were lying wide awake in the garden
Trying to get over your stardom
And I could never see you depart us
And you’re my baby
You’re just another girl
Just another girl

I never mind the way I had to see ya
My working on a day show never explains
Why I see you
And I feel your pain.
I love to wear my work inside of my head
I can’t complain but you should never react
The way you did
I feel your time.

You were lying wide awake in the garden
Trying to get over your stardom
And I could never see you depart us
And you’re my baby
And you were lying wide awake in the garden
Trying to get over your stardom
And I could never see you depart us
And you’re my baby,
You’re just another girl
You’re just another girl
You’re just another girl

Songwriters: Peter J Yorn

#408 Grey Matter- Jewel

I hate you, I love you/
Leave, please don’t go away.

When Jewel’s first album came out I thought she might end up being bigger than The Beatles. Her first album had three legit all-time-great songs, several good songs and maybe only one real clunker. She was 19. The first couple Beatles albums were only okay. Was it possible we had the next Beatles right here in front of us? Imagine how great her follow up work would be? Alas, she only produced one other good song a couple albums later, “Grey Matter”.

Grey Matter Meaning
Jewel

That is still a tremendous career, but it was quite a drop-off from the crazy heights of what might be the most successful debut album of all time.

“Grey Matter” discusses how her feelings can run hot and cold on a guy but she appreciates that he is always steady for her. It is a sweet song, and not well known. “Grey Matter” was never performed in the studio. She recorded herself singing it on the road and put it on “This Way” live. It is a magical performance. You can really hear everything about what is great about Jewel in this recording. She is an amazing live solo performer.

Just Jewel with her guitar is crazy. Her voice is unique and sounds amazing here. Her guitar work is solid: finger-picking on an acoustic guitar makes for great sounding music. Also, notice the depth of her voice. She has all the power of any of the divas, but she uses restraint and only belts out two or three words towards the end. And there are never any crazy vocal runs.

I got to see Jewel open for Bob Dylan before she had released her first album. (I was there for Dylan). It was clear to everyone there she was special. She was extremely beautiful, had a sharp wit and handled the crowd well. She also told us about how she was just learning the guitar and she just starting writing a song with the two easiest chords she could play, then she sang a verse of her new song “Who will save your soul.” It was pretty amazing.

Grey Matter Lyrics

Hate you, I love you
Leave, please
Don’t go away
Can’t decide if
I like your face
Or if I wish
It would stray
You’re a child but
You’re malicious
You’re sweet but
Don’t remember my name
And heads you win
And tails I’m lost
And love equals pain

I am drifting
Without an anchor
Through your ambiguous region
A strange continent
Immune to all reason
And I’m flattered by
Your gray matter

Inside my skin
I feel your tongue
Telling me I’m dirty
And licking my bones
A surge against silence
A knife across a plate
Makes the sound
Of need on hate

I am drifting
Without an anchor
Through your ambiguous region
A strange continent
Immune to all reason
And I’m flattered by
Your gray matter

And I do not understand
Why a woman can’t
Just love a man
You’re amusing
You’re a real cool show
With your meat hooks
And barbed wire carnival
You got glitter in your pocket
You got mothballs in your soul
From too many false teeth
And greasy flash bulbs

I am drifting
Without an anchor
Through your ambiguous region
A strange continent
Immune to all reason
And I’m flattered by
Your gray matter
I love you
I hate you

Songwriters: Jewel Kilcher