2000s songs, relationship problems

#345 Stay Together for the Kids- Blink182

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Will you remember this night?
Twenty years now lost.

Blink 182’s “Stay Together for the Kids” is one of their serious songs. Occasionally Blink put out a “serious” song; I believe this is when they did their best work. “Stay Together for the Kids” was one of these songs this pushed them into the discussion of best hard rock bands of the past 30 years or so. (They might appear again on this list).

Stay Together For the Kids meaning
Blink182-best album cover of alltime?

Blink 182’s”Stay Together For the Kids” details a divorce from a child’s point of view.  The lyrics are one-sided and selfish: here the narrator is talking about a family breaking up and all he is talking about is his feelings. But that is the point of the song! He is taking us into the eyes of a young man who sees his parents divorcing and the child has many irrational thoughts. (And some not-so irrational thoughts). What we can sense is the anger in the vocals. That is why the song is a classic. It is able to capture a teenager’s rage while at the same time having an excellent melody.

The splitting of the lead vocals is a great twist. Hoppus voice comes across as the voice of reason during the versus. He says things things like “why can’t we fix this problem” whereas Delonge’s voice sounds like a spite-filled rage, blaming his family for ruining his life. It is perfect. Everyone, when dealing with a difficult situation feels with their heart and their head—and sometimes they say different things. Hoppus and Delonge attempt to give a voice to the conflicting feelings inside a young man who is about to lose his family.

Lyrics Stay Together For The Kids

It’s hard to wake up,
When the shades have been pulled shut.
This house is haunted
It’s so pathetic,
It makes no sense at all.
I’m ripe with things to say,
The words rot and fall away.
What stupid poem could fix this home,
I’d read it every day.

So here’s your holiday,
Hope you enjoy it this time
You gave it all away.
It was mine.
So when you’re dead and gone,
Will you remember this night
Twenty years now lost?
It’s not right!

Their anger hurts my ears.
Been running strong for seven years.
Rather than fix the problems
They never solve them
It makes no sense at all.
I see them everyday.
We get along, so why can’t they?
If this is what he wants
And this is what she wants
Then why is there so much pain?

So here’s your holiday.
Hope you enjoy it this time
You gave it all away.
It was mine.
So when you’re dead and gone
Will you remember this night
Twenty years now lost?
It’s not right!

So here’s your holiday.
Hope you enjoy it this time
You gave it all away.
It was mine.
So when you’re dead and gone
Will you remember this night
Twenty years now lost?
It’s not right.
It’s not right.
It’s not right.
It’s not right.

Written by: Mark Hoppus / Tom De Longe / Travis Barker / Travis L Barker (Blink 182)

2000s songs, no love song

#344 Don’t Leave Home- Dido

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So close the blinds and shut the door/
You won’t need other friends anymore.
Oh don’t leave home, oh don’t leave home.

“Don’t Leave Home” is a song about drug abuse. Sung in Dido’s sensual voice it almost comes across as a love song…but it clearly isn’t.  Dido speaks of the seduction and deceit involved in drug use, cleverly hidden in a song that sounds like a love song.

Dido gives voice to the drugs’ comforting words in this song: “You won’t need other friends anymore”, “If you’re cold, Ill keep you warm”, “I will be your safety”, etc. Dido warns about the seductive nature of drug use and it’s power to take over your life.  In return, all drugs asks for is your heart, and it will promise to be everything to you.

Don't Leave home Meaning
Dido

The verses and chorus both have great melodies, and the song is a unique take on a drug song. Dido uses electronic effects and percussion more than most on this list and she uses them well. They accentuate her voice and complement the melody rather than dominate it. This is song number two for Dido on this list, and I have a feeling she may get another. That puts her in Rock n Roll hall of Fame territory.

Don’t Leave Home Lyrics

Like a ghost don’t need a key,
Your best friend I’ve come to be.
Please don’t think of getting up for me,
You don’t even need to speak.

When I’ve been here for just one day,
You’ll already miss me if I go away.
So close the blinds and shut the door,
You won’t need other friends anymore.
Oh don’t leave home, oh don’t leave home.

And if you’re cold, I’ll keep you warm.
If you’re low, just hold on,
‘Cause I will be your safety,
Oh, don’t leave home.

And I arrived when you were weak,
I’ll make you weaker, like a child.
Now all your love you give to me,
When your heart is all I need.
Oh don’t leave home, oh don’t leave home.

And if you’re cold, I’ll keep you warm.
And if you’re low, just hold on.
‘Cause I will be your safety,
Oh, don’t leave home.

Oh how quiet, quiet the world can be,
When it’s just you and little me.
Everything is clear, and everything is new,
So you won’t be leaving, will you?

And if you’re cold, I’ll keep you warm,
And if you’re low, just hold on.
‘Cause I will be your safety,
Oh, don’t leave home.
‘Cause I will be your safety.
And I will be your safety,
I will be your safety.
Oh, don’t leave home.

Songwriters: Dido Armstrong / Rollo Armstrong

1980s songs, songs about exes

#343 Only The Lonely- The Motels

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It’s like I told you/
Only the lonely can play.

The Motel’s Martha Davis sings “Only the Lonely” and makes it sound so depressing. She truly captures what loneliness seems like it would sound like, and we seem to feel her loneliness. The vocal is clearly what makes the song. The lyrics remain a bit cryptic: what exactly is it that ‘only the lonely can play’? Let’s figure out what is going on in the song:

We get the impression that two people who were once together are meeting over drinks and the author begins to reminisce and ponders the situation she finds herself in. It is awkward and there is not necessarily an intention of doing anything other than catching up.

Only The Lonely Meaning
The Motels

She remembers the life they had. It seems like during the relationship there were some lies told and perhaps they took each other for granted. She has forgotten a lot of the specifics, but overall, she gets a good feeling thinking of their past.

So, it sounds like the experience that ‘only the lonely can play’ is the bittersweet reminiscing between two old lovers. This song is truly heartbreaking. Another good song with a similar theme is Dan Fogelburg’s Another Auld Lang Syne.

Lyrics Only The Lonely
We walked the loneliest mile
We smile without any style
We kiss all together wrong
No intention

We lie about each other’s drinks
We live without each other
Thinking what anyone would do
Without me and you

It’s like I told you
Only the lonely can play

So hold on here we go
Hold on to nothin’ we know
I feel so lonely
Way up here

You mention the time we were together
So long ago well I don’t remember
All I know is it makes me feel good now

It’s like I told you only the lonely can play
Only the lonely only the lonely can play

Only the lonely only the lonely can play
It’s like I told you only the lonely can play
Only the lonely
Only the lonely can play

Songwriters: Martha Emily Davis