Adam's Song
| "Adam's Song" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Single by Blink-182 | ||||
| from the album Enema of the State | ||||
| Released | September 5, 2000 | |||
| Format | CD single, DVD | |||
| Recorded | 1998-1999 | |||
| Genre | Punk Rock | |||
| Length | 4:10 4:07 (Greatest Hits version) |
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| Label | MCA | |||
| Writer(s) | Mark Hoppus | |||
| Producer | Jerry Finn | |||
| Blink-182 singles chronology | ||||
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"Adam's Song" is a song by American pop punk band Blink-182, from their third album Enema of the State, the album largely credited for the band's success. It was released as the third and final CD single from the album behind "What's My Age Again?" and "All the Small Things" on September 5, 2000.[1] "Adam's Song" is one of five Blink-182 songs that peaked at #1 on the US Modern Rock Tracks chart.[2] Vocals on the song are performed by Mark Hoppus.
Contents |
[edit] Overview
"Adam's Song" is commonly referred to as the song when Blink-182 got "serious", being their first well-known slow-paced song. The song is placed in between the catchy and fast-paced songs "Dysentery Gary" and "All the Small Things".[3][4]
The song is written in C major, with the strings on the guitar tuned a whole step down. The song's lyrics deal with depression and suicide, a noticeable departure from the toilet humor present in most of the other songs on Enema of the State. The arrangement of the song departs from their previous work as well, particularly the shifting instrumental parts. In the verses, the guitar plays (muted) chords accompanied by a relatively ordinary bass line; in the chorus the guitar plays octave lines while the bass shifts to playing chords. It is comparable to their later song "Stay Together for the Kids" (dealing with 'broken home' and family issues), from Blink-182's fourth studio album, "Take Off Your Pants and Jacket".
The song makes a reference to "Come as You Are" by Nirvana, which includes the lyric "Take your time, hurry up, the choice is yours, don't be late." "Adam's Song," in turn, includes the lyric "I took my time, I hurried up, The choice was mine, I didn't think enough."
The music video is a melancholic montage of the band's past, showing childhood photos of the band, while playing in a large warehouse room. It was later self-parodied in Man Overboard.
It was once thought[citation needed] that the website AdamsLetter.com featured the inspiration behind the song, though this was later revealed as a fictitious story, and any "resemblance between the characters, places, and events to any real people is purely coincidental." Tom joked on German TV that the Adam in a question "was an old cowboy war hero who got his nuts shot off, but came through".[5] The title is actually an homage to a Mr. Show with Bob and David sketch, featuring a boy who attempts suicide after listening to his favorite band.[citation needed]
The song caused a stir in 2000 when it was set to replay indefinitely on a nearby stereo as 17-year-old Greg Barnes, a survivor of the Columbine High School massacre, hung himself in the garage of his family's home.[6] Hoppus, the song's writer, has insisted that the song is anti-suicide.[7]
During their 2009 summer tour, after the passing of DJ AM, whose real name is Adam Goldstein, Blink-182 stopped playing "Adam's Song" for the remainder of the tour and have not played it live since.[8] In 2012 Hoppus stated that the song may be "permanently retired" from their setlist because of the history attached to it.[9]
[edit] Track listing
All songs written and composed by Blink-182.
| Adam's Song Single CD | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Length | |||||||
| 1. | "Adam's Song" (Radio edit) | 4:11 | |||||||
| 2. | "Going Away to College" (Live) | 3:40 | |||||||
| 3. | "Adam's Song" (Live) | 4:35 | |||||||
| 4. | "Wendy Clear" (Live) | 4:09 | |||||||
| Adam's Song Single DVD | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Length | |||||||
| 1. | "Man Overboard" (Music video) | 3:03 | |||||||
| 2. | "Adam's Song" (Music video) | 4:22 | |||||||
[edit] Chart positions
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This section does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (March 2011) |
| Chart (2000) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Hot 100 | 101 |
| US Alternative Songs | 2 |
| Canadian Rock Chart | 21 |
| German Singles Chart | 98 |
| New Zealand Singles Chart | 37 |
[edit] References
- ^ "Adam's Song [Single"]. Amazon.com. http://www.amazon.com/Adams-Song-blink-182/dp/B00004TY94. Retrieved 2008-05-24.
- ^ "Artist Chart History - Blink-182". Billboard.com. http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/retrieve_chart_history.do?model.vnuArtistId=182793&model.vnuAlbumId=609766. Retrieved 2008-05-24.
- ^ "blink-182, Enema of the State review". Review Centre. http://www.reviewcentre.com/review125104.html. Retrieved 2008-05-24.
- ^ "Blink-182 Review". Review Centre. http://au.music.ign.com/articles/442/442001p1.html. Retrieved 2008-05-24.
- ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJBrrTLDZAI&feature=related
- ^ Rosen, Craig (2000-05-08). "Blink Song Played At Suicide". Yahoo! Music. http://music.yahoo.com/read/news/12039065. Retrieved 2008-05-24.
- ^ "MTV Music - Blink-182". Mtv.com. 2006-03-09. http://www.mtv.com/bands/archive/b/blink00/index3.jhtml. Retrieved 2011-09-16.
- ^ http://www.setlist.fm/stats/songs/blink-182-4bd68fae.html?song=Adam's+Song
- ^ http://www.reddit.com/r/Music/comments/pdluf/hi_my_name_is_mark_blink182_hoppus_on_music/#c3ojfn6
