One Song for Twenty Years • Page 2

Hands down no questions asked "Don't You Want to Thank Someone" by Andrew Peterson. It's a 10-minute long epic that never grows tired, I've already listened to it on repeat multiple occasions.

 

I think you'd like my suggestion ^^^

 

Ahhhhh I'd have trouble picking it over other songs on ATAL, they're all so good. "Ghosts" would probably be tied for first, haha

 

@Greg Robson
Sometimes your taste in music is, dare I say, TOO good

 

Being an unabashed millennial, I'm honestly surprised by how many of these I actually know and love. Maybe I am getting better at this "digging up the roots" thing...

 

You and that song hahaha!! It is a good one... to say the least

 

You know me too well!!

 

Why I picked Old Jaw: Of all the music that has resonated with me for the past 20 years, this song, and this album was the first time I felt as though a band was "there for me." My grandfather on my mom's side passed away very suddenly in April 2014, and when Keep you came out 7 months later, listening to it became a sort of outlet for a lot of the emotions I didn't really tackle at the time. Fast forward another 4 months and my second grandfather passed, and yet again I found myself with KeepYou on repeat. Kyle Durfey's words have resonated with me more and more with each listen, and this song in particular has been a near-perfect good soundtrack to my more nostalgic moments, especially given the time of year.

 

Very interesting concept, shame I don't like any of these bands or songs though. Although to play along with this game my pick would have to pick "Walk" by Foo Fighters because I used to relate that song to my late older brother's drug addiction (at the time (and I had hope he would get better/get over it)), but now I relate it to myself (and the rest of the family) after he died back in 2013.

 

I haven't heard a song from The Maine in years, but I really enjoyed "Am I Pretty?" Also, Northstar brought me way back. Wow.

This was a great idea!

 

@Blake Solomon always after my own heart haha Northstar ftw

 

I chose "23" for too reasons: one, ultimately, it probably is my favorite song from the time period in question. The Wallflowers' "One Headlight," Butch Walker's "Don't Move," Iron & Wine's "Fever Dream," Third Eye Blind's "Motorcycle Drive By," and Jason Isbell's "Cover Me Up" are all close, but at the end of the day, I have to give it to "23."

Two, this song just seemed like the right choice for a playlist about AbsolutePunk. Futures was hugely influential for me and was probably the most important album for getting me into music and getting me into the type of music the site covered. I've written a lot about Futures, so I'll just link here to my 10-year retrospective piece.

Jimmy Eat World - Futures • chorus.fm

 

Similarly, my dad passed away not long before The Lack Long After came out, and I still can't get through that entire record in full in one listen, not because it's not great (it's incredible) but because what Durfey does and says to work through his dad's death is just way to close to home to the things I myself said and the ways I lashed out after my dad's passing that it just feels eerie to listen to. I'll Get By is probably in my top 10 songs ever and I've only been able to bring myself to listen to it ~6 times in full, 2 of them when I saw the band live. I started bawling uncontrollably the first time I saw them play it live.

 

But on a similar note to that, the reason I picked One Step at a Time:

Like I said, my dad passed away when I was at a pretty young age. It was in November of 2010 not long after Four Year Strong came out with Enemy of the World. I have written a little bit about my connection to my dad in the past with my Morion City Soundtrack letter, but yeah my dad was a huge music nerd like myself and I actually credit my love affair with music directly to his obsession.

So he passed away in November, and I'm sitting there really contemplating what comes next. And you know when you're young some really irrational thoughts sometimes come into your head. I don't want to go into too much detail, but I'll just say I'm glad I decided to put in my headphones before I took the next step. And I put my iPod on shuffle and literally the first song that came on: Four Year Strong's One Step at a Time. I don't know if I believe in a higher power, but there was certainly something pulling me to listen to that song that day.

The lyrics just spoke to me in an incredibly profound way:

"I'm gonna get through this, one way or another cause I know it's warmer where you are. And no matter how far the view, I still always look up to you."

"Every year November gets closer, and every year it gets a little bit closer."

"I'll never take this life for granted, I'm living it for two. And since you're always the one who sang these songs, I'm singing this one for you."

I do honestly credit that song for saving my life, if not directly, then certainly indirectly, and I honestly think it was my dad who pointed me in its direction.

We played it at his wake, in both the electric and acoustic version, and then we played it two years later as we spread his ashes across Ireland. So not only did it help me find closure, but it helped my family find it as well.

 

Really happy to see ATAL on here too.

 

Wow, thank you for sharing this story. I can't lie I teared up a bit. Those are some pretty crazy coincidences and it's amazing what an impact music can have on us. I also love this song. My ex girlfriend got it tattooed when she was going through some tough times. The acoustic version is just so good.

 

good playlist. not surprised at all that there are three JEW songs.

my pick would be "Dance Music" by The Mountain Goats.

 

I'm late to this discussion, as per ushe, but I think my pick would be Existentialism on Prom Night by Straylight Run.

 

How no one chose a Brand New song is madness... They were treated as Gods on absolute punk.

Would have been a Early November song for me or a Thursday song... Think they were my main feels when absolute punk was at its prime.

 

I totally misunderstood this.. one song from the entire twenty year period? Holy shit...

I'd go with "23", I guess? Maybe?

 

I'd choose my favorite song ever, AILD's The Darkest Nights

I rarely listen to that track now, but whenever it comes on, I ALWAYS enjoy every second of it.

Lyrically, it's one of those songs that I can listen to when I'm down, full of doubt or sadness and it can help me get back on my own two feet.

Musically, it has one of the catchiest riffs and choruses in metal that I've ever heard, the sound of the whole song just exudes hope!