The Ultimate Jimmy Eat World Setlist

First I had to make special note of some cut songs. I had about 40 songs in my initial songs list, so obviously there were a ton that just barely missed the cut. I also want to point out that this is by no means a “Best of Jimmy Eat World” playlist, but merely one I think would work well as a setlist combining deep cuts and greatest hits. One of the last songs cut from this playlist, “Rockstar” the only Static Prevails song I had in my initial shortlist. I feel bad that I ignored this important section of the band's history entirely, but I just personally feel more strongly about the later era of the band's music. Similarly, “My Best Theory” was unlucky number 23, the last song cut. Although it's phenomenal as an energetic song in a live setting, the album version just doesn't have enough juice, and there are better “live” songs already in the playlist.

1. Big Casino
As a New Jersey kid who one day hopes to be a New Jersey success story, I couldn’t not have this on the list.

2. Bleed American
If you weren’t already pumped up from the set opener, Bleed American will have you jumping up and down or running through walls from the moment that explosive intro kicks in.

3. I Will Steal You Back
We scale the intensity back a tiny bit from Bleed American, but there is still a propulsiveness to this more recent Jimmy Eat World track which works perfectly in a live setting.

4. No Sensitivity
The lone representative from Jimmy Eat World’s extensive and exceptional B-side catalogue, this Bleed American B-side is the best and most heartbreaking of the bunch, beating out “Anais,” “Be Sensible” and “Shame.”

5. Coffee And Cigarettes
Invented sometimes gets less praise from fans because it had a more heavy-handed production style, but when that production can give you glossy pop-rock gem like this, how could you turn it down?

6. A Praise Chorus
Even if this wasn’t the song that introduced me to The Promise Ring, it still would’ve made this list, if only for the sheer brilliance of having the “Praise Chorus” of the title be represented by the songs sung during the bridge.

7. Let It Happen
This song won the twitter poll handily over “My Best Theory” to become the last song in this list.

8. Work
9. Kill
I put these two back to back deliberately, since I love how their back to back placement on Futures allows each song to complement the other perfectly. These is a 7 minute master class of constructing mood and tone.

10. For Me This Is Heaven
11. Hear You Me
I like it when live sets have something of an acoustic intermission in the middle that gives both the crowd and the band members a breather. I think this combination of Hear You Me and For Me This Is Heaven (which Jim Adkins performed solo acoustic on the Damage tour) could be a delightfully sad interlude, the band could kick back in late in Hear You Me if they got bored. Also, I just have to note that Hear You Me is my favorite Jimmy Eat World song, and one of my favorites ever.

12. Damage
Damage the album was not represented nearly as much as I initially expected it to be given how much I adore that record (I had about 6 on my shortlist that got cut down from 40), but the first two singles are both recognized here, and Damage is a stellar representation of that album’s theme of the “adult breakup.”

13. Dizzy
The song’s bridge: “I told you as I hovered, ‘I’ve never felt this way.’ You said, ‘I have the shot that stops my clock, baby its okay.’ You said you’d never have regrets. Jesus, is there someone yet who got that wish? Did you get yours, babe?” I rest my case.

14. Just Watch The Fireworks
There’s always been something so mesmerizing about the way this song, and by extension, Clarity function. The song is cyclical and semi-repetitive in a lot of ways, but the way it loops back on itself continuously adding new and unique thematic repetitions, until it explodes into the climax, is I feel the way every post-rock band wants their songs to function.

15. Futures
The opening and title track off, in my opinion, Jimmy Eat World’s best album is one of my favorites to see live, and it gives the crowd a sing-along chorus that has been missing for the past few songs.

16. Littlething
This had never really been one of my favorite Jimmy Eat World songs, until it was used in the season 1 finale of Shameless. Something about that moment felt so cinematic and I’ve loved the song ever since.

17. The World You Love
I will ride-or-die for this song, and go on the record saying that it is the most underrated song in their discography.

18. Lucky Denver Mint
When I sent out a tweet asking for suggestions for songs that needed to be in here, this staple from Clarity was probably the most requested song, and I definitely agree with why. It’s got a massive chorus hook, but it still has that rawness that characterizes Clarity compared to the band’s later discography.

19. Disintegration
While it may seem a little weighty to have two 7+ minute songs back to back to close out the set, it could’ve been worse. I almost had Goodbye Sky Harbor in this end of set spot instead. This deep cut from Stay On My Side is pleasingly dark however, and actually flows rather well into 23 if you crossfade both tracks.

20. 23
This is Jimmy Eat World’s masterpiece, their magnum opus. There was never going to be another song at this spot. Simply one of the most beautiful songs ever written, and a perfect closing track to a set.

Encore:

21. Sweetness
I read an article once, I think on The AV Club, that stated this is the 2000s arena-rock equivalent of Gary Glitter’s Rock and Roll Pt. 2. I must say that while it seems Seven Nation Army has now taken over that title, but this song can still get a crowd amped in a moment, so it works here as the encore opener.

22. The Middle
This is after all the Ultimate Jimmy Eat World setlist, and I can’t for the life of me fathom the band keeping this absolute anthem off one of their setlists. A surprising amount of my favorite musical memories involve this song, from seeing them play it in Central Park as the rain started to come down for the first time all night, to the wedding of the man who inspired this column, “The Middle” just has a habit of making magic moments happen.


If there was one switch I would maybe make to this playlist, it would be to switch out Disintegration with “Pain” but I was wary of having too many songs from “Futures” and not enough from other albums, so I wanted to get some representation for Stay on My Side Tonight in there.

 

It always bothered me that Chase this Light never got the love it deserved. So many hooks! It came just short of matching Bleed American's mainstream appeal imo, yet only achieved a fraction of its success. Big Casino, the title track, Let it Happen, Here it Goes, Dizzy, and that bridge in Carry You. Ugh, such jams. Makes me mad that record wasn't HUGE

 

All of those except Here It Goes were on my shortlist. So many gems on Chase This Light. I think Chase This Light the song is probably the closest Jimmy Eat World has ever gotten to a wedding song.

 

You have Disintegration and a few Chase this Light songs on here. I approve.

 

My slightly controversial opinion is that CTL is my favorite album by this band. It's such a positive album and I love it dearly.

 

Definitely love seeing songs like "Big Casino" and "Let It Happen" on here. And Damage might not have been my favorite album but "I Will Steal You Back" was a solid choice. I think if I were to put together a JEW playlist I'd have to throw "If You Don't, Don't" or "Authority Song" on there.

 

Time to show this to everyone I know.

 

i was about to say i couldn't do it any better, then i noticed the lack of "Blister". Tom needs to sing at least this one song! i'd shift LDM's placing with C&C, then take out C&C for Blister.

i also think "Invented" could either replace the very moody "Disintegration" before "23", so we'd have back-to-back epicness, or after "Hear You Me" (taking out "Damage"), for a seamless acoustic-to-electric transition.

 

Looking at that list, and omitted songs even, Jimmy Eat World has way too many jams to choose from! I'm so thankful to have them in my life, haha.

 

Nice to see little thing get some love! One of my favorites.

 

If you take out Coffee and Cigarettes (which is one of the band's best choruses by the way) you are left with one song from Invented, and a deep cut at that. If anything, you might want to take out LDM for Blister, which I almost did, but I decided to keep LDM in there. Blister was one of the final songs cut, and I love it, but I needed to have at least two Invented songs in there as well.

 

Great list, they have enough great songs for like three of these lists.

 

I had never really checked out Static Prevails bc my intro was Clarity, but I threw that on the other day and was amazed by how good it is.Of course, I love that 90's emo/post hardcore era so that style is right up my alley. But yeah, 20 songs for this band is nearly impossible.

 

I think this actually a really really good setlist. I'm surprised by the lack of Pain. I agree that Disintegration would probably be the song I cut to include it, which is difficult to type out because that song is truly great. Maybe omit No Sensitivity, or Coffee Or Cigarettes, or Littlething instead?

Overa, definitely not disappointed. This looks like a stellar setlist. In the meantime, I'm going to try go out together an ultimate setlist. Great work bud!

 

Invented and Littlething, two songs. and i could never take out LDM, but Blister is as much of a staple as anything else.

 

You could make one hell of a 20+ song playlist just from the songs I cut down from my shortlist to this 22 song list.

Blister
Pain
Chase This Light
My Best Theory
Rockstar
The Authority Song
If You Don't, Don't
Ten
Appreciation
No, Never
Goodbye Sky Harbor
Carry You
Here It Goes
Drugs or Me
Polaris
Heart Is Hard To Find
Higher Devotion
Anais
Invented
Table for Glasses
Believe In What You Want

And so many others. This band has one of the most consistent discogs in music.

 

Zach comes out and nurses the snare and ride for a minute or so before everyone else come out.

1. Table for Glasses

(Good evening, we're Jimmy Eat World)

2. Bleed American
3. A Praise Chorus
4. Futures
5. Littlething
6. Kill
7. Closer
8. Always Be
9. 23
10. Your House (2005 Version)
11. Disintegration
12. Believe In What You Want
13. Just Watch The Fireworks
14. Blister
15. The Middle
16. Invented
17. You Were Good (Jim solo)
18. Heart is Hard To Find (Jim Solo)
19. Get It Faster
20. My Sundown

21. Sweetness
22. Take em as they Come (Springsteen Cover)

 

Yooooo, points for including Higher Devotion in your shortlist. That song really grew on me this year I started appreciating the album more than I did five years ago.

 

It's really good. Obviously rougher, and Jim is definitely the best vocalist for this band, but still great songwriting. It's just tough to put any in the top 20-22 songs, especially when the band plays basically nothing from it anymore (which is what this is supposed to simulate.)

 

i want to make two sets, one for festivals and one for intimate concerts, not repeating songs for both. they'd probably be just around 30 songs combined, though, but it's perfectly doable. will get to it later, this seems fun!

 

Can't close with a cover, especially when they have The Middle in their arsenal. No matter how much that song rules.... I love the intro idea though.

 

That's a fun idea. Make sure you post those here. Would love to see what you come up with.

 

Oh no doubt, wasn't trying to derail the thread but that just popped into my head due to listening to it recently. I need to dive into albums like Damaged, CTL, and others I am not as familiar with.

 

Man, how do you not open with Futures. Song kills it as an opener. Also, so happy Dizzy is in here. First song I have heard live by them (soundcheck when me and my friends booked them at our school) and it was incredible.