# The Lyrical Musings of Blink 182 **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 7, 2000, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-lyrical-musings-of-blink-182/13717 "2000-02-07T17:28:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Flypsyde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f0a364/32.png) [@Flypsyde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flypsyde)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2000, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-lyrical-musings-of-blink-182/13717/1 "2000-02-07T17:28:00Z")
Need a little help from the Dopers on this one. Blink 182 has a song on their latest album-track 4, “Going Away to College” on [_Enema of the State_](http://www.blink182.com/index2.html). (Yeah, I know, a lot of music questions today. I had a couple of long drives this weekend. Just wait until I show off my free-range baby ranch idea.) Here’s the question-is this song romantic or not? It seems the refrain is, but the verses sure sound like he nailed the girl and then went off to school and forgot about her. So, if anyone can gimme a little help (ladies especially), it would be appreciated. And yes, this may very well be the stupidest question I’ve ever asked. Thanks for noticing. * * * We interrupt this thread to increase dramatic tension. ---
**Author:** ![Chief\_Crunch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e8c25b/32.png) [@Chief\_Crunch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chief_Crunch)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2000, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-lyrical-musings-of-blink-182/13717/2 "2000-02-07T17:58:00Z")
The song’s about that infamous, relationship slaying point in everyone’s life, just after high school when one or both involved are leaving for college. In this case, he is leaving her behind, but the lyrics seems to show he is genuinely scared. He knows that this is the turning point for many, many relationships and with questions like “Is my picture still hanging in her locker?” he doesn’t want it to end. It’s a hard time in anyone’s life. He knows it’s more likely that relationship will end, but wants to hang on. It’s a nice little song. Blink 182 is the ONLY listen-able band on MTV right now. "Please take me by the hand It’s so cold out tonight I’ll put blankets on the bed I won’t turn out the lights Just don’t forget to Think about me, and I Won’t forget you I’ll write you once a week she said Why does it feel the same To fall in love or break it off And if young love is just a game I must have missed the kickoff Don’t depend on Me to ever follow through on Anything but I’d go through hell for you I haven’t been this scared In a long time And I’m so unprepared So here’s your valentine Bouquet of clumsy words A simple melody This world’s an ugly place But you’re so beautiful to me I’ll think about the times She kissed me after class and She put up my friends I acted like an ass I ditched my lecture To watch the girls play soccer Is my picture Still hanging in her locker I haven’t been this scared In a long time And I’m so unprepared So here’s your valentine Bouquet of clumsy words A simple melody This world’s an ugly place But you’re so beautiful I haven’t been this scared In a long time And I’m so unprepared So here’s your valentine Bouquet of clumsy words A simple melody This world’s an ugly place But you’re so beautiful" ---
**Author:** ![Neil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/839c29/32.png) [@Neil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neil)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2000, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-lyrical-musings-of-blink-182/13717/3 "2000-02-07T20:56:00Z")
Yeah, what the chief said. I saw Blink 182 on SNL last month. They were not very good live, and now that I listen to some more of their music, I wouldn’t say they’re really all that talented…but very enjoyable to listen to. I have Enema of the State in my car right now, and I listen to them a lot. Neil ---
**Author:** ![Rousseau](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Rousseau](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rousseau)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2000, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-lyrical-musings-of-blink-182/13717/4 "2000-02-07T21:02:00Z")
I don’t like Blink 182’s music (although I like that they seem to admit and accept how ridiculous they are…on a subtle level they are making fun of MTV as well). But I must defend their performance on SNL. Nobody plays well there. It’s an absolutely atrocious place to play music. The studio is not friendly acoustically, and you have to keep the volume waaay down. HOWever, I also watched Blink play on that dumb sports and music thing that MYV did (sports and music?? More like skateboarding and bicycle tricks). Anyway, they sucked there too. It’s hard to play well live when you’re not that good at your instrument. Basically Blink 182 has two redeeming qualities: 1. Their self-deprecating attitude 2. They remind us that Green Day was actually not that bad. * * * The IQ of a group is equal to the IQ of the dumbest member divided by the number of people in the group. ---
**Author:** ![Flypsyde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f0a364/32.png) [@Flypsyde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flypsyde)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2000, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-lyrical-musings-of-blink-182/13717/5 "2000-02-07T22:06:00Z")
I gotta agree with the assessment that the boys from Blink aren’t virtuosoes. Still, though, they seem to produce immediately catchy songs that I can’t stop playing. And generally, they’re pretty good to blare out the old car speakers. * * * We interrupt this thread to increase dramatic tension. ---
**Author:** ![Chief\_Crunch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e8c25b/32.png) [@Chief\_Crunch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chief_Crunch)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2000, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-lyrical-musings-of-blink-182/13717/6 "2000-02-07T22:15:00Z")
It’s easy to criticize Blink 182 because they’re the “new thing” on MTV. They’re certainly much better than Green Day. Sure they don’t have infinite musical prowess at their disposal, but hell, Kurt Cobain couldn’t read music or properly tune a guitar for that matter. Good things don’t necessarily and magically spring forth from total mastery of a craft. I like Blink even though I tried to dislike them. Their songs bring a certain kind of untouchable joy I’ve not felt since first listening to Nevermind, only Tom DeLonge doesn’t take everything as seriously as Kurt Cobain did. Sure, they’re not the next Nirvana, but they’re the closest thing to Nirvana Generation (boy band, girl band) Y will probably ever see. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2000, 11:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-lyrical-musings-of-blink-182/13717/7 "2000-02-12T11:17:00Z")
Blink 182? This is the band with the song “What’s my age again?” ? Uh moron, it’s not your age, it’s the fact you’re an asshole. What’s your age again? Apparently 12. His first gripe is he has a girl taking his pants off, and so he turns on the TV - then he doesn’t understand why she gets mad at him. His second gripe is he calls her mom on the phone with a prank call about the dad getting arrested on sexual deviance charges. Duh, no wonder nobody likes you - it ain’t bein’ 23, it’s being a dickhead. Then there’s “Na na na na na na na na na na na na na na na na na na na.” Or something like that. That whole song seems MPSIMS. They suck. ---
**Author:** ![krish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c57346/32.png) [@krish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/krish)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2000, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-lyrical-musings-of-blink-182/13717/8 "2000-02-12T20:38:00Z")
You have to admit it’s pretty funny, Irishmen. The song is obviously a joke. If it pisses you off so much, you can listen to the Backstreet Boys and company… they’re taking over MTV as we speak. Anyway, didn’t Blink182 have a song a year or two ago with the line: “I guess this is growing up.”? I think it was called “Dammit.” ---
**Author:** ![Alphagene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Alphagene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alphagene)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2000, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-lyrical-musings-of-blink-182/13717/9 "2000-02-12T21:17:00Z")
Green Day is much better than Blink. Granted neither are incredibly talented. (To paraphrase Hank Hill: “If you’re only gonna play three chords, at least play them in the right order.”) Blink is too pretty and clean. Green Day at least attempted to be somewhat punkish. They wrote uglier songs about the bleak and pointless aspects of adolescence existence. Of course they did it with catchy riffs and fake British accents. Blink tries too hard to be cute. But I guess they’re just a product of the Aguileran state that pop music is now in. Of course I think I’m giving both bands too much credit. * * * **Marge** : Your father is… resting. **Bart** : “Resting” hung over? “Resting” got fired? Help me out here. ---
**Author:** ![hightechburrito](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/f6c823/32.png) [@hightechburrito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hightechburrito)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2000, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-lyrical-musings-of-blink-182/13717/10 "2000-02-13T03:55:00Z")
I find it suprising that no one hs mentioned _Adam’s Song_, the best song on _Enema of the State_. It is a good change from the rest of the fast paced songs. * * * The facts, although interesting, are irrelevent. ---
**Author:** ![Demo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/demo/32/8472_2.png) [@Demo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Demo)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2000, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-lyrical-musings-of-blink-182/13717/11 "2000-02-13T19:19:00Z")
Everyone knows that Blink 182, Green Day and I’ll add Weezer are neither virtuosos nor fantastic musicians. I don’t think it’s debateable material. What makes all these bands great is their commentary on growing up, angst and young love. If you can’t _feel_ these things, you are obviously not going to appreciate them as much. Well, that and the fact they they are great to thrash too! 😉 * * * “I’ve got a DungeonMaster’s guide, I’ve got a ten-sided die, I’ve got Kitty Pryde and Nightcrawler too, waiting there for me, yes I do.” Weezer-In the Garage ---
**Author:** ![Demo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/demo/32/8472_2.png) [@Demo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Demo)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2000, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-lyrical-musings-of-blink-182/13717/12 "2000-02-13T19:21:00Z")
::Note to self: Check on-the-fly-sigs before posting:: * * * “I’ve got a DungeonMaster’s guide, I’ve got a twelve-sided die, I’ve got Kitty Pryde and Nightcrawler too, waiting there for me, yes I do.” Weezer-In the Garage