Adam's Song
Encyclopedia
"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. "Adam's Song" is one of five Blink-182 songs that peaked at #1 on the US Modern Rock Tracks
chart. Vocals on the song are performed by Mark Hoppus
.
".
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 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". 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.
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
, hanged himself in the garage of his family's home. Hoppus, the song's writer, has insisted that the song is anti-suicide.
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, but have since resumed playing it during their most recent tour in 2011.
Pop punk
Pop punk is a fusion music genre that combines elements of punk rock with pop music, to varying degrees. Allmusic describes the genre as a strand of alternative rock, which typically merges pop melodies with speedy punk tempos, chord changes and loud guitars...
band Blink-182
Blink-182
Blink-182 is an American rock band consisting of vocalist and bass guitarist Mark Hoppus, vocalist and guitarist Tom DeLonge, and drummer Travis Barker. They have sold over 27 million albums worldwide since forming in Poway, California in 1992...
, from their third album Enema of the State
Enema of the State
Enema of the State is the third studio album by American pop punk band Blink-182. Recorded at various locations throughout California with producer Jerry Finn, the album was first released on June 1, 1999 in the United States on MCA Records...
, the album largely credited for the band's success. It was released as the third and final CD single
CD single
A CD single is a music single in the form of a standard size Compact Disc, not to be confused with the 3-inch CD single, which uses a smaller form factor. The format was introduced in the mid-1980s, but did not gain its place in the market until the early 1990s...
from the album behind "What's My Age Again?
What's My Age Again?
"What's My Age Again?" is a song by American pop punk band Blink-182. It was the first single released from the band's third album Enema of the State...
" and "All the Small Things
All the Small Things
"All the Small Things" is a song by American pop punk band Blink-182. It was the second single released from the band's third album Enema of the State...
" on September 5, 2000. "Adam's Song" is one of five Blink-182 songs that peaked at #1 on the US Modern Rock Tracks
Modern Rock Tracks
Alternative Songs is a music chart in the United States that has appeared in Billboard magazine since September 10, 1988. It lists the 40 most-played songs on modern rock radio stations, most of which are alternative rock songs...
chart. Vocals on the song are performed by Mark Hoppus
Mark Hoppus
Mark Allan Hoppus is an American musician, record producer, and television host. He is the bass guitarist and one of the two lead vocalists of the pop punk band Blink-182, as well as the bass guitarist and lead vocalist of the alternative rock band +44. He is a co-founder of both bands...
.
Overview
"Adam's Song" is commonly referred to as the song when Blink-182 got "serious", being their first well-known slow-paced baker. The song is placed in between the catchy and fast-paced songs "Dysentery Gary" and "All the Small ThingsAll the Small Things
"All the Small Things" is a song by American pop punk band Blink-182. It was the second single released from the band's third album Enema of the State...
".
The song is written in C major
C major
C major is a musical major scale based on C, with pitches C, D, E, F, G, A, and B. Its key signature has no flats/sharps.Its relative minor is A minor, and its parallel minor is C minor....
, with the strings on the guitar tuned a whole step down
D tuning
D Tuning, also called One Step Lower, Whole Step Down, or D Standard, is an alternate tuning for guitar. Each string is lowered by a whole tone or two semitones resulting in D-G-C-F-A-D It is used mostly by heavy metal bands to achieve a heavier, deeper sound and by blues guitarists, who use it to...
. The song's lyrics deal with depression
Clinical depression
Major depressive disorder is a mental disorder characterized by an all-encompassing low mood accompanied by low self-esteem, and by loss of interest or pleasure in normally enjoyable activities...
and suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
, a noticeable departure from the toilet humor present in most of the other songs on Enema of the State
Enema of the State
Enema of the State is the third studio album by American pop punk band Blink-182. Recorded at various locations throughout California with producer Jerry Finn, the album was first released on June 1, 1999 in the United States on MCA Records...
. 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
Stay Together for the Kids
-Chart positions:...
" (dealing with 'broken home' and family issues), from Blink-182's fourth studio album, Take Off Your Pants and Jacket
Take off Your Pants and Jacket
Take Off Your Pants and Jacket is the fourth studio album by the American pop punk band Blink-182. Produced by Jerry Finn, the album was released on June 12, 2001 through MCA Records. Blink-182, after the massive commercial success of their previous album, Enema of the State, entered the studio in...
.
The song makes a reference to "Come as You Are" by Nirvana
Nirvana (band)
Nirvana was an American rock band that was formed by singer/guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic in Aberdeen, Washington in 1987...
, 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
Man Overboard
Man Overboard may refer to:* Man overboard, an emergency situation in which a person has fallen off a boat or ship into the waterIn music:* Man Overboard, an American pop punk band* Man Overboard...
.
It was once thought 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". 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.
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
Columbine High School massacre
The Columbine High School massacre occurred on Tuesday, April 20, 1999, at Columbine High School in Columbine, an unincorporated area of Jefferson County, Colorado, United States, near Denver and Littleton. Two senior students, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, embarked on a massacre, killing 12...
, hanged himself in the garage of his family's home. Hoppus, the song's writer, has insisted that the song is anti-suicide.
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, but have since resumed playing it during their most recent tour in 2011.
Track listing
Chart positions
| Chart (2000) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Hot 100 | 51 |
| US Alternative Songs | 1 |
| Canadian Rock Chart RPM (magazine) RPM was a Canadian music industry publication that featured song and album charts for Canada. The publication was founded by Walt Grealis in February 1964, supported through its existence by record label owner Stan Klees. RPM ceased publication in November 2000.RPM stood for "Records, Promotion,... |
1 |
| German Singles Chart Media Control Charts The official music charts in Germany are gathered and published by the company Media Control GfK International on behalf of Bundesverband Musikindustrie... |
6 |
| New Zealand Singles Chart Recording Industry Association of New Zealand The Recording Industry Association of New Zealand is a non-profit trade association of record producers, distributors and recording artists who sell music in New Zealand... |
4 |