Taking Back Sunday

Lyrics

[Verse 1]
Well, sad, small, sweet, so delicate
It used to be this dying breed
Well, I've got a bad feeling about this
I've got a bad feeling about this
You kept still until the long drive home
And slept safe and close to the window
Well, I've got a bad feeling about this
I've got a bad feeling about

[Chorus]
Who's to say you'll have to go? (I could go all night)
Well, say you'll have to go (I could go all)
To hell with you and all your friends
To hell with you and all your friends, it's on

[Verse 2]
Well, sad, small, sure and porcelain
You're skin and bones, I'm a nervous wreck
Well, I've got a bad feeling about this (When it come to this)
I've got a bad feeling about this
You kept still until the long drive home
You slept safe and close to the window
Well, I've got a bad feeling about this
I've got a bad feeling about
[Chorus]
Who's to say you'll have to go? (I could go all night)
Well, say you'll have to go (I could go all)
To hell with you and all your friends
To hell with you and all your friends, it's on
Well, I've got a bad feeling about this (What is this for?)
I've got a bad feeling about

[Bridge]
Anyone will do tonight
Well, anyone will do tonight
Close your eyes, just settle, settle
Close your eyes, just settle, settle
Anyone will do tonight
Well, anyone will do tonight
Close your eyes, just settle, settle
Close your eyes, just settle, settle
Anyone (Anyone) will do tonight
Anyone (Anyone) will do tonight
Close your eyes, just settle, settle
Close your eyes, just settle, settle
Well, I've got a bad feeling about this
(To hell with you and all your friends)
I've got a bad feeling about this
I'm coming over but it never was enough
I thought it through and my worst brings out the best in you
And I've got a bad feeling about this
(To hell with you and all your friends)
I've got a bad feeling about this
Coming over but it never was enough
I thought it through and my worst brings out the best in you
I've got a bad feeling about this
(To hell with you and all your friends)
I've got a bad feeling about this
Coming over but it never was enough
I thought it through and my worst brings out the best in you
Well, I've got a bad feeling about this
(To hell with you and all your friends)
I've got a bad feeling about this
I'm coming over but it never was enough
I thought it through and my worst brings out the best in you
Well, I've got a bad feeling about this
I've got a bad feeling about this
I'm coming over but it never was enough
I thought it through and my worst brings out the best in you
I've got a bad feeling about this
[Outro]
I've got a bad feeling about this
(I am you)
I've got a bad feeling about this
(I am you)
I've got a bad feeling about this
(I am you)
I've got a bad feeling about this
(I am you)
I've got a bad feeling about this
(I am)
I got it bad
I got it bad
I got it bad
I got it bad
I got it bad
I got it bad

Do you remember the awkward feeling of being forced to go to an event with your ex after breaking up? Take it from Adam Lazzara, the lead singer of Taking Back Sunday, who wrote "A Decade Under the Influence" based on his own experience. The song tells the story of Adam and his ex-girlfriend buying a ticket to see Coldplay, then breaking up before the show. They decided to go nonetheless because they already had the tickets, and it was a long and awkward drive to get to the venue. Despite its sad backstory, "A Decade Under the Influence" has become one of the most beloved songs in Taking Back Sunday's catalog, striking a chord with anyone who has ever dealt with heartbreak and painful memories.

About A Decade Under the Influence

"A Decade Under the Influence" was released by Taking Back Sunday in 2004 as the lead single from their second studio album, "Where You Want to Be." The song was an instant success, reaching the top of Alternative Billboard Charts and cementing the band's place as one of the most influential emo bands of all time. The song's catchy chorus and raw emotional honesty struck a chord with fans, who embraced it as an anthem of heartbreak and moving on.

One of the most striking features of "A Decade Under the Influence" is Adam Lazzara's vocals. His unique voice, with its ragged edges and raw passion, has become one of the defining sounds of emo music. In "A Decade Under the Influence," Lazzara's voice hits new heights, conveying the pain and confusion of heartbreak with a sensitivity and nuance that is rarely seen in rock music.

Another key element of "A Decade Under the Influence" is the song's instrumentation. The guitar work, courtesy of Eddie Reyes and Fred Mascherino, is at once complex and catchy, with intricate riffs and powerful chords that accentuate the song's emotional intensity. The rhythm section, consisting of bassist Matt Rubano and drummer Mark O'Connell, provides the perfect foundation for the song's driving groove.

Lyrically, "A Decade Under the Influence" is a masterclass in emo songwriting. The song's opening lines, "I've got a bad feeling about this," immediately set the tone for the emotional rollercoaster that is to come. Throughout the song, Lazzara's lyrics deal with the pain of heartbreak and the struggle to move on. The chorus, with its plaintive cry of "You could slit my throat, and with my one last gasping breath, I'd apologize for bleeding on your shirt," perfectly captures the self-destructive tendencies that can arise after a painful breakup.

Despite the song's sorrowful subject matter, "A Decade Under the Influence" is ultimately a song of hope. The final lines of the chorus, "I will never end up like him, behind my back, I already am," suggest that even in the midst of heartbreak and pain, there is a way forward. The song's soaring bridge, with its repeated refrain of "You're a carousel, you're a wishing well, and you light me up when you ring my bell," adds a sense of catharsis and release, suggesting that moving on from a painful breakup is possible.

All in all, "A Decade Under the Influence" is a masterful piece of emo songwriting. With its raw emotional honesty, catchy hooks, and powerful instrumentation, it stands as one of Taking Back Sunday's greatest hits and a defining song of the emo genre. Whether you're dealing with heartbreak or just looking for a great rock song, "A Decade Under the Influence" is not to be missed.

• Release Date: June 22, 2004
• Artist: Taking Back Sunday