The Wonder Years’ sold-out The Loneliest Place On Earth Fest is a month away! In case you didn’t know, this is the very first fest The Wonder Years are hosting on September 9th in their hometown of Lansdale, PA. They’ll be playing The Greatest Generation in full for its 10-year anniversary. For those of you who can’t attend, they are going on a US tour this fall! So if you haven’t already, get your tickets!
For the record, it’s one of the best pop punk albums of the 2010s and, tbh, in general. We could write a thesis and get a degree in Pop Punk Studies. But for the sake of time, we’ve narrowed it down to our 5 favorite songs.
TW: themes of depression and anxiety
‘There, There’
Right away, you know that this will not be The Upsides Part 2 with lyrics like, “I’m not sad anymore.” Metaphorically, it comes ‘out swinging’ with raw emotion, relatable lyrics, and being sonically sad as well. If you need to pause it just to process everything that’s happened in the 2 minutes and 27 seconds, we don’t blame you.
“I’ve got my heart strung up on clothing line
through tenement windows
I’m sorry I don’t laugh at the right times.
Is this what it feels like with my wings clipped?
I’m awkward and nervous.”
‘Passing Through A Screen Door’
Thankfully, this one’s a banger. We’ve gone hard to it since day 1, and we’ll always continue to do so. But towards the end of the song, the lyrics hit hard. Whether they always have or have only as you’ve gotten older, it hurts. Especially, at age 26. But the most underrated lyric is:
“I’ve been waiting for
Another disaster (another disaster)
Terrified like a kid in the sixties
Staring at the sky
Waiting for the bomb to fall”
The history reference? This is what makes TWY, TWY. 10 years later, and we’re still in awe.
‘The Devil In My Bloodstream’
If you’ve gotten this far into the album and haven’t cried yet, now you have. This song is about clinical, genetic depression. This song is tragic, but it gives us chills with the amount of emotion and how accurately everything is described. Like we said, this album deserves to be listened to front to back. But if you put this on repeat a few times, we get it.
“And so I searched through my great-grandpop’s memoirs
for the devil in my bloodstream.
Depression grabbed his throat
and choked the life out of him slowly.
I’ve got the same blood coursing through my veins
and it’ll come for me eventually.”
‘A Raindance in Traffic’
We love that even though this song is depressing, you’re still able to aggressively finger point to it. But the lyrics? We can’t get over how perfect they are.
“It feels like 1929 and I’m on the verge of a great collapse today.”
This is the ultimate metaphor. But then you realize that they’re referencing The Great Depression era. Meanwhile, they’re also in their Great Depression era. It’s absolutely genius.
‘I Just Want To Sell Out My Funeral’
If you don’t cry at some point in these 7 minutes and 28 seconds, we don’t trust you. The way they seamlessly blend five (5) songs from this album into the end of the final track is just amazing. It’s one of the best ways you could possibly end an album. Even though this entire album was depressing, to say the least, they somehow manage to end it on a hopeful note. Basically, we’ll be forever grateful for TWY and The Greatest Generation.
“There’s no devil on my shoulder
He’s got a rocking chair on my front porch
But I won’t let him in.
No, I won’t let him in.”
What are your favorite lyrics from The Greatest Generation, and how excited are you for The Loneliest Place On Earth Fest and/or the 10-year anniversary tour? Let us know in the comments, on Facebook, Instagram, or by tweeting us @thehoneypop!
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