Always (blink-182 song)
Encyclopedia
"Always" is a song by American pop punk
band Blink-182
. It was the fourth and final single released from the band's fifth album, the eponymous Blink-182.
The single was released in November 2004. The song was the lowest charting single from the album, but the song’s music video
received extensive play on music video channels. Like much of the album, the song shows the band's 1980s influences, with the multiple-layered, heavily effected guitars and new wave
synthesizers. The song can be found on the band’s Greatest Hits
.
influence – drummer Travis Barker credits Missing Persons as an influence for the song. Tom DeLonge, in an interview with MTV News
, described the song as a "love song."
In another interview with MTV News, DeLonge explained the song and addressed the lyrics of the choruses:
of B major
and is set in time signature
of common time
with a tempo
of 158 beats per minute. The vocal range spans from A3 to D7.
Modern Rock
Charts, though it received extensive play on music video channels such as Fuse
and MTV
. Despite its lukewarm radio play, it remains a fan favorite and is now considered to be a live show staple for the band. This was the first song Blink-182 played together after their hiatus
n pop singer
Sophie Monk
. The video is displayed as three horizontal panels in which Monk flirts with DeLonge, Hoppus and Barker. However, the panels sever the onscreen participants in three. Monk appears as a fractured whole, while parts of the band members combine to make one character. It is reminiscent of Weezer
's 1997 video for "The Good Life". The apartment the video is shot in is number 182. The video was directed by Joseph Kahn
. In reference to the video, DeLonge said "It's like doing an algebraic formulation on paper when you watch it. It's the same kind of feeling [...] but it's rad."
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...
. It was the fourth and final single released from the band's fifth album, the eponymous Blink-182.
The single was released in November 2004. The song was the lowest charting single from the album, but the song’s music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
received extensive play on music video channels. Like much of the album, the song shows the band's 1980s influences, with the multiple-layered, heavily effected guitars and new wave
New Wave music
New Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
synthesizers. The song can be found on the band’s Greatest Hits
Greatest Hits (blink-182 album)
Greatest Hits is a greatest hits compilation album by the American pop punk band Blink-182. The compilation was released on October 31, 2005. A DVD, similarly titled Greatest Hits, was also released, featuring the same title and cover. The disc included most of the band's music videos.The...
.
Background
All three of the band members associated the song with the music of the 1980s. The band recorded the song "super dry" with a New WaveNew Wave music
New Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
influence – drummer Travis Barker credits Missing Persons as an influence for the song. Tom DeLonge, in an interview with MTV News
MTV News
MTV News is the news division of MTV, one of the first and most popular music television network in the U.S., as well as some of MTV's related channels around the world. MTV News began in the late 1980s with the program The Week In Rock, hosted by Kurt Loder, the first official MTV News correspondent...
, described the song as a "love song."
In another interview with MTV News, DeLonge explained the song and addressed the lyrics of the choruses:
Composition
"Always" was written by bassist Mark Hoppus, drummer Travis Barker, and guitarist Tom DeLonge, while sung by DeLonge and Hoppus and produced by Jerry Finn. "Always" is four minutes and eleven seconds long. The song is composed in the keyKey (music)
In music theory, the term key is used in many different and sometimes contradictory ways. A common use is to speak of music as being "in" a specific key, such as in the key of C major or in the key of F-sharp. Sometimes the terms "major" or "minor" are appended, as in the key of A minor or in the...
of B major
B major
In music theory, B major is a major scale based on B. The pitches B, C, D, E, F, G, and A are all part of the B major scale. Its key signature has five sharps....
and is set in time signature
Time signature
The time signature is a notational convention used in Western musical notation to specify how many beats are in each measure and which note value constitutes one beat....
of common time
Common Time
"Common Time" is a science fiction short story written by James Blish. It first appeared in the August 1953 issue of Science Fiction Quarterly and has been reprinted several times: in the 1959 short-story collection Galactic Cluster; in The Testament of Andros ; in The Penguin Science Fiction...
with a tempo
Tempo
In musical terminology, tempo is the speed or pace of a given piece. Tempo is a crucial element of any musical composition, as it can affect the mood and difficulty of a piece.-Measuring tempo:...
of 158 beats per minute. The vocal range spans from A3 to D7.
Chart success and live history
"Always" was announced as the fourth and final single from Blink-182 in August 2004. "It’s gonna change people’s lives and might actually change the world forever," guitarist Tom DeLonge jokingly predicted. This was the band's currently latest single and was taken before the "indefinite hiatus" the band went on up until 2009. It didn't fare well on the radio, only peaking at #39 on the BillboardBillboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Modern Rock
Modern rock
Modern rock is a rock format commonly found on commercial radio; the format consists primarily of the alternative rock genre...
Charts, though it received extensive play on music video channels such as Fuse
Fuse TV
Fuse is an American national television network dedicated exclusively to music. It features original series and specials, exclusive interviews, live concerts and video blocks....
and MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
. Despite its lukewarm radio play, it remains a fan favorite and is now considered to be a live show staple for the band. This was the first song Blink-182 played together after their hiatus
Music video
After deciding on the video concept, the clip was recorded and released in November 2004. The music video for the song features AustraliaAustralia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n pop singer
Pop Singer
"Pop Singer" is the début single from London-based glam rockers Rachel Stamp. It was released in February, 1996 through WEA. The single was released as a 2 track CD Single and limited edition pink 7" vinyl of 1000 copies...
Sophie Monk
Sophie Monk
Sophie Charlene Akland Monk is a London-born Australian pop singer, actress and model. Monk was a member of female pop group Bardot and released a solo album Calendar Girl...
. The video is displayed as three horizontal panels in which Monk flirts with DeLonge, Hoppus and Barker. However, the panels sever the onscreen participants in three. Monk appears as a fractured whole, while parts of the band members combine to make one character. It is reminiscent of Weezer
Weezer
Weezer is an American alternative rock band. The band currently consists of Rivers Cuomo , Patrick Wilson , Brian Bell , and Scott Shriner . The band has changed lineups three times since its formation in 1992...
's 1997 video for "The Good Life". The apartment the video is shot in is number 182. The video was directed by Joseph Kahn
Joseph Kahn
Joseph Kahn is an American music video, advertising, and feature film director.-Early life:Kahn was born in Jersey Village, Texas, a suburb of Houston. He is of Korean ancestry. He spent part of his childhood growing up in Livorno, Italy until his family moved to Texas...
. In reference to the video, DeLonge said "It's like doing an algebraic formulation on paper when you watch it. It's the same kind of feeling [...] but it's rad."
Track listing
- The two live tracks were originally broadcast live on The WB’s Pepsi Smash concert series.
Chart positions
| Chart | Position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Modern Rock Tracks | 39 |
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
36 |
| Germany 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... |
96 |
| AUS Singles Chart ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... |
45 |