"Dammit" is a song by American punk

Punk rock

Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...

 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 first single released from the band's second album Dude Ranch

Dude Ranch (album)

Dude Ranch is the second studio album by American punk band Blink-182. Recorded at Big Fish Studios in Encinitas, California with producer Mark Trombino, the album was first released on June 17, 1997 in the United States on independent label Cargo Music...

. The song was written by bassist 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...

 concerning a fictional breakup with his girlfriend. Sung entirely by Hoppus in the studio recording, guitarist Tom DeLonge

Tom DeLonge

Thomas Matthew "Tom" DeLonge, Jr. is an American rock musician. He is the guitarist and one of the two lead vocalists for the American pop punk band Blink-182 as well as the guitarist and lead vocalist for the alternative band Angels & Airwaves...

 usually sings the chorus in live performances.

Released shortly after the release of Dude Ranch

Dude Ranch (album)

Dude Ranch is the second studio album by American punk band Blink-182. Recorded at Big Fish Studios in Encinitas, California with producer Mark Trombino, the album was first released on June 17, 1997 in the United States on independent label Cargo Music...

, "Dammit" became Blink-182's first hit single, reaching number 11 on the U.S. 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. Giving the band a glimpse of mainstream popularity, the success of the single paved the way for the massive success of Blink 182’s next 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...

.

An alternate version of the song can be found on the Can't Hardly Wait

Can't Hardly Wait

Can't Hardly Wait is a 1998 American teen comedy film written and directed by Deborah Kaplan and Harry Elfont. It stars Ethan Embry, Charlie Korsmo, Lauren Ambrose, Peter Facinelli, Seth Green, and Jennifer Love Hewitt, and is notable for a number of "before-they-were-famous" appearances by various...

soundtrack, the Hit Machine 20 compilation album, and 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...

album, which features a drumroll right after the opening notes along with louder instrumentals. Sometimes in live performances, Mark Hoppus sings choruses to popular songs from the 1990s such as TLC

TLC (band)

TLC is an American musical trio whose repertoire spanned R&B, hip-hop, soul, funk, and new jack swing. Originally consisting of singer Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins, rapper-singer Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes and singer Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas it found success in the 1990s while also enduring a series of spats...

's "No Scrubs

No Scrubs

"No Scrubs" is a 1999 song recorded by R&B girl groupTLC for their album FanMail. Released as the album's first single, "No Scrubs" became TLC's third number-one single and eighth top 10 single on the Billboard Hot 100. It also earned them their second Grammy nomination for Record of the Year...

", "Forgot About Dre

Forgot About Dre

-Peak positions:-End of year charts:-Awards:"Forgot About Dre" won Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group at the 2001 Grammy Awards....

", and Vanilla Ice

Vanilla Ice

Robert Matthew Van Winkle , best known by his stage name Vanilla Ice, is an American rapper, extreme athlete and home improvement television personality...

's " Ice Ice Baby ".

Song information

The song was co-written by Tom DeLonge

Tom DeLonge

Thomas Matthew "Tom" DeLonge, Jr. is an American rock musician. He is the guitarist and one of the two lead vocalists for the American pop punk band Blink-182 as well as the guitarist and lead vocalist for the alternative band Angels & Airwaves...

 and Scott Raynor

Scott Raynor

Scott William Raynor, Jr. is an American drummer best known for being a founding member of the band Blink-182.-Personal life:...

 (with 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...

 writing the lyrics), and was produced by Mark Trombino

Mark Trombino

Mark Trombino is a rock music producer. He started his career as the drummer of Night Soil Man, before playing for Drive Like Jehu. He also played in a Long Beach-based punk rock band called First Offense which released a seven inch on Mystic Records entitled "Broken Home."-Bands:*Alive in Wild...

. It was reportedly written in "five minutes" as Hoppus wondered the consequences of breaking up with his girlfriend.

Chart success and live history

The single was released September 23, 1997, and reached number 11 on the U.S. 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. It became the band's first hit single, bringing Blink-182 commercial success for the first time. The only single from Dude Ranch

Dude Ranch (album)

Dude Ranch is the second studio album by American punk band Blink-182. Recorded at Big Fish Studios in Encinitas, California with producer Mark Trombino, the album was first released on June 17, 1997 in the United States on independent label Cargo Music...

to do so, the success preceded and paved the way for the major popularity of their next 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 success of the song and growing popularity as a result was part of the reasons for Scott Raynor's controversial departure from the band the following summer.

The song is often the final encore and closing song of the band's live set. When performed live, Tom DeLonge often sings the chorus and opens the song with "Take your pants off!" - this can be heard on many live recording found on later singles released by the band and the version released on The Mark, Tom, and Travis Show (The Enema Strikes Back!)

The Mark, Tom, and Travis Show (The Enema Strikes Back!)

The Mark, Tom and Travis Show is the first and only live album by the American pop punk band Blink-182. Produced by Jerry Finn, the album was released on November 7, 2000 through MCA Records...

. It was very common that during the bridge for Mark Hoppus to sing a popular hit of another artist, such as Ice Ice Baby

Ice Ice Baby

"Ice Ice Baby" is a hip hop song written by American rapper Vanilla Ice and DJ Earthquake. The song samples the bassline of "Under Pressure" by Queen and David Bowie, who did not initially receive songwriting credit or royalties until after it had become a hit...

. "I Wish

I Wish (Skee-Lo song)

"I Wish" is a hip-hop song by rapper Skee-Lo released in 1995 as the first single from his debut album of the same name. The track peaked at #13 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart and at #15 in the United Kingdom...

" by Skee-Lo

Skee-Lo

Antoine Roundtree , better known as Skee-Lo, is an American rapper. He is best known for his 1995 song, "I Wish", which became a top-40 hit in several countries....

 can be heard sung during the live recording of "Dammit" found on the All the Small Things Australian Single CD.

During concerts in 1997 to late 1999, the band was known for creatively poking fun at audience members who attended their shows only because of the mainstream success of this song:

In popular culture

The song was performed live on Loveline

Loveline

Loveline is a syndicated radio call-in program in North America, offering medical and relationship advice to listeners, often with the assistance of guests, typically actors and musicians. Its flagship station is KROQ-FM in Los Angeles....

in 1997. The popularity yielded Blink-182's first late night talk show performance, appearing as the musical guest for Late Night with Conan O'Brien

Late Night with Conan O'Brien

Late Night with Conan O'Brien is an American late-night talk show hosted by Conan O'Brien that aired 2,725 episodes on NBC between 1993 and 2009. The show featured varied comedic material, celebrity interviews, and musical and comedy performances. Late Night aired weeknights at 12:37 am...

on March 18, 1998. The song has been covered by Trivium

Trivium (band)

Trivium is an American heavy metal band from Orlando, Florida, formed in 1999. Signed to Roadrunner Records, the band has released five studio albums, eleven singles, and twelve music videos...

, Avril Lavigne

Avril Lavigne

Avril Ramona Lavigne is a Canadian singer-songwriter. She was born in Belleville, Ontario, but spent most of her youth in the small town of Napanee. By the age of 15, she had appeared on stage with Shania Twain; by 16, she had signed a two-album recording contract with Arista Records worth more...

, Say Anything

Say Anything (band)

Say Anything is an American indie-punk band from Los Angeles, California, fronted by Max Bemis. The band was formed in 2000 with Bemis and four of his friends. Within two years, they self-released two EPs, Junior Varsity and In Your Dreams, and the full-length Baseball: An Album by Sayanything.In...

, Good Charlotte

Good Charlotte

Good Charlotte is an American rock band from Waldorf, Maryland that formed in 1996. Since 1998, the band's constant members have been lead vocalist Joel Madden, lead guitarist and back-up vocalist Benji Madden, bass guitarist Paul Thomas and rhythm guitarist and keyboardist Billy Martin...

, Hellogoodbye

Hellogoodbye

Hellogoodbye is a power pop band that was formed in Huntington Beach, California in 2001 by singer Forrest Kline. They were signed to Drive-Thru Records and released their first full-length album Zombies! Aliens! Vampires! Dinosaurs! in 2006, in addition to their previously released EP Hellogoodbye...

, Math the Band

Math the Band

Math the Band is an American electronic band formed in 2003 in Westford, Massachusetts by Kevin Steinhauser. Justine Mainville was added to the lineup in 2007. They've released many full-length albums and various EPs...

, System of a Down

System of a Down

System of a Down, also known by the acronym SOAD and often shortened to System, is a rock band from Southern California. The band was formed in 1994. It consists of Serj Tankian , Daron Malakian , Shavo Odadjian and John Dolmayan...

, and Fake Problems

Fake Problems

Fake Problems is a four-piece American rock band from Naples, Florida. They released their first album Spurs and Spokes. They released their second album, How Far Our Bodies Go, on Sabot Productions on April 27, 2007. Their third record, It's Great to Be Alive, was released through Side One Dummy...

. The bands Cute Is What We Aim For, All Time Low

All Time Low

All Time Low is an American pop punk band from Baltimore, Maryland, formed in 2003.The band consists of vocalist and rhythm guitarist Alexander Gaskarth, lead guitarist and backing vocalist Jack Barakat, bassist and backing vocalist Zachary Merrick, and drummer Rian Dawson...

, Leftöver Crack

Leftöver Crack

Leftöver Crack is an American punk rock band formed in 1998, following the breakup of the ska punk band Choking Victim. Primarily playing an amalgam of ska and hardcore punk, they classify themselves as "crack-rocksteady". The band is currently signed to Fat Wreck Chords for CD releases, and...

, Boys Like Girls

Boys Like Girls

Boys Like Girls is an American rock band from Massachusetts. Formed in 2005, the group gained mainstream recognition when it released its self-titled debut album. Boys Like Girls was the co-headliner with Good Charlotte for the Soundtrack of Your Summer Tour 2008 that toured across the United...

, and Hey Monday

Hey Monday

Hey Monday is an American rock band from West Palm Beach, Florida, formed in 2008. They released their debut album Hold on Tight in 2008 which produced notable singles "Homecoming" and "How You Love Me Now". The album was followed up with their 2010 EP Beneath It All, which achieved moderate...

 have performed the song live. At the Warped Tour 2009

Warped Tour 2009

Warped Tour 2009 was the 15th installment of the annual Summer Warped Tour festival. Vans Shoes was again the tour's primary sponsor. Tour founder/organizer Kevin Lyman announced that this year's tour would feature only one main stage with bands playing 40 minutes each instead of two main stages...

 15th Anniversary Movie, Brendon Urie and Spencer Smith from Panic! at the Disco

Panic! at the Disco

Panic! at the Disco is an American alternative rock duo, formed in Las Vegas, Nevada in 2005. Since its split, the band's line-up includes Brendon Urie and Spencer Smith . Former members Ryan Ross and Jon Walker left the group in 2009...

 and Pete Wentz from Fall Out Boy

Fall Out Boy

Fall Out Boy is an American rock band from Wilmette, Illinois, formed in 2001. The band consists of vocalist, guitarist and composer Patrick Stump, bassist and lyricist Pete Wentz, guitarist Joe Trohman, and drummer Andy Hurley. The band released five studio albums from 2003–2008...

 with others performed the song for the movie. +44

+44 (band)

+44 was an alternative rock band formed by Blink-182 members Mark Hoppus and Travis Barker...

, Mark Hoppus's

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...

 other band, performed the song regularly during the 2007 Honda Civic Tour

Honda Civic Tour

The Honda Civic Tour is an annual concert tour, sponsored by Honda Motor Company which began in 2001. Each year, the headlining band or bands customize a Honda Civic for concert patrons to win in a raffle.-First Half:*Headliner: blink-182...

.

"Dammit" can also be heard in the films Bubble Boy

Bubble Boy

Bubble Boy is a 2001 comedy film directed by Blair Hayes and stars Jake Gyllenhaal in the title role.-Plot:Jimmy Livingston was born without an immune system and is forced to live in a sterilized dome in his bedroom, earning him the title "Bubble Boy" by his neighbors...

and Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star

Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star

Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star is a 2003 American comedy film directed by Sam Weisman and starring David Spade and Mary McCormack.- Plot :...

, as well as Can't Hardly Wait

Can't Hardly Wait

Can't Hardly Wait is a 1998 American teen comedy film written and directed by Deborah Kaplan and Harry Elfont. It stars Ethan Embry, Charlie Korsmo, Lauren Ambrose, Peter Facinelli, Seth Green, and Jennifer Love Hewitt, and is notable for a number of "before-they-were-famous" appearances by various...

. The song was used in television adverts for the film Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakuel. It is part of the soundtrack for the video game Big Air Snowboarding. The song is a playable track in the video game Guitar Hero World Tour

Guitar Hero World Tour

Guitar Hero World Tour is a music video game developed by Neversoft and published by RedOctane and Activision. It is the fourth main entry in the Guitar Hero series...

, and is considered a difficult song on drums. A 2008 job advertisement for future Guitar Hero playtesters listed four songs potential applicants had to be capable of playing on the highest difficulty level

Difficulty level

In general usage, difficulty level refers to the relative difficulty of completing a task or objective.In computer and video games, the term specifically delineates the ease or difficulty with which an average user may complete a game or a part of a game. Arcade games as well as many early console...

: applicants choosing "Dammit" had to successfully play the song with the drum controller. Beating the song with the drum controller on any difficulty level will unlock Travis Barker

Travis Barker

Travis Landon Barker is an American musician, producer and entrepreneur, most noted as the drummer for the American pop punk band Blink-182, as well as the alternative rock band +44, the rap rock band The Transplants, and the alternative rock band Box Car Racer. He was a frequent collaborator with...

 as a playable character. The song is available as downloadable content in the Rock Band

Rock Band

Rock Band is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems, published by MTV Games and Electronic Arts. It is the first title in the Rock Band series. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions were released in the United States on November 20, 2007, while the PlayStation 2 version was...

series, as well.

A rare live recording of "Dammit" in Los Angeles

Los Ángeles

Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...

 during the 1997 Warped Tour

Warped Tour

The Warped Tour is a touring music and extreme sports festival. The tour is held in venues such as parking lots or fields upon which the stages and other structures are erected. The BMX/skateboarding shoe manufacturer Vans, among others, has sponsored the tour every year since 1995, and it is...

 can be found on World Warped III Live (1999). Another rare live recording of "Dammit" can be found on The Solution to Benefit Heal the Bay (2000), a benefit album by the Heal the Bay Foundation, an environmental organization dedicating to cleaning up the San Diego Bay

San Diego Bay

San Diego Bay is a natural harbor and deepwater port adjacent to San Diego, California. It is 12 mi/19 km long, 1 mi/1.6 km–3 mi/4.8 km wide...

.

Music video

The music video (directed by Darren Doane and Ken Daurio) shows the band members going to see a movie, where the singer, Mark Hoppus, sees his ex-girlfriend with another guy. Mark, devastated, throws his popcorn into the air and Tom and Scott stand around acting like nothing happened. When the band enters the theater, Mark's ex-girlfriend sits in front of him, so Mark tries to talk to her. She ignores Mark, and so he starts doing annoying things to distract the couple from the movie. This includes putting his feet up on their seats, getting up and spilling popcorn on them, and falling in between them trying to get candy from Tom. He then tries to put his arm around his ex-girlfriend, and the other guy chases Mark out of the theater, where they start to have a cartoon-like fight as Tom and Scott just stand in the background drinking their soda. At one point, Mark tries to hold onto Tom and pulls his pants down. The video ends with Hoppus and the boyfriend fighting and the girlfriend walking away with a theater employee, played by the band's manager, Rick DeVoe.

The music video was eventually updated with the "alternate" version of the song featuring the drum roll intro among other tweaks.

Track listing

Chart positions

Chart	Position
U.S. Hot 100 Airplay	61
U.S. 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...	11
U.S. Mainstream Rock Tracks Mainstream Rock Tracks Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks is a ranking in Billboard magazine of the most-played songs on mainstream rock radio stations, a category that includes stations that play primarily rock music. Modern rock tracks are counted in the Alternative Songs chart.This chart began with the March 21, 1981, issue...	26
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...	34
Canadian RPM Alternative 30 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,...	15