Many would probably agree that it is inarguable that Taking Back Sunday was one of the most influential emo rock/pop punk bands of the 2000s. From their debut Tell All Your Friends to their most “mainstream” release Louder Now to their most recent release Tidal Wave, this band has never put out a bad album. Whether you have been a die-hard fan since Tell All Your Friends or are just starting to get familiar with the band, here are our Top 10 Favorite Taking Back Sunday Songs.
2019 sees Taking Back Sunday celebrate two decades under the influence of being a band. Having formed in Long Island in 1999, the group first burst onto the scene with 2002’s classic debut Tell. Taking Back Sunday Tell All Your Friends Debut Album Remastered Vinyl LP. Where You Want to Be by Taking Back Sunday (Vinyl, Jul-2012, Crystal Clear Sound). Taking Back Sunday - We Play Songs - Rsd Exclusive LP. Taking Back Sunday - Self-Titled GREEN Vinyl LP x/500 NEW. Tell All Your Friends is quite reminiscent of the Movielife's This Time Next Year.This is quite understandable when one realizes that one of the members of Taking Back Sunday used to be in the Movielife.Unfortunately, although there are a few variations, the ability of this band to sound so blatantly like their fellow Long Island comrades is almost their undoing.
Note: A majority of this list mostly consists of songs from their first three albums. However, that does not mean that their later discography is considered poor. Taking Back Sunday has always managed to put out a solid record and I highly recommend you check out all of their material.
10. “Beat Up Car”
Like for many bands from the early 2000s, their “post-mainstream” releases often become overlooked. “Beat Up Car” is from Taking Back Sunday’s sixth studio album Happiness Is… and what people should really take away from this song is its message to simply get away, escape from reality, and explore the world. Get in an old, beat up car and drive off to the unknown.
9. “MakeDamnSure”
An overrated Taking Back Sunday song, but nevertheless, still one of their best. Their most-known song, this hit off Louder Now screams emo with not only its higher pitched vocals during the chorus, but also its lyrics and meaning. Taking Back Sunday’s older material is notorious for covering the genre’s common theme of expressing hatred or resentment toward a girl who is capable of breaking hearts, and MakeDamnSure is no exception. After all, nothing can sound more aggressive and obsessive than the line, “I’m gonna make damn sure that you won’t ever leave.”
8. “There’s No ‘I’ in Team”
“There’s No ‘I’ In Team” is probably one of my favorite “fuck you” songs regarding a fallout with a friend. While the song was originally written about the now-ancient feud between Taking Back Sunday and emo rock band Brand New, this track from Tell All Your Friends is a perfect comeback to any song about cutting ties in a friendship.
7. “Timberwolves At New Jersey”
Like “There’s No ‘I’ In Team,” this song also refers to the whole Taking Back Sunday-Brand New feud. Not only is this song incredibly catchy from the second it begins, but it is also another great song that is basically not only calling out an ex-best friend, but it also sends a “I’m better than you and here’s why” message.
6. “My Blue Heaven”
A fan-favorite, I think what makes this song so popular is its almost-rock ballad sound, which I personally think is something that Taking Back Sunday tends to lack in their discography. While I believe the song is referring to faith, I think the line that everyone can relate to at some point in their live is when lead vocalist Adam Lazzara practically cries out, “I’m just asking you to hear me. Can you please, just once, just hear me?”
Taking Back Sunday Lyrics
5. “Liar [It Takes One To Know One]”
Another fan-favorite, “Liar” has a chorus that while quite repetitive, its catchiness never actually gets old. With its smooth transitions between its verses and chorus, Liar is easily one of the most fun Taking Back Sunday songs to sing along to. Not to mention, the line “I’m an addict for dramatics; I confuse the two for love” is one of the most memorable lyrics off the entire album.
4.” You’re So Last Summer”
Another classic Taking Back Sunday song and an inarguable emo anthem, “You’re So Last Summer” is one of those tracks where you’ll always want to scream the lyrics throughout the entire song. While it is debatable on who exactly the song’s point of view is from, every heartbroken teen has experienced the feeling of not being able to let go of someone, no matter how much you know that you should really hate them instead.
3. “Cute Without The ‘E’ (Cut From The Team)”
Probably Taking Back Sunday’s second most popular song, this track off their debut is easily one of the most fun songs to sing along to from start to finish. Not only is it catchy as hell, but every part of the song: verses, chorus, bridge has at least one memorable line that everyone can relate to at some point in their life.
2. “Bike Scene”
Easily another emo anthem, “Bike Scene” is my favorite track from Tell All Your Friends. With the classic theme of wanting to move on from a girl who you know doesn’t give a damn about you, this steadier-paced track has a fantastic mix and variety of difference verses throughout the second half of the song. Not only that, but the final two words, “Anyway, yeah” gives off the impression that the entire song is almost like a rant about falling for a girl, but not getting anything back in return.
1. “One-Eighty By Summer”
While the title of the song reportedly has nothing to do with the actual meaning, I still interpret the “one-eighty” as a representation for making a 180, essentially, going from point A to B with no obstacles or complications. With this representation of the term, the song can be interpreted as desperately wanting to make an attempt to turn things around in a relationship that is clearly falling apart. It all comes down to the common issue where the girl wants the guy to live up to his first impression, but that impression is considered to be the guy’s worst invention of himself.
Honorable Mentions:
A Decade Under The Influence, What’s It Feel Like To Be A Ghost?, Swing, You Know How I Do, Better Homes And Gardens, You Can’t Look Back, Great Romances Of The 20th Century
We are thrilled to announce a celebration of our 20 Year Anniversary with a
2019 World Tour and Career Retrospective Album “Twenty” out NOW on Craft Recordings.
(That fantastic cover is by Chris/Half Hazard Press & our longtime designer Brad Filip did the 20 Logo and our good friend Greg Hunter did the video!)
TOUR INFO:
– In Australia we will be doing specific album plays listed below.
– If we are coming to your city for one night we will be playing a long set including Tell All Your Friends in full along with all of our favorites.
– In North America if we are playing two nights in your city, Night 1 we will be playing Tell All Your Friends and then we will flip a specially designed coin on night one for either Where You Want To Be or Louder Now in full as well! Night 2 we will also play Tell All Your Friends + the coin flip loser. Both nights we will try and throw in a few other favorites.
– In Europe we will play Tell All Your Friends + a great selection of songs from our catalog.
Here’s Adam to give you that run down once more:
Here are the specially designed coins that our friend Rusty from P-Nut Jewelry made for us:
NORTH AMERICA VIP:
There are two merch options with the VIP and you will also have an option to purchase with tickets or upgrade if you ALREADY have tickets – you must have them to attend! That adds up to 4 options so please choose carefully! If your show is sold out but you have tickets already you can upgrade to VIP until about a week before the show!
For VIP TICKETS:LEG 1 is now complete!
For VIP TICKETS:CLICK HERE FOR LEG 2
—–
Check below, on our tour dates page here and stay tuned to our socials
for all of the relevant on-sale info!
Thank you for letting us continue to do this!
2019
AUSTRALIA On-Sale Now!
Support for all shows except Melbourne is Young Lions
Support for Melbourne is Outright
Jan-9 Adelaide The Gov Tell All Your Friends / Louder Now
Jan-11 Melbourne 170 Russell 18+ Where You Want To Be / Louder Now
Jan-12 Tarwin Lower UNIFY GATHERING (On-Sale Now) Tell All Your Friends
Jan-14 Sydney Metro Theatre Tell All Your Friends / Louder Now
Jan-15 Sydney Metro Theatre Tell All Your Friends / Where You Want To Be
Jan-16 Brisbane The Triffid Tell All Your Friends / Louder Now
Jan-17 Brisbane The Triffid Tell All Your Friends / Where You Want To Be
ASIA On-Sale Now!
Jan-19 Singapore, Singapore The Pavilion at Far East Square
Jan-21 Tokyo, Japan Space Odd
Jan-23 Jakarta, Indonesia Tennis Indoor Sanayan
Jan-26 Manila, Philippines New Frontier Theater
NORTH AMERICA LEG 1On-Sale Now!
Support for Alaska is Thera
Jan-29 Anchorage, AK Beartooth Theatre 21+
Feb-1 Honolulu, HI The Republik
Feb-2 Honolulu, HI The Republik
SOUTH AMERICA On-Sale Now!
Mar-13 San Jose, Costa Rica Amon Solar
Mar-15 Santiago, Chile Club Subterraneo 18+
Mar-16 Buenos Aires, Argentina Roxy Live
Mar-17 São Paulo, Brasil Fabrique Club
Best Taking Back Sunday Songs
NORTH AMERICA – LEG 1 On-Sale Now!
On-Sale Now!
Support: 3/25 – 4/14 frank iero and the future violents.
4/16 – 5/5 The Maine
Mar-25 & 26 Houston, TX House Of Blues
Mar-28 & 29 Austin, TX Emo’s
Mar-30 & 31 Dallas, TX House Of Blues
Apr-1 Lubbock, TX Charley B’s
Apr-3 Albuquerque, NM Sunshine Theater
Apr-4 & 5 Phoenix, AZ Marquee Theatre
Apr-6 & 7 San Diego, CA The Observatory North Park
April 9 Bakersfield, CA 1933 Event Center
Apr-11 & 12 Los Angeles, CA Hollywood Palladium
Apr-13 & 14 San Francisco, CA The Warfield
Apr-16 & 17 Sacramento, CA Ace of Spades
Apr-19 & 20 Portland, OR Crystal Ballroom
Apr-21 & 22 Vancouver, BC Commodore Ballroom 19+
Apr-24 Calgary, AB MacEwan Hall
Apr-26 Winnipeg, MB Burton Cummings Theatre
Apr-27 & 28 Minneapolis, MN First Avenue 18+
Apr-30 & May-1 Denver, CO The Summit
May-2 & 3 Salt Lake City, UT The Complex
May-4 & 5 Las Vegas, NV House Of Blues
UK/EUROPE On-Sale Now!
Main Support, opener in Berlin 13/6 – 26/6: The Frights
Opener 13/6 – 20/6: Geoffrey Rickly (of Thursday)
Opener, main support in Berlin 24/6 – 26/6: Bloodhype
13 June O2 Institute, Birmingham, UK
14 June SWG3, Glasgow, UK
15 June Limelight, Belfast, UK
16 June Whelan’s, Dublin, Ireland
18 June Troxy, London, UK
19 June Academy, Manchester, UK
20 June O2 Academy, Bristol, UK
22 June Grasspop Metal Meeting, Dessel, Belgium
23 June Melkweg, Amsterdam, Netherlands
24 June Gloria, Cologne, Germany
25 June SO36, Berlin, Germany
26 June Gruenspan, Hamburg, Germany
NORTH AMERICA – LEG 2 On-Sale Now!
Support Oct 3 – Nov 14 is Red City Radio
Support Nov 15 & 16 is Errortype:Eleven
September 12 Texas Live!, Arlington, TX
September 13 Kansas City Live!, Kansas City, MO
September 19 Waterside District, Norfolk, VA
September 20 Power Plant Live!, Baltimore, MD
September 21 Ballpark Village, St Louis, MO
October 3 & 4 Fillmore, Charlotte, NC
October 5 & 6 The Masquerade, Atlanta, GA
October 8 & 9 House Of Blues, Orlando, FL
October 11 & 12 Revolution Live, Ft. Lauderdale, FL
October 13 Jannus Live, St Petersburg, FL
October 16 & 17 Marathon Music Works, Nashville, TN
October 18 & 19 Bogart’s, Cincinnati, OH
October 21 & 22, House of Blues, Cleveland, OH
October 24 & 25 St. Andrew’s Hall, Detroit, MI
October 26 & 27 Danforth Music Hall, Toronto, ON
October 29, Corona Theatre, Montreal QC
Oct. 31 & Nov. 1 Buffalo Riverworks, Buffalo, NY
November 2 & 3 Upstate Concert Hall, Clifton Park, NY
November 5 & 6 Webster Theater, Hartford, CT
November 8 & 9 House Of Blues, Boston, MA
November 10 & 11 Fillmore Silver Spring, Washington, D.C.
November 13 & 14 Franklin Music Hall, Philadelphia, PA
November 15 & 16 Terminal 5, New York, NY