The Wonder Years Band • Page 25

NCTH is the most forgettable TWY song imo. Palm Reader and that back to back really kill the end of the album for me

 

I know it's an argument used in a lot of cases, but I get the feeling that the variety of opinions as to where the album's strengths lie speaks to how strong an album it really is holistically.

 

The album flows weird to me, I really feel like better sequencing could've helped.

Cigarettes should've been the closer IMO

 

Would love to read that post about the arc of the 4 albums.

 

Palm Reader is my least favorite TWY song since Upsides. Just doesn't do anything for me. I like the acoustic version from the Target CD a lot more

 

I Don't Like Who I Was Then is probably my favorite from the album.

 

Alright, here it goes.

Prelude: Wont Be Pathetic Forever/Distances EP. We'll start here real quick because some of these songs tie into other general themes. This is where we meet Dan Campbell, our protagonist, a philidephia native whos life is about to change in more ways than he can imagine. These EPs are our starting point and this is where Dan really starts to transition from a kid to a young adult with a lot of questions. Dan shows he, like a lot of millenials and others around that age, isnt happy with where he is. We also get hints of him being more socially conscious, mentioning the "scummy fuck who just threw it in a 15 year old" and being appalled by it as well as a couple literary references throughout. Solo & Chewy seems to be the last of the lighthearted songs, using a fun reference point to describe touring life. "Dont Open The Fridge" juxtaposes making an army of homeless men to freak out the neighbors with living in a dilapidated apartment with a broken fridge,book shelfs crammed with literature, and small living spaces. "An Elegy For Baby Blue" details the story of Dan being mugged at gunpoint by two young adults who steal his bike. This event shakes Dan up something fierce and gives him a glimpse that his world isnt as stable as he maybe once thought. While he sets up the story in a somwhat humorous way, theres still a sense of tragedy throughout. He doesnt feel any malice towards the ones that robbed him, he just hates that he now feels afraid to walk down that street but These songs basically give us a rough character portrait of Dan: caustic suburban sense of humor, but also a desire to do better while also showing both love and disdain for the "careless urban sprawl" of his home town. Working a job that he hates, but enjoying being young and reckless with his friends. These themes lay the concrete for the next 4 albums to take us on a journey.

Internal Struggles: The Upsides. The Upside continues on from where WBPF left us. Dan is graduating college and couldnt be happier, ready to get away and be with his friends who are the only people he makes sense to. It starts off somewhat fleeting, like a "Born To Run" kind of "im not looking back, things are going to get better from here" feeling. The Upsides serves as a reality check for our protagonist, the world isnt like the college dorms and hometown life youre used to. Dan gives us glimpses of his depression and anxiety, mentioning that he "cant take naps because they end in panic attacks, i cant play video games i always end up depressed, i cant be left alone for even a second, im a burden but at least i know it". thats some powerful stuff and also heartbreaking, and its tough to have that burden on your shoulders when youre also dealing with the struggles of transitioning from carefree youth to responsible adult. "The weight of the world would be ok if it would pick a shoulder to lean on so i could stand up straight" sums up The Upsides pretty perfectly, alongside "im not sad anymore" but we'll get to that in a bit. For now, The Upsides continues with stories about touring and seeing the world and this feeling that a curtain is being pulled back and that the world isnt what our main character thought it would be. Begging a security guard to let them sleep in an airport because they have nowhere else to go, having the tour bus break down during one of the coldest winters in american history, going through a tough breakup, seeing bigotry in a rest stop from hateful small minded neanderthals, feeling awkward and useless in social situations, plus the previously mentioned coming to terms with mental health. Its a lot of little things adding up into one big issue, a mixture of crushing realization and crippling internal struggles. We also see our first hints of self reference, with Dan making a reference back to "Dont Open The Fridge" on "Everything I Own Fits In This Backpack" in the line "At least the fridge here works and the walls dont leak, at least" telling us that Dan has moved since we last saw him. Penultimate track "Washington Square Park" sees Dan decide to be proactive. Hes not going to sit around and wait for things to get better, the found in Logan Circle was the catalyst for this but WSP is acting on that catalyst. Another theme of being "younger and restless back then" is picked up on other albums, but here it shows Dan starting to "grow up" for lack of a better word. Closer "All My Friends Are In Bar Bands" sees Dan reflecting on his friends and where he is now, and that last point is kind of a tradition in TWY album closers. The phrase "I'm not sad anymore" appears in one form or another throughout the album and while it may come across as juvenile or simple, it also perfectly sets up Dans character arc. the phrase "Im not sad anymore" isnt a victory speech or some grand declaration, its a battle cry, a rallying phrase and ultimately a goal Dan has set for himself. The rework of "Logan Circle: A New Hope" also touches on this, changing up the lyrics of the original and giving us a more mature, more somber lens to look at Dans world through. The Upsides is a literal coming of age story, with themes that will be revisited and referenced throughout the rest of the TWY catalog. It lays the foundation for which we will see the character of Dan grow and change.

External struggles: Suburbia. A year has passed. Dan is now the full time lead singer of a steadily growing band. His life has changed for better and for worse. In the time since, Dan has become attached to a particular poem by Allen Ginsberg called "America", and this poem sets up a framework that influences Dans thoughts and beliefs during the one year span that Suburbia covers. "Came Out Swinging" brings us up to speed since we last saw Dan, using a repeated voice recording of Ginsberg to set the stage "My mind is made up, theres going to be trouble" as both a playful reference back to Dans younger self but also a serious declaration that Dan knows hes going to face some serious trials. We see that Dan and the band are a full time touring band, he had to leave behind his "real job and a girlfriend" that were both talked about on WBPF and TU. He brings us up to speed as to whats going on in his life, how he feels like hes much too young to feel so old, that hes exasperated from touring and from constantly battling his mental health demons, and that he wants something more from life. Dans world fell apart after The Upsides, he lost his girlfriend and his home, he had continually escalating issues with his anxiety and depression, he lost a dear friend Mike Palone (RIP) to drugs, on top of dealing with the normal growing pains of adjusting to the real world and realizing that all of the stories your parents told you were bullshit. Dan is coming back to Philadelphia with fresh eyes and realizes that the town he once loved has a lot of flaws, another instance of growing up and realizing the world isnt what you think it is. "Woke Up Older" sees Dan dealing with the fallout of his breakup, once again touching on the idea that he feels like hes aged so much in just a week. "Local Man Ruins Everything" sees Dan at his breaking point, the once shining beacon of hope that was the fountain in Logan Circle is now turned off and ironically Dan is seen as a beacon of hope from his friends and fans when hes still trying to get his life together. Once again, the world is putting all of its weight squarely on Dans shoulders as he juggles trying to be a self help book for those that look up to him while also still being the fucked up kid we've come to know over the past two years. "My Life As A Pigeon" explores this further, with Dan and the band now having to deal with "7 inch kids", people that think that only liking the bands original 7" somehow makes them entitled and more important and now wants to get away from those people. Dan likens himself to a pigeon, an animal this is paradoxically unwanted yet somehow thrives especially in Dans hometown of Philly. Another theme that has been briefly touched upon is religion, particularly the dangers that can potentially come from those with blind faith, and Dan explores this subject again on "I Wont Say The Lords Prayer". He sees religion can be deadly if not carefully considered, comparing it to a gang mentality and stating "If Lot was righteous, I think I'd rather not be". This theme will be picked up again on later songs, but its an important theme nonetheless. "Coffee Eyes" and "Dont Let Me Cave In" see Dan trying to find comfort in his return to his home town, revisiting an old diner and going out with friends to eat mexican food at Logan Square but finding that things just arent the same anymore. Hes grown, his world and perspective have changed, and the "anchors" that originally held him down that he so desperately wanted to cut ties to in "Youre Not Salinger, Get Over It" are now sorely missed. He feels like he has no place in the world, a running theme of trying to "find your footing" is stated throughout the record both literally and figuratively. Another major theme is the death of a friend/loved one, specifically Mike Palone. Mike was a very close friend of Dans as well as the other band members, he unfortunately passed in 2010 due to a struggle with drugs and he is sorely missed. The Upsides deluxe tracks contains a tribute to Mike in the form of "We Wont Bury You", but Mikes death is another major event in Dans like that shakes him to his core. "You Made Me Want To Be A Saint" takes place at a funeral, a location that we will unfortunately frequent again in the next two albums, specifically Mikes as Dans friends come together to pay tribute to their lost brother. Friends that hadnt spoken in quite some time are now meeting in a diner to pay their respects. Dan states that he knew he'd end up writing a song about someone that passed, but he had his fingers crossed that it wouldnt be about Mike. "Hoodie Weather" sees Dan coming to terms with the changes in his life and reflecting on his home town, discussing the diner that is frequently mentioned (its assumed this is Melrose Diner) and some of the girls he graduated with being waitresses there that are also indulging in drugs as well as the kids in his graduating class that moved out west in hopes of going to California or some place grander, but Dan has become world-wearied and recognizes he left a lot of blood on that side of the country (a reference back to Washington Square Park, of course). Dan concedes that, for now at least, he'll try to settle down and find some solid ground to get a new footing after being constantly pushed down throughout the past year. Almost defiantly, Dan states that "as fucked as this place got it made me, me" while also coming to the sobering realization that those he once called heroes are really just as human as he is which ties back to "Local Man Ruins Everything" and how those that look to him as a hero and put him on such a pedestal didn't realize that Dan is just a flawed and distressed as they are. "And Now I'm Nothing" concludes a 3 song arc that I've neglected until now because its easier to talk about them as a whole. The tracks "Suburbia", "Ive Given You All", and "And Now Im Nothing" are a smaller arc that is set as the backdrop of this year long journey for Dan, showing small vignettes of Philly life and stories from Dans home town. The songs are written in a different time signature and almost function as one singular song split up into 3 parts. "Suburbia" gives us a gritty portrait of Philly, instead of romanticizing the town like he sometimes did on The Upsides, he chooses to give us the details of when the local bowling alley was burned down to collect the insurance money as well as informing us that several other businesses collapsed on Main St, but also injects some of that caustic suburban humor by stating that the most famous person from philly is the guy who played Leatherface. "I've Given You All" gives us another dark, startling brutal look at Philly life where he recounts the story of an old homeless man who was a Vietnam vet that would wonder around town and who everyone sort of "knew", he was beaten to death in Memorial park and the police never found out who did it. This sets up two more smaller themes that are expanded upon later: the idea that the military and war is toxic towards those that serve, since the homeless man wasnt actually homeless but in fact had such bad PTSD that he had to sleep outside which ultimately cost him his life, and that the police force can be cruel and lazy since a man has just been murdered but since he was considered a "nobody" they felt no need to investigate it, instead just haphazardly guessing that it was "probably kids" that did it. Dan also notes how many alcoholics are in his town, ironically stating its a sober sight to see. The mini arc, the album, and this chapter of Dans life comes to a close with "And Now I'm Nothing". Here, Dan says hes been metaphorically digging up old bones while depressing Philly winter looms in the background, another external force that has been mentioned throughout. He's decided that hes going to move into his friend Richies basement and to accept that while things may have changed and this year has tested him in ways he never imagined, hes happy where he is. He may be alone, but that doesnt scare him like it did when he was younger. Hes done a lot of growing in just 1 year, more-so than most people have to. Hes finally found his footing, summing up his feelings with the poignant "Suburbia, stop pushing. I know what I'm doing" stating that hes taking control of his life and hes going to keep pushing forward despite external forces and mitigating factors. The bonus tracks for Suburbia also expand on some themes and give us a clearer picture of Dans life during this time. "My Life As Rob Gordon" is a bitter ode to sad songs and this is another small but important theme I've somewhat neglected: Dan, in addition to utilizing past references and consistent themes, also likes to reference other bands/songs. The Weakerthans, Notorious BIG, ICP, The Get Up Kids, Janes Addiction, Bob Dylan, Springsteen, and many many more are referenced and typically the songs that are reference are very prescient to the time they are referenced, IE Left & Leaving by The Weakerthans is referenced when Dan is in fact leaving his hometown and hoping never to return, but ironically ends up doing exactly what the protagonist of L&L does and returns home with a fresh new perspective. "Living Room Songs" touches up comradery and how being with friends is sometimes the best medicine, but also revisits that thorn in Dans side known as religion as he lampoons the dooms day conspirators on the radio during the "Mayan Calendar" end of the world scare. "Me Vs the Highway" touches once again on the theme of touring but this time viewed in hindsight, romanticizing graffiti seen on a bridge and realizing that his best years may very well still be ahead of him. Suburbia is the story of a young adult seeing their world change before their eyes, losing all sense of comfort and familiarity and coming to the startling realization that the way you thought things would go after college were naive and unrealistic, and that instead of fighting back against that instead embracing it. Dan is continuing his story as a young adult transitioning into the real world, and Suburbia is his first massive step into that world. He still has some youth and a spark of adolescence still in him but hes no longer trying to desperately cling to those memories and instead is going to go with the flow for once. His mental health issues and inner turmoil are still present, but for once hes not afraid. Dans come a long way and theres a since of hope at the end of this album, but unfortunately the next chapter in Dans life will prove to be even more trying and harmful than anything hes faced before. For now, Dans got his shoulder to the wheel but soon those car crash dreams are going to become a reality when he stands at the precipice of being an adult.

Coming to terms with your struggles: The Greatest Generation. Named after the title given to the generation that grew up during the Great Depression and, subsequently, served in WWII. Once again we're seeing a theme of societal pressure and this feeling that the bar has been set so unrealistically high for the rest of us. This album makes many references back to that time period which, much like the Ginsberg poem, have colored Dans perspective and his outlook and, more specifically, how he views himself. Its now two years later, a year longer than the gap between Suburbia and TU. Dan is in a happy relationship, his band is doing quite well, and hes finally starting to feel a bit more comfortable in his own skin. But theres an under-brewing sense of stagnation, this idea that youve somehow fallen behind in life and you somehow fucked up somewhere along the way. Opener "There, There" gives us a quiet introduction to Dans current situation, picking up on a theme expressed on "This Party Sucks" which is one of social anxiety and awkwardness. It serves as an anthem for the awkward, with Dan presumably apologizing to his partner about the things he does that he believes are annoying, he feels hes in her way or his inability to sleep and feeling the need to wake her up and apologize is causing her to resent him, also apologizing to her because he often hums in public or stares off into space because hes lost in his own mind. Clothes hanging to dry out of tenement windows is a reference to the tenement apartments that the immigrants and the poor lived in, while twisting the "heart on sleeve" metaphor by stating his heart is strung up on these clothing lines. "Passing Through A Screen Door" treads familiar ground as it sees Dan back on tour but once again grappling with his inner demons or, in this case, ghosts that are haunting him. Voices in his head asking him what the fuck hes doing with his life and where does he plan on going? We get an answer to the question posed in "Me Vs The Highway" and we learn that the highway won, hes back out on the road and away from home again and hes coming quietly undone. We get a small reference to Dans father in this track as well and this will be important since family is a major theme throughout this album and plays into the next as well. Dan is having a quarter life crisis so to speak, revealing that hes 26 years old but still feels so directionless compared to people he graduated with and his own family as his cousins are also mentioned. References made to a kid being afraid of an atomic bomb dropping works as a perfect metaphor for where Dan is: he feels like a kid still and hes anticipating a massive disaster and, unfortunately, hes correct but we'll get there. Dan says he keeps a flashlight, a small knife, and the train times by his bed, playing off the "escape artist son" line earlier. He plans to go to the screen door, cut the tear hes found in it even bigger, and escape on a train away from his problems. You can run, but you cant hid. Dans grandmother gets referenced briefly in "We Could Die Like This" and is also mentioned in "Hoodie Weather", as Dan remembers winters in Philly and shoveling snow as well as giving a small tribute to Jerome Brown who was a former Eagles teammember who passed away. "Dismantling Summer" is where we see tragedy strike, as Dans grandfather has to have emergency open heart surgery while Dan is away and cant make it. Dan tells us that his grandfather practically helped raise him and he was very close to him, so Dan questions himself and if this whole "band thing" is worth it when he has to be away from home at a time like this. "Dismantling Summer" once again brings up the theme of youth lost, with the summers he spent as a kid and his summers spent touring now feeling hollow as hes grown. One thing I should mention is there are five key themes running throughout the record: ghosts, pill bottles, devils, birds, and bombs. Following that, Dan combats the music industry on "The Bastards, The Vultures, and The Wolves" by stating hes not going to compromise himself and he'd rather burn what hes created down than give it to someone. We get more past references to "Come Out Swinging" "Living Room Song", and "New Years Eve With Carl Weathers" with Dan being the most aggressive hes been in a while, channeling some of that youthful energy and stating that he came here looking for a fight. Tragedy strikes again as "The Devil In My Bloodstream" starts, we are once again at a funeral but this time for Dans great grandfather. His great grandfather suffered from depression and anxiety as well, which ultimately cost him his life. Dan has a panic attack as he realizes that he has the same blood in his veins but that also, his great grandfather was part of the "Greatest Generation" and if he couldnt resist then what chance does Dan have? Dan frantically calls home that go unanswered, mirroring a line in "Came Out Swinging" as Dan panics and for a split second wishes he had just stayed home. Its a distressing and sad image, but adversity breeds character development as Dan has a flashback to his parents during "Teenage Parents". We learn that Dans parents were quite young when they had him, that he was an accidental birth, and that his parents were very poor and hadnt even married yet. He and his siblings got their clothes from Goodwill, a reference to the Goodwill bikes in "Ive Given You All", and had to use a kerosene heater to keep warm after buying their first house, an old cape cod on a busy street. Dan is present at his parents wedding, albeit very very young, but he can remember hearing the judgemental voices of those around him saying that Dan would never have a future because hes the product of poor teenage parents. "An American Religion" and "A Raindance In Traffic" contain more Greatest Generation references, with Truman, dropping the A bomb, the great collapse, and 1930-40s era boxers/fighters being used as frames for Dan to hang his depression and mental distress on. "Cul De Sacs" brings us back to tragedy as Mike is once again thought of during this hard time, with Dan reminiscing about the youthful antics they would get in and lamenting that he'd hoped his kids would one day call Mike their uncle. The line "Careless urban sprawl" is used again here to show a juxtaposition of how things have changed and how he still longs for those times. This chapter is brought to a close with "I Just Want To Sell Out My Funeral", Dan feels like collapsing as the years have taken their toll on him and especially the past year. We once again see the image of a funeral, this time Dan likening his funeral to a show his band would play and stating he wants it to sell out. This contrasts the themes of tragedy and the themes of responsibility, as throughout the album Dan has had to deal with the consequences of being away to play shows while also having tragic events happening outside of his control and feeling guilty. Dan says that he often blames the way he was brought up, the flaws he was born with, or the mistakes hes made but he recognizes theyre all just fucking excuses and that he needs to be better. He laments that he just wants to be a great man and wants to know he did all he could with the circumstances he was given in life. TGG sees Dan trying to get to the "root" of the problems he faced in past releases, only to discover that those roots go much deeper than he expected and extend into his own family. Hes decided that he doesnt have to live up to the "Greatest Generation" and that instead he just needs to keep doing his best and trying to improve. Slowly but surely, Dan is taking strides to improve himself despite the adversity hes faced. We now see our protagonist hit an important milestone: hes now an adult, dealing with adult issues and doing the best he can to make it out of this alive.

The struggles of those around you: No Closer To Heaven. Another two years have passed and Dan seems to be in a much better place than when we last saw him. Now hes being more proactive in his attempt at being a better person. He does this by facing down the demons of his past, the very ghosts that taunted him in the last album. Dan has also become more socially conscious as evidenced in "Cardinals", as Dan recounts the story of a Cardinal that crashed into his window and died, a metaphor for the underprivileged in society hitting a "glass ceiling" so to speak, once again we are also given imagery of a funeral. Another theme expressed throughout this album is the overwhelming sense of letting someone down, as Dan wasnt there when a friend needed him and he now dreams that he "balled up his fists and beat you half conscious" and Dan doesnt want to let anyone down again. The theme of "We're no saviors if we cant save our brothers" ties back to the brotherly comradery explored in TU and Suburbia, except now instead of fun times and youthful optimism its now live or death circumstances. Patsy Cline and Hernest Hemingway are two artists that Dan views as companions, theoretical ghosts that he still relates to even though they arent alive. In "I Dont Like Who I Was Then" Dan states just that, that he doesnt like who he was when he let down whomever the subject was in "Cardinals" (its presumed to be Mike but I'm not sure if its been confirmed) that he was bitter and careless and young, presumably this takes place during The Upsides era when Dan was younger and restless back then. "Cigarettes & Saints" sees us reminiscing back on Mike, his funeral, and how Dan sees him in both beautiful and mundane ways. Dan then goes on the offensive, lashing out at the pharmaceutical companies and the "wolves in their suits and ties" who market and sell life threatening drugs and then are quick to point the finger or wash their hands clean when someone is harmed by said drugs. "Thanks For The Ride" sees Dan envisioning an ideal life for a friend named Hannah who passed away and never got the chance to get married or move to California, once again hes having to deal with tragedy in a trying time but this time hes not as unsure of himself as he was two years ago. "Stained Glass Ceilings" touches on gang violence, racism, class-ism, and corrupt police officers who value masculinity over humanity. Dan taught English at a school in Philly for a little while, and in this song he learns that one of his students was the victim of gang violence. Dan also reminisces on a time when he was robbed in South Philly and, after telling the cops, they suggested he buy a gun to defend himself. Dan is appalled by this, as most sane people would be, and protests that shooting a kid isnt going to solve this issue. Jason Alan Butler of letlive. fame does a guest verse, detailing racism in america and how hardline conservatism is doing far more harm than good. "I Wanted So Badly To Be Brave" touches once again on the idea of letting someone down, this time showing a close friend dealing with an abusive parent that forces him to go into the army. "Palm Reader" also touches on this as Dan encounters a drifter who is a war vet, and feels pity for him because of where he is in life. Dan reminisces about a time when who he thought the good guys and bad guys were was much more clear cut, but now the people hes told are heroes are actually cowards, killers, and thieves. There is, however, a small glimmer of hope. Dan writes a song as an ode to his now wife in "You In January", stating that he was her thats helped him stay together ever since Suburbia and possibly even late into The Upsides era. Shes been his anchor for so long and has been the one thing he felt that he got right. We close out with "No Closer To Heaven" as Dan brings up digging up bones again, recapping the events of the album briefly and vowing that even if he may feel hes walking in circles (another theme thats brought up throughout the album) he still plans to keep going. He may never reach the pearly gates, metaphorical they may be, but hes still going to keep pushing because he has so much left to do and so much to make amends for, plus realizing that he can make a difference in society and want to push forward. NCTH isnt a final chapter by any means, but as of right now the story is to be continued in the next LP. NCTH is the story of someone who has finally started feeling comfortable in their own skin decide to be more proactive both by improving their life and their surrounding friends/loved ones lives as well as pushing back against bigotry and putting heavy stock in equality and social justice.

We've seen Dan go from a directionless post grad kid to a fully formed, level headed, consciously minded adult. A person who wants to see positive change both within himself and with his surroundings. Its the story of a person growing up and facing much adversity, seeing the highs and lows of suburban life and getting a picturesque look at what its like to grow up in America. We see Dan go from a single minded, brash, headstrong young man into a more socially conscious, politically minded, proactively improving adult. Hopefully this year we'll see the next chapter in the story but for now the story of The Wonder Years is a pop-punk/alt-rock Odyssey that deserves as much praise and adoration as possible.

I hope you all enjoy this, I certainly did. I love this band very, very much.

 

What a thesis!!

 

Everything I've never been able to adequately articulate about the band's music and why it has affected me so much over the years, all right here. This was great.

 

Every few months I try and give NCTH another shot, and I don't think I've made it to the end once since it came out. Something just doesn't sit right with me. Going to try again tonight having read the past few pages of discussion.

Really bums me out, cause The Wonder Years are pretty close to being my favourite band. Suburbia and TGG are two of my absolute favourites. I have a similar thing with a few artists though - Frank Turner and Poetry of The Deed is the same (despite it having some of his best individual songs).

 

this might be my favorite thing ive ever posted on this site, which i know is self indulgent but fuck i put a lot of time into this lol. if Nick or the band ever sees it ill probably die but this was very enjoyable to write and I finally managed to put all of my thoughts on this band into one place

 

Haven't read this yet but I will tonight or tomorrow when I have time to sit down, read it all, and respond.
So excited!

 

This was a really awesome read. Not to sound picky, but I think it would be easier to digest if you there some paragraph breaks in there, it's quite a wall of text! There was a lot of insight and connections you made thag I never thought about and it really made me want to revisit the whole discography again. Thanks for putting the effort into doing this!

 

Randomly thought about the premiere of Local Man Ruins Everything back on AP.net back in April 2011. I think @Thomas Nassiff posted it just a couple hours before I was boarding a flight for my senior trip where I wouldn't have access to Internet for a week. Took a shitty webrip of it and put it on my iPod just a couple of minutes before I left for the airport. My best friend and I listened to it on repeat the whole flight over to Disney World.

 

I love this.

 

I was browsing PTP's daily top 10 as I usually do and saw this movie cover. Immediately had a double take and thought Dan.

 

posted this in TWY subreddit so hopefully more people can enjoy it. i dont mean to be so self indulgent but this literally took me hours to write and im very, very proud that its dedicated to a band that ive essentially aged alongside. glad those of you that have already read it enjoyed it i got a lot off my chest with this one.

i forgot to add that i intended to tie in Paper Boats Or Some Poems I Wrote since a lot of those poems became the fertilizer for later song ideas but I figured it wasnt really necessary since only a fraction of the fanbase have probably even read those poems.

 

As someone who was in freshman year of college when The Upsides came out, I feel like I also aged with the band in a lot of ways considering how much of Soupy's lyrics have to do with coming to terms with one's place in the "real world" once the glow of childhood/innocence is stripped away. It's been immensely affecting to go on this journey with them while also sort of going on that journey myself in my own way. And what you wrote definitely reinforces a lot of the feelings that I've had with regard to their music over the years.

Of course, as I said when you first posted it, you wrote it out way more perfectly than I've ever been able to. Hope everyone that reads it in the future enjoys it as much as I did.

 

Just getting around to reading this and man it's wonderful.
You had me at Solo & Chewy.

 

Spotify tricked me this morning with a song by a different The Wonder Years on my release radar.

Got so excited

 

I fell for it too

 

:( what are the odds of the same exact band name

 

I mean it's based off a TV show so

 

Having to always explain that it's not referring to the TV show whenever I wear one of their shirts is my least favorite part of being such a big fan of this band haha

 

i played a random track on that album and laughed nonstop