ARTICLE TEXT:
MAN, THIS ONE CUTS DEEP.
IF YOU’RE A FAN OF BLINK-182 (THEY’RE BACK TOGETHER AND HAVE AN ALBUM ON THE WAY, THANK GOD), THEN YOU PROBABLY KNOW “ADAM’S SONG,” OFF THEIR 1999 ENEMA OF THE STATE ALBUM.
THE SONG WAS A BIT SLOWER AND SOFTER THAN WHAT WE HAD TO COME EXPECT FROM BLINK BY 1999, ALTHOUGH IT WAS SOME OF THE HEAVIEST SUBJECT MATTER THAT THE SAN DIEGO-AREA BAND EVER TACKLED THROUGHOUT THEIR LENGTHY CAREER.
PRIMARILY WRITTEN BY MARK HOPPUS, ALONG WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM TOM, THE SONG ESSENTIALLY READS AS A SUICIDE LETTER, FILLED WITH LONELINESS, DEPRESSIONS, AND A RATHER HEARTBREAKING LINE AT THE END OF THE SECOND VERSE:
THE LYRICS SPEAK FOR ITSELF:
“I NEVER THOUGHT I’D DIE ALONE
ANOTHER SIX MONTHS I’LL BE UNKNOWN
GIVE ALL MY THINGS TO ALL MY FRIENDS
YOU’LL NEVER STEP FOOT IN MY ROOM AGAIN
YOU’LL CLOSE IT OFF, BOARD IT UP
REMEMBER THE TIME THAT I SPILLED THE CUP
OF APPLE JUICE IN THE HALL
PLEASE TELL MOM THIS IS NOT HER FAULT”
HOWEVER, AS THE SONG PROGRESSES, “ADAM” BEGINS TO REALIZE THAT BETTER DAYS ARE AHEAD OF HIM, AND BEGINS TO SEE THE LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL.
WE SEE THE EVIDENCE OF THIS IN THE SLIGHT LYRIC CHANGE IN THE FINAL CHORUS:
“I NEVER CONQUERED, RARELY CAME
TOMORROW HOLDS SUCH BETTER DAYS
DAYS WHEN I CAN STILL FEEL ALIVE
WHEN I CAN’T WAIT TO GET OUTSIDE
THE WORLD IS WIDE, THE TIME GOES BY
THE TOUR IS OVER, I’VE SURVIVED
I CAN’T WAIT ’TIL I GET HOME
TO PASS THE TIME IN MY ROOM ALONE”
THE SONG WAS ORIGINALLY WRITTEN ABOUT HOW LONELY FELT MARK FELT COMING OFF THE ROAD. HANGING OUT WITH THE GUYS, JAMMING EVERY NIGHT, AND THEN COMING HOME TO NOTHING WHILE THE OTHER GUYS IN THE BAND HAD SIGNIFICANT OTHERS.
ALTHOUGH THE SONG BEGINS WITH A BRUTALLY HONEST PICTURE OF THE STRUGGLES PEOPLE WHO SUFFER FROM DEPRESSION GO THROUGH, IT’S ULTIMATELY A GREAT MESSAGE ABOUT FINDING THE BEAUTY IN LIFE AGAIN.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, COUNTRY ARTIST MAGGIE ANTONE RELEASED A NEW ALBUM CALLED INTERPRETATIONS, WHICH FEATURES A NUMBER OF STELLAR COVERS OF SONGS LIKE TYLER CHILDERS’ “LADY MAY” AND “FEATHERED INDIANS,” DOLLY PARTON’S “JOLENE,” AND MORE, WITH HER OWN UNIQUE SPIN ON EACH ONE.
BUT SHE ALSO COVERED BLINK-182’S “ADAM’S SONG,” AND BOY, SHE BLEW THIS ONE OUT OF THE WATER.
IN HER VERSION, SHE STRIPS IT DOWN FOR A GORGEOUS, MUCH SLOWER PACED ACOUSTIC VERSION OF THE SONG, BREATHING NEW LIFE INTO IT.
I ALWAYS LOVE HEARING COUNTRY ARTISTS TRY TO TAKE A SONG FROM A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT GENRE, AND TAKE ON THE CHALLENGE OF PUTTING THEIR OWN SPIN ON IT.
