Fall Out Boy, Song of the “Centuries”

After a cryptic, six second, Morse code video was released on Fall Out Boy’s VEVO, the entire world wanted to know what it meant. The band was quick to enlighten us – although not their blackened social media icons: “Centuries”, their next single! They just finished off touring Save Rock And Roll and apparently the pop-punk quartet, who are notorious for experimenting with new styles, had been writing on the road!

If the quiet chanting in the beginning sounds eerily familiar to you, that’s because it should be. Not only is it the well-known melody from 1987 hit “Tom’s Diner” by Suzanne Vega, but it is sung by someone most Fall Out Boy fans will recognize: the very same LOLO that performed “Miss Jackson” with Panic! At the Disco on Too Weird To Live, Too Rare To Die! I recommend you familiar yourself with the original if you haven’t already; homage is kind of why they featured the bit.

I listed the lyrics below because I feel they, like most Fall Out Boy lyrics, are a defining feature, and I’m more happy with this song than I was for most of Save Rock and Roll. Feedback? Here’s the song

After this familiar segment, it cuts right into the powerful, chanting chorus with and pretty piano melody in the background along with clapping in the form of quarter notes.

“Some legends are told

 Some turn to dust or to gold

 But you will remember me

 Remember me, for centuries

 Just one mistake

 is all it will take

 We’ll go down in history

 Remember me for centuries”

The verses follow Fall Out Boys reliably unpredictability, with an unique rock vocal style backed by a pop beat.

“Mollify my teenage dreams

No, it’s nothing wrong with me

The kids are all wrong

The stories are off

Heavy-metal broke my heart

Come on, come on, and let me in

 Bruises on your thighs like fingerprints

 This is for tonight, the darkness that you felt

 I never meant for you to fix yourself”

The first verse was my favorite for no particular reason, although I love the word mollify.

You have to enjoy that strange thing Patrick does to the word amnesia. More of that Fall Out Boy spontaneity.

“And I can’t stop till the whole world knows my name

 Cause I was only bold inside my dreams

 Until you die for me, as long as there’s a light

 My shadow’s over you cause I, I am

 the opposite of amnesia

 and you’re a cherry blossom, you’re about to bloom

 You look so pretty but you’re gone so soon”

The most interesting part of this song’s lyrics is the big bridge,

 “We’ve been here forever

 And here’s the frozen fruit

 I could scream forever

 We are the poisoned youth”

If you consider the post Fall Out Boy made on their website when the song was released, it’s really interesting that you can connect their biblical reference of David and Goliath to these lines. At least I think so.

All in all, the song speaks for itself. The vocals, the interesting use of backing sounds and instruments, it seems like it should feel generic but it’s so unique Fall Out Boy. It is an experiment. It is an anthem. It is a promise from Fall Out Boy, but also a call to action. Pick up your weapon, no matter what style or denotation, and fight with it.

Oh and seriously, what is up with the thing on the wrist of their cover art?

What do you think?

Xoxo,

Radium Rollercoaster