Emo

Album: Dude Ranch (1997)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • "Emo" is about a girl that is constantly being cheated on ("Why stay when you're not the only one?") and is still staying with her boyfriend. She tells herself to give him another chance, but the singer knows he is still going to treat her bad ("And I don't care, he is such a dick, he treats you like you are a stupid whore"). >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Gabe - Borger, TX

Comments: 7

  • AnonymousTheir voices sound strained as heck, probably spent awhile in the studio. Ouch
  • Matt from Houston, TxYeah,emo's are giving cutters like me a bad name.They try too hard to make a scene and tell everyone about it.Call me a poser but I have only told one person about it.And I didn't even tell him why.
  • Jess from Brisbane, AustraliaBlink-182 made this song but they didn't have a title for it, and they thought it sounded like an emo song so whenever they were going to play it, they said, "Let's play that emo-sounding one." Emo back then had nothing to do with morons whining and slicing and dicing their wrists, or dressing all in black and crying while writing poetry.
  • Erik from Nonya, Paactually emo was an underground thing for some time before it was popularized. i think it's funny that blink-182 was using it in a derogatory manner to make fun of the genre. emo kind of took pop punk and made it suck.
  • Jess from Brisbane, AustraliaRemember 'emo' means 'emotional'. Emo as a stereotype - you know, the black clothing, hair, make-up, etc., self-harm, depression, etc. - is more a 21st century thing. This was released in 1997 so I doubt it had anything to do with the emo stereotype.
  • Moebert from Burgdorf, GermanyI think the song is nemd "Emo", because they never had a name for it and always referred to it as "The emo sounding one". So in the end they called it like this.
    Think they said it in one of thier DVDs
  • Lucy from Kootingal, AustraliaI think it's also about the girl being unsatisfied with where the relationship is going. The guy just wants a "hook-up buddy" or somewhat, but the girl would rather prefer something more serious. The lyrics "Why stay when you're not the only one" have contradicting effect to; "Why leave when you claim it is love". These lyrics express to me that in no real relationship where love is involved can either partner be unfaithful or cheat. Therefore what the girl classifies as "love", is a misinterpretation, considering she is being cheated on.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

George Harrison

George HarrisonFact or Fiction

Did Eric Clapton really steal George's wife? What's the George Harrison-Monty Python connection? Set the record straight with our Fact or Fiction quiz.

Jonathan Edwards - "Sunshine"

Jonathan Edwards - "Sunshine"They're Playing My Song

"How much does it cost? I'll buy it?" Another songwriter told Jonathan to change these lyrics. Good thing he ignored this advice.

David Bowie Leads the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Long-Haired Men

David Bowie Leads the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Long-Haired MenSong Writing

Bowie's "activist" days of 1964 led to Ziggy Stardust.

Michael W. Smith

Michael W. SmithSongwriter Interviews

Smith breaks down some of his worship tracks as well as his mainstream hits, including "I Will Be Here For You" and "A Place In This World."

Jeff Trott

Jeff TrottSongwriter Interviews

Sheryl Crow's longtime songwriting partner/guitarist Jeff Trott reveals the stories behind many of the singer's hits, and what its like to be a producer for Leighton Meester and Max Gomez.

Dean Pitchford

Dean PitchfordSongwriter Interviews

Dean wrote the screenplay and lyrics to all the songs in Footloose. His other hits include "Fame" and "All The Man That I Need."