Damned If I Do Ya (Damned If I Don't)

Album: Nothing Personal (2009)
Charted: 67
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This was the second single to be taken from American pop punk band All Time Low's third full length release, Nothing Personal.
  • This poppy party-starter about a flaky relationship - he's damned if he makes her happy and damned if he doesn't - was criticized by some for its goofy lyrical content. Frontman Alex Gaskarth told MTV News that the band aren't adverse to silliness if the situation demands it. He said: "We've always been a band whose image and stage banter has always been based on not taking anything too seriously, but I've never written to be funny. I don't consider our music to be a joke. We're not f---ing Bowling For Soup at all. People pigeonhole us but, to be honest, we sort of pigeonhole ourselves. We try to disregard it and, for the most part, we can, because the criticism tends to get lost in the vast array of d--k jokes and bulls--t this band is focused on."
  • This was All Time Low's first song to chart in the Billboard Hot 100.
  • This was the first tune that Alex Gaskarth wrote with producer Butch Walker (Sevendust, Pink, Avril Lavigne). The All Time Low vocalist recalled to Kerrang! magazine: "I went to his house and we spoke about how we wanted to write a tongue in cheek song that was also a throwback to his old band, Marvelous 3."
  • The video was directed and animated by Matthew Stawski, who also worked with All Time Low on their clip for "Weightless."

Comments: 2

  • Carli from Pemberville, OhAlex Gaskarth
  • Nicole from Brisbane, Australiaahhh no, he's damned if he screws her and damned if he doesnt.... not make her happy but whatever floats your boat...
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Billy Gould of Faith No More

Billy Gould of Faith No MoreSongwriter Interviews

Faith No More's bassist, Billy Gould, chats to us about his two new experimental projects, The Talking Book and House of Hayduk, and also shares some stories from the FNM days.

Dan Reed

Dan ReedSongwriter Interviews

Dan cracked the Top 40 with "Ritual," then went to India and spent 2 hours with the Dalai Lama.

Artis the Spoonman

Artis the SpoonmanSong Writing

Even before Soundgarden wrote a song about him, Artis was the most famous spoon player of all time. So why has he always been broke?

"Stairway To Heaven" Lawsuit: A Timeline

"Stairway To Heaven" Lawsuit: A TimelineSong Writing

Untangling the events that led to the "Stairway To Heaven" lawsuit.

90210 to Buffy to Glee: How Songs Transformed TV

90210 to Buffy to Glee: How Songs Transformed TVSong Writing

Shows like Dawson's Creek, Grey's Anatomy and Buffy the Vampire Slayer changed the way songs were heard on TV, and produced some hits in the process.

Graham Nash

Graham NashSongwriter Interviews

Graham Nash tells the stories behind some of his famous songs and photos, and is asked about "yacht rock" for the first time.