Always (Blink-182 song)

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"Always"
Single by Blink-182
from the album Blink-182
B-side "I Miss You (Live In Minneapolis)"
Released November 1, 2004
Format
Recorded 2003
Genre Alternative rock, new wave
Length 4:12
Label Geffen
Writer(s)
Producer(s) Jerry Finn
Blink-182 singles chronology
"Down"
(2004)		 "Always"
(2004)		 "Not Now"
(2005)

"Always" is a song by American rock band Blink-182, released on November 4, 2004 as the fourth and final single from the group's fifth studio album, Blink-182 (2003). The song was the lowest charting single from the album, but the song's music video received extensive play on music video channels. Like much of the album, the song shows the band's 1980s influences, with the multiple-layered, heavily effected guitars and new wave synthesizers.

The song can be found on the band's 2005 compilation Greatest Hits.

Background

All three of the band members associated the song with the music of the 1980s. Tom DeLonge, in an interview with MTV News, described the song as a "love song."[1]

In another interview with MTV News, DeLonge explained the song and addressed the lyrics of the choruses, jokingly:

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The song is about wanting to hold a chick all night long and kiss her and touch her and taste her and feel her and all these great adjectives. Verbs actually, there's some adjectives in there, but mostly verbs and nouns. Some pronouns too, but not too many of those.[2]

Composition

"Always" was written by bassist Mark Hoppus, drummer Travis Barker, and guitarist Tom DeLonge, while sung by DeLonge and Hoppus and produced by Jerry Finn.[3] The song is composed in the key of B major and is set in time signature of common time with a tempo of 158 beats per minute. The vocal range spans from A3 to D7.[4] Referred to as "the '80s song" during production, "Always" features an uptempo backbeat combined with a New Romantic-era keyboard, and pulls from new wave influences.[1][3] The song's outro features four separate bass guitars being played; Hoppus uses a Fender Bass VI, a Fender Precision Bass "doing two different things," and a Roland Synth Bass.[3] Barker pulled from Missing Persons for inspiration whilst creating the song's percussion.[3]

Journalist Joe Shooman pointed out that the song's central guitar riff is remescient of The Only Ones' "Another Girl, Another Planet" (1979).[5] He called it "the thickest-textured Blink track of all-time," and acknowledged its tribute to 1980s synth-driven pop.[5]

Chart success and live history

"Always" was announced as the fourth and final single from Blink-182 in August 2004. "It's gonna change people's lives and might actually change the world forever," guitarist Tom DeLonge jokingly predicted.[2] It was first serviced to radio in mid-November 2004.[1]

The song was only performed twice in its original release, prior to the band’s "indefinite hiatus."[6] It has nonetheless been performed regularly since the band's return.

Reception

A.D. Amorosi of The Philadelphia Inquirer, in his 2003 review of Blink-182, called the song "contagious."[7] Consequence of Sound, in a 2015 top 10 of the band's best songs, ranked it as number four, calling it "far and away the best track on the album."[8]

Music video

The song's music video features a unique split screen technique, seen here.

The music video for "Always" was directed by Joseph Kahn and shot in Australia. It features Australian pop singer Sophie Monk. The video is displayed as three horizontal panels,[6] in which Monk flirts with DeLonge, Hoppus and Barker. However, the panels sever the onscreen participants in three. Monk appears as a fractured whole, while parts of the band members combine to make one character.[1] The trio's character attempt to plead with Monk, trying to repair a damaged relationship, which are depicted through fights, arguments, and "the occasional making-up/making-out," which are handled by Barker.[6] In reference to the video, DeLonge said "It's like doing an algebraic formulation on paper when you watch it. It's the same kind of feeling [...] but it's rad."[1] It is reminiscent of Weezer's 1997 video for "The Good Life".

The song was a hit on music video channels,[6] where it was among the most-played on Fuse, MTV2 and MuchMusic into January 2005.[9]

Track listing

All songs written and composed by Blink-182. 

Always Single
No. Title Length
1. "Always"   4:11
2. "I Miss You" (Live in Minneapolis) 3:58
3. "The Rock Show" (Live in Minneapolis) 3:37
  • The two live tracks were originally broadcast live on The WB's Pepsi Smash concert series.

Chart positions

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