I went to high school from 2007 until 2011, and some music came out during that time. I won’t say good or bad, but just music. It was an eclectic several years, and during that time I figured out what kind of music I liked, curating my tastes to emo, alternative, and pop-punk. Even now, these songs never fail to bring me back to what I wouldn’t necessarily call my glory days, but a memorable time for my fledgling music tastes all the same. Check out the playlist below, and learn some lore about me while you’re at it.
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6 Songs That Immediately Bring Me Back To High School
“Blah Blah Blah” — Kesha ft. 3OH!3
Before she took the dollar sign out of her name, Kesha released Animal in 2010. Her debut album was full of bops and bangers like “TiK ToK,” “Your Love Is My Drug,” and “Take It Off.” One track that had me in its grip was “Blah Blah Blah,” most likely because I was also listening to 3OH!3 a lot at the same time. Not that I knew it in high school, but the song is a great assertion of Kesha’s sexuality through the aggressiveness of her early persona. At the time, though, it was just fun to sing along to in the car, which is where I listened to most of my music.
“Hot Mess” — Cobra Starship
I have distinct memories of owning this CD, which came out in my junior year of high school. I would play it to death as I drove myself and my friends to and from school. My penchant for putting albums on repeat for weeks started early, clearly. To the point where I often received complaints from my passengers (now, it’s listen to Arctic Monkeys discography or you can walk). Even so many years out of high school, hearing “Hot Mess” will immediately put me in the drivers seat of my beat up Ford Focus, shifting into second as I pull out of the school parking lot.
“Misery Business” — Paramore
When Riot came out in 2007, with “Misery Business” as the lead single, we were all so excited. Mostly because it was a great song. But also, we got a free pass to say the word “whore” (that’s a trend with the next song too). Looking back and knowing how Hayley Williams feels about that part of the song now, I can’t help but agree with her. We’ve all grown up since 2007, but the nostalgia remains, and “Misery Business” never fails to get me totally hyped up.
“I Write Sins Not Tragedies” — Panic! at the Disco
While A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out was released in 2005, I listened to it non-stop in my high school years. I bought the CD for five dollars at my local punk record store a couple years later (before that I was definitely not pirating my music, I would never do that). As soon as I slotted it into my CD player and the “Introduction” began to play, I was hit with a wave of nostalgia so strong I thought it would knock me over. Playing “I Write Sins Not Tragedies,” I had to sit down. The last time I saw Panic! at the Disco live, Brendon Urie only played “I Write Sins” and “Nine in the Afternoon” from the old catalog. This was disappointing but not surprising. At least I still have my (very legally purchased) CD.
“This Ain’t a Scene, It’s an Arms Race” — Fall Out Boy
Infinity on High came out in my freshman year of high school, but I was already a Fall Out Boy fan since From Under the Cork Tree. The album was, of course, a perfect no-skip, but there were some standouts. “‘The Take Over, The Breaks Over” (which I once made my marching band do jumping jacks to and then lost my music choosing privileges), “The Carpal Tunnel of Love” (I once listened to this on repeat very loudly for an entire day), and “This Ain’t a Scene, It’s an Arms Race.” This song is not only great, but I have a special connection to it. In college, when I reconnected with my middle school best friend, she taught me some alternate lyrics for the chorus. Next time you listen, tell me you don’t hear “I’m a little man / and I’m also evil / also into cats.”
“CHOKECHAIN” — 3OH!3
Honorable mention goes to “CHOKECHAIN,” because I went through a 3OH!3 phase, as we all do. This song, in particular, caught my attention. The sheer attitude of it, its aggressive nature. I was driving my mom’s falling apart Infiniti at the time, which is a boat of a car, and it would stall every once in a while. When that happened, I would roll the windows down and blast 3OH!3, absolutely screaming “CHOKECHAIN” for no good reason other than I was a teenager, and I could.
Featured Image by Taylor Hill/FilmMagic
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