Classic or Dud - "Everlong" by the Foo Fighters

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I mean, you do all like that song, right? It's not just me, right?

― My name is Kenny (My name is Kenny), Wednesday, 10 November 2004 23:48 (twenty years ago)

Yes, it is a great song.

― gygax! (gygax!), Wednesday, 10 November 2004 23:49 (twenty years ago)

Oh yeah, it's a fantastic song, probably their finest moment. Incredible video, as well. I just don't think it's one of the thirty best of the 90s.

― The Good Dr. Bill (Andrew Unterberger), Wednesday, 10 November 2004 23:49 (twenty years ago)

is the one with the dream video? probably the only Foo Fighters song I ever liked.

― Shakey Mo Collier, Wednesday, 10 November 2004 23:51 (twenty years ago)

yeah.

― The Good Dr. Bill (Andrew Unterberger), Wednesday, 10 November 2004 23:52 (twenty years ago)

It's their best song, but that still doesn't mean enough for me to vote for it in the 90s singles poll, I'm afraid.

― Kevin Gilchrist (Mr Fusion), Wednesday, 10 November 2004 23:54 (twenty years ago)

It's by the Foo Fighers, thus dud.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Wednesday, 10 November 2004 23:55 (twenty years ago)

"Monkey Wrench" is their best single, but only if you pretend that it's by a nu-metal band who've just read the definiton of "melody" out of a dictionary and gone "Ah, right".

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Wednesday, 10 November 2004 23:56 (twenty years ago)

But what about that annoying barky-lyric break in Monkey Wrench? It's godawful.

― Kevin Gilchrist (Mr Fusion), Wednesday, 10 November 2004 23:59 (twenty years ago)

anything by the foo fighters after their first album (the one thats basically just grohl cutting loose by himself after the demise of nirvana) is like a huge momument to the concept of "meh".

― latebloomer (latebloomer), Thursday, 11 November 2004 00:03 (twenty years ago)

But the videos! He dresses up as a woman! Like Keith Moon probably did at some point! Genius.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Thursday, 11 November 2004 00:11 (twenty years ago)

Okay, having a Moog Cookbook cover playing in a lift at the start of a video is damned cool.

― Kevin Gilchrist (Mr Fusion), Thursday, 11 November 2004 00:14 (twenty years ago)

"Everlong" is probably my favorite Foo Fighters song. If I was gonna buy any album it would probably be The Colour And The Shape. It probably had little to do with it, but for some reason I want to credit the presence of Pat Smear.

― miccio (miccio), Thursday, 11 November 2004 00:29 (twenty years ago)

It's their best album, IMO, but I'm only a lukewarm appreciator of their music. You should see me if I'm at a party and all the person has are lots of Nirvana, Foo Fighters, Offspring etc. records though - I become the biggest FF fan that ever lived.

― Kevin Gilchrist (Mr Fusion), Thursday, 11 November 2004 00:35 (twenty years ago)

The post-Smear singles are pretty rank (though I like "Breakout" and I'd probably like "All My Life" if the lyrics weren't so blatantly about his dickin' around) and the early ones never did much for me. The singles from Colour And The Shape seem like that moment where his anguish was more direct than on the debut but hadn't quite turned into preening.

― miccio (miccio), Thursday, 11 November 2004 00:38 (twenty years ago)

actually I like "All My Life" despite the lyrics. Great arrangement, great hooks. But "Times Like These" and "Learn To Fly" are sooooo wack.

― miccio (miccio), Thursday, 11 November 2004 00:39 (twenty years ago)

I like this song quite a bit.

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Thursday, 11 November 2004 00:43 (twenty years ago)

i think my main draw to this are the weird suspended chords during the intro/verses.

― gygax! (gygax!), Thursday, 11 November 2004 00:45 (twenty years ago)

It's an excellent song. I like it better than single Nirvana song (although I'm otherwise neutral on the rest of the Foo Fighters' oeuvre). Things I like about it: a) the overwhelming tension, b) those jagged minor-7th guitar chords, c) the insanely fast cymbal pattern, d) THE BREAKDOWN, which absolutely makes the song (cf. Interpol's "PDA").

― jaymc (jaymc), Thursday, 11 November 2004 00:47 (twenty years ago)

How is it that Aja has not weighed in on this thread as yet?

Not my favorite song of theirs (by a looooooooooooooooong shot), but not their worst, either (that would be "There Goes My Hero" or whatever). Entertaining video, I reckon.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 11 November 2004 01:07 (twenty years ago)

Alex, you've been a rare sight around the place recently - are there still problems post election?

― Kevin Gilchrist (Mr Fusion), Thursday, 11 November 2004 01:18 (twenty years ago)

hating on everlong is fucking bulllllllllshit. it is a great song.

― Ian John50n (orion), Thursday, 11 November 2004 01:29 (twenty years ago)

absolute classic.

― tk, Thursday, 11 November 2004 01:58 (twenty years ago)

Alex, you've been a rare sight around the place recently - are there still problems post election?

Nah, just busy. Election-wise, I wouldn't go as far as to say "I'm over it," but it's clear that expressing my true thoughts on the subject (which are significantly less than charitable) will not help matters.

Kick a Republican. Go on. You know they deserve it.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 11 November 2004 03:14 (twenty years ago)

Things I like about it: a) the overwhelming tension, b) those jagged minor-7th guitar chords, c) the insanely fast cymbal pattern, d) THE BREAKDOWN, which absolutely makes the song (cf. Interpol's "PDA").

are these the reasons why i love this song? cuz fuck if i could ever explain it. i love it

― john'n'chicago, Thursday, 11 November 2004 03:20 (twenty years ago)

best alt-rock song of all time

― cinniblount (James Blount), Thursday, 11 November 2004 03:22 (twenty years ago)

brian krakow-division perhaps

― miccio (miccio), Thursday, 11 November 2004 03:23 (twenty years ago)

Is this the song that sounded like Gerry Rafferty's "Baker Street"? (Which I do know they also covered separately.)

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 11 November 2004 03:24 (twenty years ago)

you're thinking of "pretty fly for a white guy"

― cinniblount (James Blount), Thursday, 11 November 2004 03:26 (twenty years ago)

I do the funky thing.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 11 November 2004 03:26 (twenty years ago)

For a while I thought Soul Asylum's "Somebody To Shove" was the pinnacle of '90s Brian Krakow-rock, but this gets the nod.

― miccio (miccio), Thursday, 11 November 2004 03:29 (twenty years ago)

who's brian krakow?

― cinniblount (James Blount), Thursday, 11 November 2004 03:30 (twenty years ago)

isn't brian krakow that dude on My So Called Life?

― Ian John50n (orion), Thursday, 11 November 2004 03:30 (twenty years ago)

yup.

now this kind of thing is called emo thankyouverymuchjimmyeatworld

― miccio (miccio), Thursday, 11 November 2004 03:31 (twenty years ago)

ugh jimmyeatshit

― cinniblount (James Blount), Thursday, 11 November 2004 03:33 (twenty years ago)

i like a few Jimmy hits (JEW hits?) despite their inanity

ooh I thought of another contender. Weezer's "Only In Dreams"

― miccio (miccio), Thursday, 11 November 2004 03:34 (twenty years ago)

only in dreams is too long. maybe El Scorcho.

― Ian John50n (orion), Thursday, 11 November 2004 03:34 (twenty years ago)

yeah "only in dreams" is a power ballad, but el scorcho (like most weezer) is too happy for krakow, nonetheless.

i should probably just be calling this stuff proto-mall-emo

― miccio (miccio), Thursday, 11 November 2004 03:37 (twenty years ago)

what other alt-rock hits could be the soundtrack of "tell her...just tell her...now! TELL HER NOW!!!!"?

― miccio (miccio), Thursday, 11 November 2004 03:41 (twenty years ago)

???

― cinniblount (James Blount), Thursday, 11 November 2004 03:42 (twenty years ago)

maybe its my own adolescent context but I always hear "Everlong" and "Somebody To Shove" as these relentless, anxious odes to sexual/romantic frustration. Pacing outside the house, debating whether to talk to that girl. HIGH drama. Brian Krakow on the verge of tears thinking about Angela Chase drama.

― miccio (miccio), Thursday, 11 November 2004 03:44 (twenty years ago)

watch less tv tone

― cinniblount (James Blount), Thursday, 11 November 2004 03:47 (twenty years ago)

i'm taking it for granted that grohl drums on 'everlong' - he does yeah? cuz that's a good chunk of what sells it for me

― cinniblount (James Blount), Thursday, 11 November 2004 03:48 (twenty years ago)

he probably does. that sunny day guy quit cuz Grohl was being domineering during the making of the album.

p.s. I don't watch tv now. This was high school.

― miccio (miccio), Thursday, 11 November 2004 03:50 (twenty years ago)

though the idea of liking this track for the drums...man, it's about pain.

― miccio (miccio), Thursday, 11 November 2004 03:51 (twenty years ago)

corny

― cinniblount (James Blount), Thursday, 11 November 2004 03:56 (twenty years ago)

haha - "i've got blisters on my fingers!"

― cinniblount (James Blount), Thursday, 11 November 2004 03:57 (twenty years ago)

What the f*** is wrong w/ Jimmy Eat Stuff?

&, yeah, Foo w/ Dave drumming, but not doing everything else, is choice. (DG drums on everything except for the first track, I think.) (The drumming kinda blows on the newest Foo.) Just don't pay attention to ANY of the lyrics, though. But lyrics are bunk, right, Nedward?

― David R. (popshots75`), Thursday, 11 November 2004 04:23 (twenty years ago)

how good is the second foo fighters lp? i enjoyed the first well enough even if it was one of the more hilariously overrated albums of all time (at the time)

― cinniblount (James Blount), Thursday, 11 November 2004 04:26 (twenty years ago)

I loved the second one when I was twelve or so. Totally loved. It got really scratched up and I threw it out when I was sixteen or seventeen.. never re-bought it, but if I saw it cheap I would in a heartbeat. Their first album too, which I only originally had on cassette.

― Ian John50n (orion), Thursday, 11 November 2004 04:27 (twenty years ago)

Skipping 61 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

I think that I'd agree that the first s/t album is my favorite one too. I remember after the Colour and the Shape came out I was waiting so long for them to release another album, and by the time they did, I had already moved on to other music, plus I remember when Pat Smear left the band I knew that I wouldn't be as into them as I once was.
The first thing of the Foo Fighters that I ever bought was the "This is a Call" single. I thought the song was pretty good, but it came with two awesome tracks that are not on the self titled album, "Podunk" and "Winnebago",the single was worth it just for those two tracks.

― xgurggleglgllg (xgurggleglgllg), Saturday, 1 April 2006 01:57 (nineteen years ago)

JimD, that song is "The Best of You" and it was my #2 single for 2005.

"Everlong" is classic, mostly for the reasons jaymc gives.

― Sundar (sundar), Saturday, 1 April 2006 03:05 (nineteen years ago)

The only time I ever really liked Krakow was when he stood up to the principal and cops and wouldn't tell them what they wanted to hear about the gun incident.

― Sundar (sundar), Saturday, 1 April 2006 03:14 (nineteen years ago)

classic. great song.

― Harpal (harpal), Saturday, 1 April 2006 03:18 (nineteen years ago)

classic song, good album

― tremendoid (tremendoid), Saturday, 1 April 2006 03:20 (nineteen years ago)

Big Me is their best song

― Period period period (Period period period), Saturday, 1 April 2006 03:30 (nineteen years ago)

"Big Me" has a classic hook but I think it just repeats it too much without going anywhere.

― Sundar (sundar), Saturday, 1 April 2006 05:03 (nineteen years ago)

The funny thing is that the first time I heard big me was on the monkey wrench video!

― xgurggleglgllg (xgurggleglgllg), Saturday, 1 April 2006 07:56 (nineteen years ago)

If I went to that school I would've called him Brian 'Crack Ho'

― JtNash, Saturday, 1 April 2006 09:01 (nineteen years ago)

one month passes...

ok let's start this way,
everlong is a classic video for two reasons, michel gondry and evil dead. It references it about the whole video. (By the way Eternal Sunshine is the best charlie kaufman script) but for the bands of the 90's by the way no one has mentioned green day i heard a weezer in there nirvana, and what year was bossanova by the pixies

as for the best video of the 90's,

Buddy Holly - Weezer - Spike Jonze (By the way, besides Eternal sunshine being better than Being John Malkovich or Adaptation Spike Jonze is the better director)

― Kristianisclearlytheman, Wednesday, 24 May 2006 07:29 (nineteen years ago)

"Everlong" is so, so awesome.

― Dan (YAY) Perry (Dan Perry), Wednesday, 24 May 2006 11:29 (nineteen years ago)

agreed.

― RoxyMuzak© (roxymuzak), Wednesday, 24 May 2006 12:35 (nineteen years ago)

Man, I remember when this song first came out, I couldn't find a single person in my school who was into the Foo Fighters.

I read this as "who was in the Foo Fighters," which seems reasonable enough.

"Everlong" kicks ass, although of course it no longer feels like the most dramatic, brilliant forward step rock has ever taken like it did when I was 16 (Note: "Superman's Dead" was in close competition for the title). The album is full of great stuff if you can stand the shoutiness and the shininess (better title)... "My Poor Brain," "My Hero," and most importantly the closer, "New Way Home," which is the best buildup-and-release that alt-rock EVER pulled off. Period, flat-out.

― Doctor Casino (Doctor Casino), Wednesday, 24 May 2006 13:57 (nineteen years ago)

anyhow, as for "everlong," yes, it's the greatest mod-rock single ever. i remember the first time i ever heard it, stoned and driving around rural va with some buddies. we had just finished listening to appetite... what makes it, in order:
1) the snare skims
2) that, if heard from the distance, the verses totally sound like they are just one chord; the tonal shifts are so subtle as to almost be imperceivable
3) just subtlety from top to bottom, actually
4) it sounds like it was recorded underwater
5) grohl's voice actually sounds good! the whole numb/not trying motif works well with his voice, which is equally nonplussed
6) this is a great song to fuck to

-- Yanc3y (ystrickle...), November 11th, 2004.

This is one of the funnier comments on ILM I've read in a long time. Saved me the trouble of calling Everlong a DUD.

― Billy Pilgrim (Billy Pilgrim), Wednesday, 24 May 2006 19:03 (nineteen years ago)

how so?

― j blount (papa la bas), Wednesday, 24 May 2006 19:21 (nineteen years ago)

My work band does a cover of "My Hero"! That song is too fucking high.

We also do "What If I Do".

― Dan (So So Awesome) Perry (Dan Perry), Wednesday, 24 May 2006 19:29 (nineteen years ago)

Because it's so teenage male. Everlong seems designed to appeal to teenage males, and he went for it whole hog. It's funny because it's exactly how I'd describe a song like Everlong if it appealed to me on that level. What makes Everlong a dud to me is how transparently it wants to be subtle, complex, and good for fucking, when it's really just overwrought and boring.

xpost

― Billy Pilgrim (Billy Pilgrim), Wednesday, 24 May 2006 19:39 (nineteen years ago)

one year passes...

A+, still.

― roxymuzak, Wednesday, 3 October 2007 16:48 (eighteen years ago)

If I could turn back the hands of time I would have made sure Pat Smear never left the Foos.

― da croupier, Wednesday, 3 October 2007 16:52 (eighteen years ago)

ok that sounds like I had a say in the matter anyway, but you know what I mean.

― da croupier, Wednesday, 3 October 2007 16:53 (eighteen years ago)

Yes, you never should have let him leave!

He never played on any albums, did he? I have only heard the first two albums anyway, and they are the only ones I plan to hear.

― roxymuzak, Wednesday, 3 October 2007 16:58 (eighteen years ago)

I'm pretty sure he played on the second, along with that Sunny Day bassist. The drums were redone by Grohl though when the Sunny Day drummer quit, I think.

There are some decent tunes on later albums, but after Pat left the mood got way more macho.

― da croupier, Wednesday, 3 October 2007 17:01 (eighteen years ago)

Oh, why did I tell him that House Of Style would make him a millionaire.

― da croupier, Wednesday, 3 October 2007 17:04 (eighteen years ago)

from wikipedia!

On Sunday, September 9th 2007, Smear joined the Foo Fighters for their MTV Music Video Awards party room show. Smear has been added to the band as a touring guitarist for their upcoming tour to support the album Echoes, Silence, Patience and Grace Smear also is credited with playing guitar on the song "Let It Die" off the same album.

― da croupier, Wednesday, 3 October 2007 17:05 (eighteen years ago)

Well, well!

― roxymuzak, Wednesday, 3 October 2007 17:08 (eighteen years ago)

holy shit!

David Letterman has named "Everlong" to be his favorite song. It was performed by the Foo Fighters on the 21 February 2000 episode of The Late Show with David Letterman, his first since returning from heart surgery. Letterman introduced them as "my favorite band, playing my favorite song." He had been impressed with their first performance of the song on his show in 1997, which coincided with its initial release as a single. The song was performed again for the comeback episode at the personal request of Letterman, who also promoted the band's current album at the time, There Is Nothing Left to Lose. "Everlong" itself is not featured on the album.

― da croupier, Wednesday, 3 October 2007 19:39 (eighteen years ago)

how fucking emo is that

― da croupier, Wednesday, 3 October 2007 19:39 (eighteen years ago)

Cute!

― roxymuzak, Wednesday, 3 October 2007 19:41 (eighteen years ago)

This is the best Foo Fighters song.

― Jordan, Wednesday, 3 October 2007 19:44 (eighteen years ago)

That is incorrect.

― Alex in NYC, Wednesday, 3 October 2007 21:16 (eighteen years ago)

here is pat smear and taylor from the foos accosting me
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v200/chakisaki/smallpat1.jpg

― chaki, Wednesday, 3 October 2007 21:21 (eighteen years ago)

jealous!

― roxymuzak, Wednesday, 3 October 2007 21:26 (eighteen years ago)

five months pass...

Still a damn good song.

― youcangoyourownway, Tuesday, 25 March 2008 00:43 (seventeen years ago)

Best Foo Fighters song by a mile.

― chap, Tuesday, 25 March 2008 00:56 (seventeen years ago)

I adore "Everlong"!!!

― Tape Store, Tuesday, 25 March 2008 01:11 (seventeen years ago)

Only song of theirs I ever liked is the one that sounds like the theme from "Welcome Back, Kotter."

― Mark Rich@rdson, Tuesday, 25 March 2008 03:27 (seventeen years ago)

three weeks pass...

Definitely one of the only (if not THE only) mid-90s alt-rock songs I'd still feel comfortable putting on a regular mixtape in 2008, not just some mix that's heavy on nostalgia. It's perfect in just about every way (including the video).

― Johnny Fever, Sunday, 20 April 2008 06:28 (seventeen years ago)

http://youtube.com/watch?v=I2GX0JUnLXE

Excellent idea, bad execution.

― edwardo, Sunday, 20 April 2008 07:05 (seventeen years ago)

I didn't hate that even half as much as I thought I might.

― Johnny Fever, Sunday, 20 April 2008 07:32 (seventeen years ago)

I've heard the studio version, it's a bit rub.

― edwardo, Sunday, 20 April 2008 10:04 (seventeen years ago)

wtf is "alt" about this?

― banriquit, Sunday, 20 April 2008 10:13 (seventeen years ago)

It's no "Learn to Fly".

― Noodle Vague, Sunday, 20 April 2008 11:20 (seventeen years ago)

wtf is "alt" about this?

^ OTM

― stephen, Sunday, 20 April 2008 16:17 (seventeen years ago)

beating arcade fire at a game they're not even bold enough etc.

― blueski, Sunday, 20 April 2008 16:32 (seventeen years ago)

lol @ chaki looking like perez hilton upthread

― Alex in Baltimore, Sunday, 20 April 2008 17:16 (seventeen years ago)

four years pass...

Man, this song slays.

― Trewster Dare (jaymc), Tuesday, 31 July 2012 15:59 (thirteen years ago)

I wouldn't put this as either 'classic' or 'dud'. I mean, it's okay. It's not shit, but it doesn't blow my mind. There are Foo Fighters tracks that I like more, and all of them are on the first two albums.

― The Jupiter 8 (Turrican), Friday, 3 August 2012 21:04 (thirteen years ago)

just watched the video for the first time in like 10 years and that extra chorus at the end is just perfect

― diamonddave85, Friday, 3 August 2012 21:15 (thirteen years ago)

classique

― Listen to this, dad (President Keyes), Saturday, 4 August 2012 00:56 (thirteen years ago)

One of my favorite radio hits of the '90s.

― Crabbits, Saturday, 4 August 2012 01:22 (thirteen years ago)

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