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Top 100 Yellowcard Songs

...of the Ryan Key era. So, this tragically excludes "Midget Tossing" and "Where We Stand". Criteria for inclusion is that the song must have been officially released in some capacity, and it must be an original YC track (RIP their amazing cover of Coldplay's "Fix You") and also not a reworking of one of their own pieces (RIP the stunning piano version of "One Year, Six Months"). I tallied as accurately as I could and came to 107 songs, so the seven "missed the cut" songs are as follows, in no particular order: Trembling, Drifting, Sureshot, For Pete's Sake, Madrid, Convocation, and Rock Star Land. Yellowcard is my all-time favorite pop-punk band and one of my favorite artists in general, and with their recent reunion to tour (for Ocean Ave's 20th anniversary) I've been spinning their discography a lot lately. So, with all of that now out of the way, let's proceed to my ranked list of Yellowcard's top 100 songs!
100Yellowcard
Lift a Sail

"California" - I was fairly high on Lift a Sail when it was released, but time hasn't been very kind to it. Aside from the two songs off this record that missed the top 100 altogether (the instrumental interlude "Convocation" and the dreadfully boring "Madrid"), this is one of my least favorites. It's the album closer, and it feels like it was AI-generated to be the most sappy, predictable closer possible. It's just a bare-bones piano ballad, and Key's lyrics are painfully generic. There are some pretty inflections in the verses however, which saves the track from total futility.
99Yellowcard
Paper Walls

"Dear Bobbie" - Yellowcard's success has always hinged on their ability to carefully toe the line between sincere and corny. This ode to his grandparents is sweet, but unfortunately it crosses the line into cheese-land. This hits some sentimental notes, but Paper Walls would have been an even better album without this.
98Yellowcard
One for the Kids

"A.W.O.L." - The main attraction on One for the Kids, for me anyway, is the strength of the guitar work (both electric and acoustic). For the former, this is exhibit A. It's got some heavy riffs and almost kind of chugs at points. It's not the most memorable song, but it's pretty fun to listen to in the moment.
97Yellowcard
Lift a Sail

"Transmission Home" - I still remember hearing Yellowcard and their label hyping up Lift a Sail as some kind of massive, anthem-packed "rock" album. That clearly isn't what we got, and "Transmission Home" - for all intents and purposes the album opener on the heels of a brief instrumental - is a constant reminder of that. You can tell that it aims to be huge, but it feels like they wrote this song with the sole purpose of adding something "heavy" (by their standards) to the record. The chorus is semi-memorable, I guess. It's not terrible, but it definitely feels shoehorned.
96Yellowcard
One for the Kids

"Star Struck" - The stabbing riffs here are forever imprinted in my memory, despite the fact that I hardly ever listen to One for the Kids anymore -- so that's gotta be worth something. It suffers from all the same drawbacks as the rest of the songs on One for the Kids, but aside from the raw production/pitchy vocals, it's an otherwise fun and upbeat track with memorable riffs.
95Yellowcard
Lift a Sail

"MSK" - This is a swelling, violin-laden ballad that feels like it should be the emotional epicenter of Lift a Sail. While Yellowcard generally captured the atmosphere that I think they desired (forlorn, longing, lovestruck), the melody falls pretty flat and it's overlong for a track with nothing else going on besides Key's vocals and some strings. It all sounds quite pretty, but it rings slightly hollow.
94Yellowcard
Lift a Sail

"In Time (Lift a Sail b-side)" - Most people probably aren't aware of this track's existence. It's a heavily electronically-influenced song that didn't make the cut for Lift a Sail. I happen to like it better than a few of the pieces that did make the album, however. There's nothing complicated about it, and it's a bit too pop-oriented for my liking, but it's a smooth and (somewhat) catchy song. It easily could have been an improvement over some of Lift a Sail's duds.
93Yellowcard
One for the Kids

"Something of Value" - It's no secret that One for the Kids was something of a warm-up round for Yellowcard under the Ryan Key era, but "Something of Value" is a track that has managed to stick with me a little more than the others. I'm not sure exactly what it is, but Key's vocals sound crisper and the acoustic strumming sounds cleaner. It feels like a precursor to some of the beautiful acoustic work we'd eventually receive on Ocean Avenue.
92Yellowcard
Lights and Sounds

"Three Flights Up" - I know putting a brief piano interlude ahead of some fully fleshed-out songs might not sit well with everyone, but I believe that this is superbly executed. The pianos are simple but gorgeous, and the subtly swelling violin adds elegance before Lights and Sounds' title track arrives to barge down the doors. The album would lose a key aspect of its atmosphere without this little tune.
91Yellowcard
One for the Kids

"October Nights" - By all measures, this song feels like Yellowcard rounding themselves into form. The violins are gorgeous and prominent, the guitars punchy, and the vocals infectious. The song itself doesn't have that huge trademark hook that you'd end up finding throughout Ocean Avenue and beyond, but it's solid and contains all the blueprints of the band's future success.
90Yellowcard
Lift a Sail

"Make Me So" - One of the bouncier melodies on Lift a Sail, but it never felt like it belonged on this album. Despite its upbeat pace, the song again feels like YC forcing a square peg into a round hole. Lift a Sail was a departure in sound for this band, featuring darker alt-rock and electronics, and "Make Me So" feels like a paint-by-numbers pop-punk tune created strictly to check a box and pacify their old school fans. It's not a bad song, but it feels kind of pointless -- especially in context.
89Yellowcard
When You're Through Thinking, Say Yes

"Promises (When You're Through Thinking, Say Yes b-side)" - This song missed the cut for the Yellowcard's post-hiatus comeback LP, but it still has a warm and highly energetic atmosphere. LPIII's drumming shines just as it does across WYTTSY, although "Promises" doesn't really boast a chorus/melody worth anchoring it in the band's lore. This is a decent song and I have no qualms with it, but making it a b-side was the right call.
88Yellowcard
Lift a Sail

"My Mountain" - This one falls in the mid-tier of Lift a Sail for me. It's not all that interesting musically (it feels like a 50/50 hybrid of the band's older pop-punk sound and the newer styles explored on this LP), but has some sentimental lyrics that resonate well during the highly melodic chorus. It's a decent song, but it's not one that will make much of an impact on you beyond the confines of its runtime.
87Yellowcard
Yellowcard

"The Hurt Is Gone" - This six and a half minute acoustic track always fell a bit flat for me. The chorus "change comes for you even when you're hiding out" is fitting for the band's final LP, and I respect that they had the balls to end the song with almost three minutes of random acoustic strumming, but none of it is all the interesting. Perhaps if they integrated more complex picking, or an uptick in urgency at some point, I'd feel differently. Alas, this falls among their more vanilla works and primarily benefits from the sentimentality of being on the band's final (for now!!??) LP.
86Yellowcard
Lights and Sounds

"Two Weeks From Twenty" - Although I appreciate the anti-war sentiment, and the trumpet solo here is top notch, this song otherwise feels a little too on the nose. To me, it often sounds like their attempt to contribute something to the "rock against Bush" compilation, or perhaps ride the political coattails of American Idiot (right down to the character in the song being named Jimmy). I'm not saying that the song isn't genuine, but I just wish that they got a little more creative with it.
85Yellowcard
Ocean Avenue

"Hey Mike (Ocean Avenue b-side)" - If you love Ocean Avenue and are looking for more YC from that recording session, then here you go! This song has all the energy, pent-up angst, and summery vibes of that album, so it automatically scores some points in my book. As with a lot of Yellowcard's b-sides, this simply doesn't measure up as a song I'd remember in the vast sea of catchy YC pop-punk.
84Yellowcard
Lights and Sounds

"Words, Hands, Hearts" - As something of an emotive slow-rocker, "Words, Hands, Hearts" succeeds in painting an image of fear and hopelessness in the wake of 9/11. Outside of the unique "thunderous" drum style they employ, there's not a whole lot going on intrumentally though, and Key's lyrics are just vague enough to detract from the song's message. It's an ambiguously depressing track, but sometimes there's a mood for that.
83Yellowcard
When You're Through Thinking, Say Yes

"Sing for Me" - A lot of folks swooned over this one during the band's comeback from hiatus, and I get that to an extent: it's the kind of sappy ballad that people who attend shows would want to hold up their cell phones or lighters to as they gently sway from side to side. This song checks all the right boxes for "late album ballad" and the chorus is an earworm. I guess that's my problem with it, though; it feels a bit manufactured. That of course doesn't mean it's not a decent song, because it is, but it evokes very little from me in the way of an emotional response. When a song executed in this style, I'm pretty sure that's supposed to be the point.
82Yellowcard
Yellowcard

"Leave A Light On" - You definitely have to be in sort of a low place to appreciate "Leave A Light On", which on its face is very depressing and slow-to-unravel. It does eventually do that though, culminating in the reflective and mature line "maybe you just needed me to feel the way you do". The more you dig into the lyrics the more you'll get out of this track, but it does require the listener to meet it more than halfway. In other words, you probably have to be a big fan of this band to get much out of this.
81Yellowcard
Underdog

"Underdog" - The Underdog EP possesses crossover appeal among fans because it has the punk feel of their earliest records but the melodies also start to shine through. It's about equidistant from One for the Kids and Ocean Avenue, and that's a great place to be. The EP's title track features all of those traits but lacks a defining hook, and is thus the least essential of the five songs that this release has to offer.
80Yellowcard
Ocean Avenue

"Firewater (Ocean Avenue b-side)" - The pristine acoustic guitars make this song, and the chorus of "can I swallow this bottle whole, so this brain in my head can forget your face" is just immature and eternally relatable enough to be a portal to our youth. This is a much better b-side than "Hey Mike", and borders on "should it have been included on Ocean Avenue?" territory.
79Yellowcard
Lights and Sounds

"Down On My Head" - The steady drum beat here is fairly addicting, and I absolutely adore the way this changes keys and swells across the back half of the song. It saves an otherwise mediocre lyrical outing "I never thought I would wake up in bed / watching the world coming down on my head".
78Yellowcard
Ocean Avenue

"Twenty Three" - Ah, we've made our way into the territory of classic, prime Yellowcard! "Twenty Three" bursts down the door with soaring violins, LP3's crazy drumming, and Mackin's earnest vocals. As you'll find out throughout much of this list, lyrics matter a lot to me when it comes to this particular band, and here ("we're almost twenty three and you're still mad at me") they falter a bit. It's also one of the least memorable songs on OA, even though it's still pretty damn catchy.
77Yellowcard
Lights and Sounds

"Grey" - Another song from Yellowcard's most depressing album, "Grey" is a late-tracklist moment that often gets overlooked. It's fairly steady/uneventful from an instrumental standpoint (the drums keep pace, the violins add some poignant melody), but the lyrics occasionally jump off the page in a nice way: "I gave you things I had that I cannot get back again"..."I know every last regret inside of me is my own." It's unlikely to be anyone's favorite YC track, but it is so much more than filler.
76Yellowcard
Lights and Sounds

"Space Travel" - A lot of the descriptions of "Grey" could also apply here, although "Space Travel" has a bit more nuance to the actual songwriting as it glides between smooth, effortless verses and mild swells that give the song the illusion of moving like beams of light through the universe, not unlike the woman Ryan Key sings about so longingly here.
75Yellowcard
Lift a Sail

"Fragile and Dear" - Perhaps Yellowcard's dreamiest song ever (JesperL, where you at!?), "Fragile and Dear" thrives on its ability to combine slow, drawn out choruses with perfectly executed electronically-washed vocals. It's the perfect song to get lost in, whether it's during a long drive or as you drift off into a daydream. One of Lift a Sail's better tracks.
74Yellowcard
Southern Air

"Surface Of The Sun" - The fact that it took more than a quarter of this 100-song list to get to a single Southern Air track is a testament to the strength of that album. So is this: although "Surface of the Sun" is my lowest ranked SA song, it still rocks. It's one of the heavier moments on the record, but the fact that it doesn't quite hit the same emotional highs or memorable melodies as other songs on the same release is the only reason this doesn't rank much higher.
73Yellowcard
Paper Walls

"Bombers (Paper Walls b-side)" - If you haven't heard this, then you're missing out. This is a very strong b-side that easily could have taken "Dear Bobbie"'s place on the album's official tracklist. The piercing, towering violins in the intro make me smile ear-to-ear every time, and the entire band is humming here. Key's vocals feel emphatic and driven, which when combined with lyrics like "This is the deepest cut I think I have ever felt" and "Always reflecting what I've learned but was not taught" make for the ideal summer breakup anthem. It's not the catchiest song in the world in terms of its chorus, but the fact that this is a b-side is a travesty.
72Yellowcard
Lift a Sail

"Crash the Gates" - "Crash the Gates" delivers on the "heaviness" that was supposed to (but didn't) comprise most of Lift a Sail. The guitars are dense and fiery, Key's vocals echoing and piercing. Honestly, it sounds like Yellowcard's answer to Thrice's Fire EP, and the fact that they execute this style so well is a pleasant surprise. It's a shame more songs on the album didn't follow this direction and match its intensity, because this is a massive rocker.
71Yellowcard
One for the Kids

"Big Apple Heartbreak" - This is one of those songs that, despite existing on one of Yellowcard's raw/formative records, always stuck with me. The line "this can't be home anymore" is sung with such sincerity and with such a melodic inflection that it's impossible to forget. The way the song evolves from a forlorn ballad to a punchy pop-punk tune with desperate pleas of "Where are you, I need you, you still have my heart", and then transforms yet again into a full-throttle energy burst lend it songwriting maturity that is lacking on a lot of other early songs by this band.
70Yellowcard
Underdog

"Avondale" - Everything about this track echoes with the glory of Yellowcard's peak early punk days, and the transition from long and drawn out (but memorable!) chorus of "mighty king of Avondale" to the dueling, layered choruses make this song way too much fun to sing along to.
69Yellowcard
Paper Walls

"Date Line (I Am Gone)" - Speaking of super memorable, the chorus of "Date Line (I Am Gone)" ranks pretty high up there. The instrumentation is reined in a bit compared to the majority of Paper Walls (which really let LP3 and Mackin loose), but there's a reassuring calmness to it all. At times it might feel a little too YC-by-the-numbers, but that's about the only drawback here.
68Yellowcard
Yellowcard

"I'm A Wrecking Ball" - This is the song that made me realize just how far Yellowcard's band members had come in their lives: "On these shelves I keep my family / In this bed I watch them fall asleep". The song resonates with me personally as well, because it came out the year after I got married when discussions of starting a family were arising. It was just further proof that this band always seems in-step with me. Key also delivers one of his most beautiful vocal performances here.
67Yellowcard
Paper Walls

"Fighting" - This might be Yellowcard's most balanced song - every single instrument here shines, nothing feels like it's competing, and every band member delivers a noticeably enjoyable moment. That's probably why it was chosen as the lead single for Paper Walls. The primary drawback is that I'm not a big fan of the lyrics in the chorus ("what am I fighting for / there must be something more..."), although the verses are noticeably better which certainly helps. I was pretty disappointed by this when it was released ahead of the album, but in-context it works perfectly and it's also grown on me over the years.
66Yellowcard
Yellowcard

"Empty Street" - This song partially reaps the benefits of being on the band's farewell LP, because on another album this might cross the line into overly sappy. With that said, it's an emotional farewell to its fans: " I say goodbye to the clearest eyes / I won't be with you, but I won't be far away." There's also a pretty damn underrated guitar solo here, and it was nice to see the band starting to figure out that more stuff like that was the best way to fill the obvious void left by LP3. Maybe more of that to come with the pending new music on the horizon? We can only hope!
65Yellowcard
When You're Through Thinking, Say Yes

"For You, and Your Denial" - I still recall hearing this as the lead single for When You're Through Thinking, Say Yes. Those violins in the beginning felt like a part of my life that's been missing magically returning, and that's what it was as Yellowcard announced that they were ending their hiatus. As with some of the other songs in this middle-ish tier, I have no complaints about the instrumentation but the lyrics are lacking a spark. In this case, "can you hear the crowd they all go wild, for you and your denial", while alright, never resonated with me on an emotional level.
64Yellowcard
Underdog

"Rocket" - The verses early in this song almost remind me of Clarity-era Jimmy Eat World, which is obviously a huge plus. I love how the acoustic guitars shimmer and shine as the song gradually picks up in intensity until Key is borderline shouting the chorus. This is Yellowcard's lo-fi emo moment, and it's spectacular.
63Yellowcard
Lights and Sounds

"Martin Sheen or JFK" - This is one of Lights and Sounds' most underrated cuts. The moment at the end when Key sings, both hauntingly and desperately, "I could sleep, but when I wake here, you'd still be gone / And you're my air" absolutely destroys me every time. Absolutely heartbreaking gem of a moment.
62Yellowcard
Paper Walls

"Shrink the World" - Young Sowing was a bit of a hopeless romantic, and "Shrink The World" was tailor-made to trap someone like me. It's an adorable little pop-punk love song with an absolutely irresistible melody that will remain in your head for decades. "If I could then I'd shrink the world tonight / So that I would find you and me inside" is hella cheesy, but I didn't care 16 years ago and apparently I'm only marginally less naive now.
61Yellowcard
Underdog

"Finish Line" - This is such an underrated cut. "Finish Line" has it all: beautiful violins, heavy waves of electric guitar, and super catchy verses/choruses. I could argue that its only "flaw" is that I never really frequented this EP enough to develop a real emotional connection to most of its songs. Sorry "Finish Line"...it's not you, it's me. I could see this being in someone else's top-25.
60Yellowcard
Ocean Avenue

"Life of a Salesman" - This track is bursting with energy, and I love the vibrant violins. The verses are very punk-y and bring an aggressive tempo that YC generally abandoned after One For The Kids. I've heard people dismiss the lyrics before, but I think they're sort of nice. As someone who's grown up and had kids of his own, I understand now more than ever the appreciation for and desire to emulate what my dad did for me growing up.
59Yellowcard
Lift a Sail

"The Deepest Well" - This is a pretty underrated cut if you ask me. Matty Mullins' (of Memphis May Fire) guest vocals provide a welcome rougher edge that fits in perfectly before that explosively catchy chorus. The messier guitars are also something unique on an album that was often a little too sleepy for its own good. This is one of my favorite Lift a Sail tracks.
58Yellowcard
One for the Kids

"Cigarette" - This is all about the beauty of the violins, and to some extent, Ryan's delivery as well. It's the song that made me realize what separated Yellowcard from other trending pop-punk acts at the time: the emotion behind the songs...that longing sincerity that simply can't be feigned. It's all on full display here, a prime showcase of some of the very best music from the band's Key-era debut. Let the violins wash over you, and you'll feel it too.
57Yellowcard
Underdog

"Powder" - This is another highlight from the band's earlier discography. "Powder" features an addicting beat driven not by drums but rather by repetitive guitar crunches, and there's a gorgeous swell of violins late in the song. To boot, the chorus is an earworm. This is one of the catchiest and most unique songs in the band's repertoire, and sort of like "Finish Line", the only reason I don't have it ranked much higher here is likely because I haven't spent nearly as much time with Underdog/One for the Kids as I have OA and everything that came after.
56Yellowcard
When You're Through Thinking, Say Yes

"Soundtrack" - This always used to fall within the "nice. but sort of forgettable" midsection of When You're Through Thinking, Say Yes. But in recent years I've really taken a liking to this album's supporting tracks, or whatever you want to call them - because they're definitely not filler. "Soundtrack" is a breezy and melodic jam, perfect for any summer afternoon. The line "But we've got symphonies still / Left inside us" now strikes me almost as something of a career-defining statement; they returned from hiatus in 2011, and now in 2023 they appear to be on the verge of coming back from a full-blown breakup. I love that they can't seem to stay away from their passion.
55Yellowcard
When You're Through Thinking, Say Yes

"Hide" - Lifted from the exact same section as "Soundtrack", "Hide" checks a lot of the same boxes. Its melody is a cool breeze, with lines like "I know it feels like I let you down / But I'm still around" and "I could be underneath you / And looking up to see you from where we used to hide" serving as some of WYTTSY's most memorable moments. Outside of this album's obvious big hitters, "Hide" is one of my personal favorites.
54Yellowcard
Lift a Sail

"Lift a Sail" - We're now getting into the cream of the crop when it comes to Lift a Sail. One could argue that the album's title track doesn't have enough going on instrumentally, and I'll concede that it's not the most energetic song in their catalog, but that swelling, massively uplifting, 100% memorable chorus more than makes up for anything else that it lacks. The entire thing is just one moment of complete and utter triumph.
53Yellowcard
When You're Through Thinking, Say Yes

"Life of Leaving Home" - Another track that's a virtual tie with "Hide" and "Soundtrack" for the most subtly enjoyable grower on WYTTSY, "Life of Leaving Home" boasts all the same anthemic summery qualities of those tracks yet boasts a little bit more songwriting nuance. I also love the "I am awake and alive" part of the chorus; I can be in any mood and feel uplifted after hearing that.
52Yellowcard
Yellowcard

"Rest In Peace" - The opener from Yellowcard's eponymous finale, "Rest In Peace" is a song all about tying loose ends and making amends. It glides in on weightless-sounding keys along with some reverb, and crashes like a wave into a sea of electric guitars and drumming. There's also a well-placed and superbly executed guitar solo. Nothing to dislike here, from the sentimentality to the instrumentation...the only thing preventing it from ascending into the top 50 is that the chorus doesn't quite stick with me.
51Yellowcard
Yellowcard

"What Appears" - I absolutely love the beat and overall pacing of this song, and the chorus is almost impossible to forget. The lyrical content is inspiring, too: "I am not what appears / I am failures and fears / But I am on my way". I still think this would have been a huge hit for the band if they released it around or prior to the Paper Walls era. I wish they didn't use whatever effect they did on the drums though, because it makes them sound muddled rather than giving them the propulsive, dynamic effect that they could have had.
50Yellowcard
Lights and Sounds

"Sure Thing Falling" - This has always felt like one of Yellowcard's most unique tracks to me. The lyrics seem strange upon initial inspection (mentions of vampires and getting high), but they end up sort of making sense if you pay close attention to the verses. The chorus is enormous, and there's a nice little solo to boot. It's not an album defining track, but it feels very ingrained in what makes Lights and Sounds, at least occasionally, so damn special.
49Yellowcard
Paper Walls

"Shadows and Regrets" - My favorite part of this song is the power of the drum beats and the bells that give the whole thing a sense of uplifting/triumphant liberation. The lyrics, contrastly, are very wistful/reminiscent ("When we were only kids / and we were best of friends") and occasionally full of remorse ("I heard, heard myself / Say things I'd take back"). It's a very poignant track if you're in the right mood, even if the loooong draaawn ooouuuut chorus may eventually wear you out.
48Yellowcard
Southern Air

"A Vicious Kind" - You gotta love the driving, aggressive drum beats and bitter lyrics present here. It's a great spite/revenge track ("I want you to know I'm not sorry at all / You can't buy forgiveness or blame me for the fall") but also does a great job of delving into the backstory ("I was on your side before the war began...All I ever wanted was for us to beat the odds"). The only reason this hovers near the middle of the list is because it's a tad narrow sonically, rarely deviating from said beat and overall tone. Still, it's a piece that accomplishes exactly what it sets out to and fits very nicely on Southern Air's overarching theme of moving past trauma.
47Yellowcard
Ocean Avenue

"Miles Apart" - This is perhaps the most summery/optimistic track on an album full of summery/optimistic tracks. Key sings, in a hopeful yet sad tone, about him and someone he loves being separated by distance. It's very uptempo instrumentally and Mackin's violin joyously toils away in the background. The melody and chorus are very infectious, but my favorite part is actually the bridge when Key belts out "I'd give it up for just one more day with you". This song is ear candy, start to finish.
46Yellowcard
When You're Through Thinking, Say Yes

"Hang You Up" - This one is all about the beat/rhythm. It's a simple one, yet somehow it feels innovative. "Hang You Up" is virtually impossible not to tap your foot to, and Key's lyrics, while somewhat pedestrian here, are delivered with his usual level of earnestness. The melody itself is a massive hook, which when combined with the infectious beat make for one of, if not the, catchiest slow song in YC's repertoire. They also once again prove themselves masters of the bridge, with the "memories of the light in your eyes" line shining particularly bright.
45Yellowcard
Southern Air

"Here I Am Alive" - To a lot of people this may seem like one of their poppiest/most basic songs, and I guess it definitely could be seen that way. Aside from the fact that I enjoy this Patrick Stump co-written track (ft. backing vocals from Tay Jardine), it's the lyrics that have made this stick with me for so many years. Around the time this album came out, I was going through a pretty huge transformation in my life, and shedding some not-so-great friends was a part of that process. Lines like "Someone's going to tell you who you should want to be" and "Someone's gonna tell you that you deserve the worst" resonated with me a lot, but not nearly as much as the self-affirming confidence that comes with "And when they give up, cause they always give up / Say, here I am alive." It's a great song for cutting ties with the toxic people in your life...that's what this song means to me, at least, and for that reason it ranks at a much higher level than the music alone might indicate.
44Yellowcard
Ocean Avenue

"View From Heaven" - Ah yes, YC's country moment. "View From Heaven" is a very moving song despite its upbeat tempo, with the song clearly paying tribute to someone who passed away: "Sometimes I still just can't believe you're gone" / "I only need one more day / Just one more chance to say / I wish that I had gone up with you too". Ryan's delivery is outstanding and the female backing vocals make it even better. One of Ocean Avenue's more underrated cuts.
43Yellowcard
Paper Walls

"Afraid" - The first descriptor that comes to my mind when I think of "Afraid" is dynamic. Everything just sounds so in-sync, from the perfectly paced drumming to Mendez's guitars that come crashing over Ryan Key's voice when he hits that earworm chorus. The flow is immaculate from the get-go, and it's one of those songs that has always gotten slept on a bit because it's not one of their mega-hits. My favorite lyric is "When there is nothing left to save / Will you be afraid?" A case-in-point of Yellowcard taking something simple and expressing it with an emotional edge that nobody else could.
42Yellowcard
One for the Kids

"Rough Draft" - This is the best song on One for the Kids. In fact, I could argue that it is peak acoustic Yellowcard, with guitars that ring out with pristine clarity. Ryan's vocals are sensitive and emotional, helping to sell heart-on-sleeve lyrics like "May a sickness come and set me free / Kill me while I still believe that you were meant for me" or "Wouldn't want to wake the eyes that make me melt inside". This got me through some tough times as a teen, and even though it doesn't have quite the same impact that it used to, it still holds a special place in my heart.
41Yellowcard
Paper Walls

"Light Up the Sky" - This has grown on me a ton over the years. Aside from being one of the best midtempo Yellowcard songs there is, it's almost impossible for me to walk away from it not feeling optimistic and inspired. I have memories of listening to this song while trying to win the heart of my now-wife as we did this "will they/won't they" type of balancing act for years ("How will we know if we just don't try? We won't ever know") and also of it getting me through some really difficult breakups ("you've come this far with a broken heart"). This song was often a beacon of light when I needed it the most.
40Yellowcard
Ocean Avenue

"Way Away" - Although I can't recall for certain, I think this was the first Yellowcard song I ever heard (while playing Madden 2004!). If that is indeed the case, then I owe this track a debt of gratitude for introducing me to my all-time favorite pop-punk band. "Way Away" is more intense than your typical YC song, and the lyrics are also more negative than the majority of what you'll hear on Ocean Avenue ("Way away so you can see / How it feels to be alone and not believe anything"). It's an iconic Yellowcard song for a reason: it absolutely, unequivocally rocks the fuck out. I don't have the requisite emotional connection to this song for it to rank in the top 30, but it sure is a nostalgic jam.
39Yellowcard
Paper Walls

"Keeper" - Replete with an absolutely soaring chorus from Key, "Keeper" tells the story of someone who hurt their partner emotionally and is seemingly attempting to make amends ("I wanna know if I could be someone to turn to that could never hurt you / But I know what you think of me / You had a breakthrough and now I'm just bad news for you"). So when he sings, "I wish I could be somebody else", it's because he's destroyed the trust he once had with this person and wishes he could start over again. It's a helpless but beautiful sentiment, and one that resonated with me and I'm sure many other listeners at some point in time.
38Yellowcard
Paper Walls

"Five Becomes Four" - As the title suggests, this track is about the band's rift with former guitarist Ben Harper. It's similar lyrically to "A Viscious Kind", and once again the song isn't merely a blame game - it elevates the songwriting by telling a backstory to provide emotional levity: "Remember the line 'never say die'? / You were the reason I survived"..."Why would you try and hurt me now?". The real attraction here is the strength of the band's performance, though, with Longineu Parsons and Sean Mackin in particular putting on an absolute showcase of drumming/violins respectively. The relentless breakneck pace makes it an ideal driving/hype jam just about any time.
37Yellowcard
Southern Air

"Rivertown Blues" - Another song where the instrumentals absolutely shine. Mackin's violin is prominent and drives the whole thing, while Mendez's guitar is prevalent throughout culminating in a very satisfying solo. I don't really need to tell you that LPIII's drumming is as off-the-wall and amazing as ever. Lyrically, it's a wistful look back at a relationship that soured over time, which is a running theme not only on Southern Air but really throughout Yellowcard's career: "I'm supposed to say 'this was your loss', and 'I'm fine'"..."Somewhere inside this, you changed / And I could never follow you that way". For me personally, this has more musical appeal than lyrical/emotional, although both components of the track thrive.
36Yellowcard
Paper Walls

"You and Me and One Spotlight" - I know it sounds corny, but the best songs are the ones that transport me. Every time I listen to "You and Me and One Spotlight", my mind goes to the same place: this slow, final dance at the end of the world. It's a bleak scenario for a Yellowcard song, but as usual, they find a way to romanticize it and turn it into a series of beautiful moments: "When everything dies with one last sunrise / Together, not scared, I'll dry your last tear, and then we're just air"..."Go put on your best tonight / It's you and me and not much time / To watch the world burning bright / We are ready". Combine lyrics like this with a melody as gorgeous as what we get here, and you have a true stunner.
35Yellowcard
Lights and Sounds

"Rough Landing, Holly" - With references to Hollywood, CA and drug usage, "Rough Landing, Holly" depicts the disorienting feeling of being launched into fame. It's a rock track through-and-through, commencing with an immediate wave of fast-paced drumming and electric guitars that lead to one of Yellowcard's hugest-sounding (minus the obligatory pop-punk sugar) choruses ever. It's in line with Lights and Sounds' darker themes, but loses none of the melodic qualities or instrumental hooks. This is Yellowcard at/near their most energetic, and it's an essential track for fans and non-fans alike.
34Yellowcard
Ocean Avenue

"Breathing" - A song that depicts the weight and crushing guilt of messing up in a relationship, "Breathing" delivers one of the most poignant lines in Yellowcard's entire discography when, on the heels of a mini guitar/violin breakdown Ryan sings: "I know that I hurt you, things will never be the same / The only love I ever knew, I threw it all away." I dare anyone to listen to this song and not feel those lines, and in some way relate to them, deep down in their soul. The verses throughout the song all build up to this moment, hinting at the fallout to come: "even though you are next to me I still feel so alone" / "Something I've been keeping locked away behind my lips / I can feel it breaking free with each and every kiss". It's a superbly executed song in every way, and one that still cuts deep whenever I hear it.
33Yellowcard
Ocean Avenue

"Empty Apartment" - For the longest time, Ocean Avenue was my go-to "breakup album", and "Empty Apartment" is a big reason for that. It conveys heartache like few songs can, capturing the hurt of a fresh breakup ("Waking up from this nightmare / How's your life? What's it like there? / Is it all what you want it to be? / Does it hurt when you think about me / And how broken my heart is?") along with the desire to "win her back" ("Take you away / From that empty apartment you stay") and eventually moving on ("Maybe some day I will see you again / And you'll look me in my eyes and call me your friend"). Essentially, it's an entire breakup in a song, and it's a very powerful one at that.
32Yellowcard
Lift a Sail

"Illuminate" - I know I've spent a good portion of this list talking about how much Lift a Sail has grown off me, but there are some tracks that have not only endured, but continue to grow stronger with time. "Illuminate" is a beautiful piece from start to finish, with Key's layered melodic chorus of "Do you picture me? / What do you see? Maybe a future full of unwritten things" serving as one of the most beautiful and hopeful sentiments in the band's entire catalog -- not to mention how they rachet up the tempo for a very satisfying rock finish that poses another silver lining: "Rise like the brightest sun / Our darkest days are done". This song alone will help anchor Lift a Sail as an album I return to in the future.
31Yellowcard
Southern Air

"Always Summer" - To me, this feels like Yellowcard embodied in one song. Take the title itself for starters, which captures the warmth of their entire career in two words. Then there's the lyrics, which are as earnest and romantic as ever: "I loved you first, I love you still / I always will." The fact that there's an actual violin solo still makes me giddy. Most of all, though, I'm forever attached to this track because it reminds me of the week I began dating my wife. You can dissect songs all you want, but eventually it all boils down to how they make you feel. This one fills me up with joy.
30Yellowcard
Southern Air

"Sleep In The Snow" - Sorry for the double-dip in "a glimpse at Sowing's love life when no one asked", but "Sleep in the Snow" is, once again, all about the memories. For the longest time, I viewed myself as a loner - someone who felt everything and felt it big, but was trapped in the mind of a shy, awkward introvert. Dating my wife changed that, and "Sleep in the Snow" - aka midtempo pop-punk perfected - still captures those feelings in ways I never could: "I was safe in my fortress alone / Then you came and tore it all down"..."I've always run right through the moments that count / But somehow with you I slow down". Ryan's glowing falsetto in the outro is just the icing on the cake.
29Yellowcard
Lights and Sounds

"How I Go" - The penultimate Lights and Sounds track is filled with references to the award-winning 2003 film Big Fish, and it feels like an epic journey in its own right. It's mysterious ("I could tell you the wildest of tales / My friend the giant and traveling sails") romantic ("I froze in the moment and she changed it all"), and possesses an undeniable sense of finality ("I leave you now but you have so much more to do / And every story I have told is part of you"). Natalie Maines' stunning backing vocals elevate the experience even more, with her gorgeous vocals and Ryan's intertwining to form a breathtaking duet. This song could have been the final track of their career and it would have been fitting.
28Yellowcard
Yellowcard

"Got Yours" - In what is most likely their best uptempo song post-Longineu, "Got Yours" absolutely rips. This is mostly thanks to Ryan Mendez's prominent and highly energetic guitars, as well as Nate Young (of Anberlin) racheting things up a few notches. The song once again deals with the (at the time) breakup of Yellowcard, with references abount to drifting apart and moving in separate directions ("Building towers to watch them come back down"..."Maybe I lose you after all / There is nothing left for us to call home"..."I got mine, you got yours"). Of all the songs on Yellowcard's self-titled finale, this is the one the delivers the highest dose of adrenaline. If/when the band reunites without LPIII, I hope they take a lot of notes from this track.
27Yellowcard
When You're Through Thinking, Say Yes

"See Me Smiling" - This is quite the moving track, with Key longing for someone who has passed away: "I need you back like I need to air to breathe this out" / "It's not the same without you...You were the rhythm that was bringing us to life" / "Wherever you are, I hope you can see me smiling". Parsons and Mendez of course keep the depressing lyrics from becoming a drab musical affair, delivering one urgent riff after another atop heavy drumming with fantastic and creative fills. There's almost a fury to it, expressing anger where Ryan is only to convey sadness. It's one of the band's best and least talked about post-hiatus moments.
26Yellowcard
Ocean Avenue

"Inside Out" - The end of any relationship can be messy, and "Inside Out" captures those conflicting emotions about as well as any song I've heard. Harper's riffs and Mackin's violins drive the experience, while Ryan reflects on everything about the relationship from jealousy ("I hope you think of me / Hope you wonder where I sleep at night") to anger ("If you're lucky I will be your last regret, your only friend") and circling right back to love again during the bridge ("The two of us we dream like one...The two of us take breath like one"). That bridge in particular qualifies as one of the most beautiful moments in any Yellowcard track, and it's one I've certainly spent my fair share of time indulging in when I'm feeling particularly vulnerable. One of Ocean Avenue's more unheralded gems.
25Yellowcard
Yellowcard

"Savior's Robes" - Perhaps the angriest song in Yellowcard's late-career phase. The song is a double-edged sword, with the verses telling the story of a toxic person who "needed cutting away" while the chorus seems to slyly acknowledge that the band has run its natural course: "Play us a song I know / Make it an older one...Don't you get it?" It's befitting as the penultimate track on their self-titled finale, delivering a drive and aggression sorely lacking (aside from "Got Yours") elsewhere while still tying everything about the band's life cycle together in a way that is emotional and slightly acerbic.
24Yellowcard
When You're Through Thinking, Say Yes

"With You Around" - "Do you remember when I said you were my only one?", Ryan Key inquires on this self-referential homerun of a comeback track. The obvious tie-in is to the band's massive hit single "Only One", and the placement of the track on their 2011 post-hiatus comeback album couldn't have been better. It's more than just fan service, though: "With You Around" is explosively catchy, highly melodic, and oozes with the kind of summer warmth that makes long time fans of the band swoon. Where "Only One" was longing and reminiscent, "With You Around" nods toward the future, with silver linings like "Now I wanna chase forever down / With you around." This is the ideal blend of uptempo fun, emotional appeal, and rewarding their dedicated listeners.
23Yellowcard
Lights and Sounds

"Lights And Sounds" - The Lights and Sounds title track is ablaze with electric guitar riffs, full-throttle drumming, and explosive energy all around. The melody in the chorus is an enormous and impossible to forget, while the lyrics delve into fame and expectations. "Make it new but stay in the lines...Smile big for everyone" is pretty clearly a reference to fans wanting the sunny, happy Yellowcard, while the band instead wanted to explore their darker and more creative side. Thank goodness they did, because Lights and Sounds (both the song and the whole album) showcase a different but equally brilliant side of the band.
22Yellowcard
Lights and Sounds

"Waiting Game" - If you ask me, this is "the" lyrical gem from Lights and Sounds. It's Ryan Key's showcase, from his pen to his voice. When he sings "If I lose you I don't know", you can feel his desperation. You can also feel his pain when he sings "What I see when I dream hurts like hell and back". When he belts out the dramatic chorus "More than ever, I need to feel you", you'd never know that the towering voice you're witnessing once fronted a pitchy, raw punk outfit. "Waiting Game" captures the band's maturity - both musically and emotionally - in one epic moment of grandeur.
21Yellowcard
Ocean Avenue

"Only One" - From the dreamy guitar intro to Key's gradual escalation from quiet, lovestruck verses to declaring - literally at the top of his lungs - his affection for his "only one", this song's place as perhaps Yellowcard's most iconic song is well-earned. It's one of those songs you simply have to hear to understand its impact. Usually pop-punk songs win you over with their energy and lyrics - and that's not to say that "Only One" isn't strong in those departments - but Key is even stronger, demanding your undivided focus with his gripping, powerful delivery. The swelling violins underscore the moment with a sense of elegance and poignancy, making for one of the most emotionally stirring pop-punk songs of all time.
20Yellowcard
Ocean Avenue

"Ocean Avenue" - Ah, Yellowcard's calling card. Even if you don't know who Yellowcard is, you've likely heard "Ocean Avenue" on the radio or while out shopping. The amount of times this track has been played and overplayed might be the only reason it's not ranked higher inside of my top 20. But that's no fault of Yellowcard's, of course - "Ocean Avenue" is the perfect pop-punk love song, and it will likely never be de-throned. If your heart doesn't skip a beat, or your eyes don't well up even just a little, when Key belts out these incoming lines, then you might want to check your pulse: "I remember the look in your eyes when I told you that this was goodbye / You were beggin' me, not tonight / Not here, not now / We're looking up at the same night sky and keep pretendin' the sun will not rise / We'll be together for one more night / Somewhere, somehow" Utter perfection.
19Yellowcard
Yellowcard

"A Place We Set Afire" - This is Yellowcard's most honest farewell song to their fans. "We don't have to say goodbye", Ryan admits, before adding "You tell me there must be a little light left flickering burning in a place we set afire / But no one will listen if we just wait here to burn / We gotta swing away, gotta cut the wire." In essence, he's saying that they can't spend their whole careers trying to rekindle a fire that's burnt out - they had their moment of fame back on 2003's Ocean Avenue, and it passed. Of course, this wouldn't be a top-20 Yellowcard track without the memorable riff that defines the song's melody, the huge wistful chorus, Mackin's late violin swell, or even the bells that chime in during the final refrain. It all makes for one of the band's most moving full-circle moments; a perfect bow to tie around a nearly perfect career.
18Yellowcard
Lift a Sail

"One Bedroom" - You probably overlooked this one, didn't you? The best song by a pretty wide margin on Lift A Sail remains everything I wish that album would have been. It retains Key's penchant for heart-on-sleeve lyrics ("Watch the waves with me / We can love like we are forever...You’re the last stop and I arrive / You’re the one for the rest of time") but also launches into an explosive rock crescendo, replete with a fiery Mendez guitar solo that lasts nearly a quarter of the song. The song was written for Key's then-wife Alyona Alekhina, and you can truly sense that this was written as something of an ode to her. It might be Yellowcard's most powerful love song.
17Yellowcard
When You're Through Thinking, Say Yes

"The Sound of You and Me" - It's hard to imagine When You're Through Thinking, Say Yes without its frenzied opener. "The Sound of You and Me" is a song all about resolution, and keeping an eye to the future. I can't tell you how much this song meant to me in 2011, when I was on the precipice of some of the biggest changes of my life: moving into my own apartment, starting my first "real" job in the heart of the city, and giving up on an instance of unrequited love that had haunted me for nearly five years. With Longineu Parsons' absolutely beastly drumming performance and Sean Mackin's triumphant violins washing over me like a cool ocean wave, I wouldn't have even needed heartfelt lines like "Someday everything ends...I've never been more ready to move on" to attach myself to this song forever.
16Yellowcard
Southern Air

"Telescope" - This is one of Yellowcard's all-time growers for me. I must not have paid enough attention back when this song dropped along with Southern Air back in 2012, or I would have noted in my review of the album that "Telescope" just might have the best verses of any YC track. Dedicated to Ryan's late aunt, who encouraged him to become a musician, Key sings, "You were inspiration, when no one else believed...You said every day's a gift and we'll be alright / Something took you from me, I can't understand why / But wherever you're resting, I'm carrying your light", topping it only a few lines later with the picturesque gem "When the fireflies / Lit up our skies / Those were the nights when the world made us smile." It's sentimentally breathtaking, and one of those tracks where once you "feel it", you can't un-feel it.
15Yellowcard
Paper Walls

"Cut Me, Mick" - Few songs can can make me feel as simultaneously amped and utterly vulnerable as "Cut Me Mick". The incredible force and power behind Parsons' drumming and Mendez's riffs are, as they always have been, an amazing source of energy for the band - and this is somewhere near the top of their collective showcases. Combine that infectious tempo and aura with a chorus as memorable as "You bring me down from my cloud / You keep my feet on the ground / Bring me back to life", and you have one incredibly tight song. As if that weren't enough, the lyrics also seem to tell the story of someone who took their partner for granted and lost them: "When I thought that I might be invincible, wasn’t long before I was invisible...And the more you say you don’t care, the more I know you’re there." It's a song I have to admit that I related to like crazy around the time Paper Walls was released, so this ticks just about every box from the songwriting itself to the nostalgia factor.
14Yellowcard
Ocean Avenue

"Believe" - If you're a true Yellowcard fan, you can already hear the onslaught of violins just from reading the title of this song. In addition to being Yellowcard's most uptempo song, it's also the band's most optimistic, paying tribute to the fallen heroes of 9/11 and using it as fuel to make positive change. "Wanna hold my wife when I get home / Wanna tell the kids they'll never know / How much I love to see them smile" Key sings with heightened emotion. It's a song that's born out of tragedy, but extracts meaning from it. "Wanna live a life like you somehow, wanna make your sacrifice worthwhile"..."Everything is gonna be alright / Be strong, believe." If there was a better message or a better way to musically portray it back in the era of 9/11 and the war on terror, then I'd love to hear it.
13Yellowcard
Southern Air

"Ten" - This song cuts deeper and closer to home than perhaps any other Yellowcard track. The song is about a child Ryan Key never had due to miscarriage, who would have been ten years old at the time the song was released. It's an acoustic track with some subtle country influence, but the selling point is the incredibly personal lyrics: "I found out in the fall, I've been gone, on the road for a year / She said, 'Honey, I've got real bad news' / And then there were just tears"..."Since then I've often wondered what you might have been like / How it would have felt to hold you / Would you have had my eyes?"..."Now I live in a dream where I am holding your little hands...I never got to meet you, my best friend". I'm not crying, you're crying. The song has only become more important to me since I endured a similar situation in the summer of 2017.
12Yellowcard
Paper Walls

"Paper Walls" - Had Yellowcard's first hiatus become permanent, I would have been more than okay with this being the band's swan song. It opens with a children's choir, and then launches into Mendez's beefy riffs and Mackin's emotive violins. If you've read through this list then you know I'm a sucker for songs with a sense of absolute finality, as if they were sung for Earth's final hours. In this case, I truly believe that "Paper Walls" was written to potentially be Yellowcard's last message to their fans. "Let's take what hurts, and write it all down / On these paper walls in this empty house / And when our ink runs out, we'll burn it to the ground" takes on special meaning when you realize that it's describing why the houses on the cover art are glowing. The power with which Ryan sings "Hear me now, you will never be alone" feels eternal. These guys are experts at this kind of thing, and "Paper Walls" is one of their best closers in a career full of mindblowing curtain-calls.
11Yellowcard
Lights and Sounds

"Three Flights Down (Lights and Sounds b-side)" - The dark horse entry has arrived! "Three Flights Down" is Yellowcard's bleakest song, both atmospherically and lyrically. Originally written to be the opposite bookend to the piano intro "Three Flights Up", it ultimately got scrapped to save runtime space or something, but no reason is good enough to omit this heartwrenching lament. I listened to this song on repeat for months as I endured my first true "heartbreak" in high school, and the fact that it resonates with me every bit as strongly in 2023 is a testament to this thing's power. It's chock-full of stinging lyrics, but my favorites would have to be the desolate, depressing "Quiet on the front / The sky dropped the sun" and the self-valuing "Lately I've found, you're bringing me down / And I can't stand to see me this way." This track still haunts me to this day, and I've always proudly proclaimed it as Yellowcard's unheralded masterpiece.
10Yellowcard
Paper Walls

"The Takedown" - Yellowcard's #1 instrumental showcase is right here. I remember shaking, quite literally, with excitement when Paper Walls dropped on my 19th birthday and this was the first song on it. It felt like a true artistic leap for the band, who suddenly seemed capable of writing catchy, complex riffs with drum patterns/fills capable of running circles around anyone else in the scene. I'm getting hyped up just typing this. Then you factor in that Ryan key apparently can't not pen poignant lyrics (as an at-one-time hopeless romantic, "I won't get by, I won't heal in time" felt like a defiant anthem in the face of every well-meaning friend who told me to basically "just hang in there") and you get this frenetic, wildly exciting opener that doesn't lose even an ounce of Yellowcard's core emotional appeal. Easily top-10 all time YC.
9Yellowcard
Ocean Avenue

"One Year, Six Months" - The beauty of this song still takes my breath away. It's almost unbelievable that a pop-punk band wrote something as poetic and universal as "Sew this up with threads of reason and regret...All that I've got to pull me through is memories of you", or "Maybe we'll forget...I hope we don't forget", or "So many nights, legs tangled tight / Wrap me up in a dream with you", or "I'm falling into memories of you and things we used to do / Follow me there, a beautiful somewhere...a place that we can share", or...basically any word uttered in this track? And don't get me started on the acoustics here, which are so goddamn pretty that they make me want to paint a sunset...or something like that. Have you ever heard the piano version of this on 2013's Ocean Avenue Acoustic? It's possibly, somehow, even more gorgeous. If I had only one shot at convincing someone to fall in love with Yellowcard, this is probably the song I'd choose.
8Yellowcard
Southern Air

"Southern Air" - This is very much a near-and-dear track for me. In 2012 I was rounding a lot of important life milestones - I was cutting out some toxic influences in my life (both of the substance and human variety), I had a new job, I was dating my future wife, and I moved back to my hometown all within the same summer. This song feels like it was custom made for me, in that moment: "I thought about the day / When I could truly say I'm better now / And here I am"..."After living through these wild years and coming out alive / I just want to lay my head here / Stop running for a while"..."The sun lays down inside the ocean, I'm right where I belong / Feel the air and salts on my skin, the future's coming on." The song is delivered with equal parts nostalgia and urgency, making for an emphatically inspiring curtain call to my all-time favorite pop-punk album from my all-time favorite pop-punk band.
7Yellowcard
Lights and Sounds

"City Of Devils" - Not unlike "Three Flights Down", this is one of Yellowcard's saddest songs ever. It deals with themes of isolation and loneliness in ways that I struggle to convey as strongly as I feel them. All I know is that it's damn near impossible not to scream along at the top of my lungs to the lyrics in the bridge, when Ryan Key wails, "What if I wanted you here right now? / Would you fall in the fire burn me down?" Key's vocal performance here is like "Waiting Game"'s darker half - equally as towering, but less "desperate" and more "despair". Of course, none of this is meaning to undersell just how well the band creates a barren, dejected canvas: Harper's dive-bar strums in the intro paint an image of someone at the end of his rope, stumbling drunk between city bars under the ceaseless neon lights of LA. This song grasps at my soul in the most sand and haunting way, and I don't think I'll ever want or be able to shake it.
6Yellowcard
Southern Air

"Awakening" - When "Awakening" opened up Southern Air, I was just getting out of a long, complicated years-long relationship with someone whom I gave everything to..and then some. When I woke up one morning and she was gone with little explanation other than a private social media message, I was pretty badly burned. If you're starting to sense a pattern of lyrics tying directly into my life, well, that's why YC means this much to me. The opening lines here hit me square in the soul when I first heard them, fresh off of the aforementioned ordeal: "Bottoms up tonight, I drink to you and I / 'Cause with the morning comes the rest of my life / And with this empty glass, I will break the past / 'Cause with the morning I can open my eyes / I want this to be my awakening." I will always associate this song with the final unbearable heartbreak I endured before I started dating my wife, making my connection to the lyrics both bitter and uplifting - just like the song itself.
5Soundtrack (Film)
Spider-Man 2

"Gifts and Curses (Spider Man 2 Soundtrack)" - How could you forget about the Spider Man soundtrack? Yellowcard didn't have to go this hard for a mere soundtrack inclusion, but "Gifts and Curses" brings everything to the table from incredible instrumentation to emotionally all-in lyrics. I get chills every time I hear that mini guitar breakdown at the end of the verse, knowing that Yellowcard is about to launch into what may be their best chorus in a career overflowing with highlight-worthy choruses. I can't say enough about the slow build-up to that absolutely monumental crescendo...absolutely epic stuff that topples basically anything else they've done from an instrumental standpoint. "Gifts and Curses" is top tier pop-punk.
4Yellowcard
Lights and Sounds

"Holly Wood Died" - The Lights and Sounds closer is a track filled with substance abuse ("So give me one more line"), depression ("She just wants a good life, so someone remembers her too"), and questions of mortality ("Somewhere she heard there was some place to go / When you die when you live like we do"). There are metaphors abound, from the band's disillusionment with LA and the Hollywood scene to the repeated drug references. In many ways, it feels like Ryan speaking to a close friend who he's trying to save: "I'll be there when you come down / I'll be waiting for you". While I'm not exactly certain of the meaning behind every lyric, the track definitely paints a broader image of the sort of fast life they led on the heels of Ocean Avenue, which launched them into immediate fame. The orchestral violin-laden outro reprises "Three Flights Up", bringing the entire album full-circle in one of the most epic and satisfying moments of Yellowcard's entire discography.
3Yellowcard
Ocean Avenue

"Back Home" - For quite some time, this was my #1 Yellowcard song - and on some days, I think it still might be. It's a beautifully depressing track that takes us oceanside for an anthem of unrequited love. While the chorus ("Another sunny day in Californ-I-A") plays the role of irresistible melody, the real magic is in the verses and the way they express dissatisfaction with the shallowness of society when it comes to approaching relationships. It's the curse that people who feel things so strongly must bear; this sensation of always caring and loving too much. It's hard not to relate when Key belts out, "They don't know that what you love is ripped away / before you get a chance to feel it." This song is the main reason that I took to Ocean Avenue as my go-to breakup album, and while I'm years beyond the casual dating scene, it still stings a little to revisit this track and the memories it brings with it. Twenty whole years later, that's the sign of a damn good song.
2Yellowcard
When You're Through Thinking, Say Yes

"Be the Young" - This moment feels like a navigation guide through my entire 2011/2012 life-altering crossroads. If you've read this far, you know that my attachment to Yellowcard is more personal than anything even remotely approaching objective, and "Be The Young" somehow took the swirling heartache/joy of my young adult life and expressed it all in one simple, hopeful line: "This is endless and I know / Growing up has just begun". The good, the bad, and the ugly are all contained in that brilliant lyric, one that accurately depicts us all as flawed individuals who will never stop making mistakes and (hopefully) learning from them. Yellowcard's portrayal of growth makes even the worst of times feel less daunting; if it's a means to an end, then it's worth enduring. Atop a sea of crashing guitars and cathartic violins, the sincerity of that line and equally as fervent pleas ("I need this to be real...please let it be real") ring out like universal truths - and they are.
1Yellowcard
Yellowcard

"Fields and Fences" - Yellowcard's albums have always coincided with critical junctures in my life - they're like chapters in a story that parallels that of my own. Just as "Back Home" guided me through the uncertain steps of adolescent dating and "Be The Young" saw me transform into a young adult making impactful life decisions, "Fields and Fences" has become the song that I now relate to most. There's a sense of having passed one's prime ("I've seen the lights come and go"), as well as a desire for safety and stability. However, that doesn't mean the passion is gone, because it shines through in moments of fervent clarity like the career-concluding mantra "I don't have much that I can give to you / But I know I love the way you make me feel like I'm at home / And I am not alone." It's the same feeling I get every time I look into my wife's eyes, or hold my son in my arms. Yellowcard has long accompanied me on my journey, and I'm looking forward to whatever memories may come next.
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