Bleed American by Jimmy Eat World
by Lana Fleischli
Whenever I ask someone about the band Jimmy Eat World and they don’t know of them, I start singing, “It just takes some time, little girl, you’re in the middle of the ride…” and suddenly a lightbulb would go off in their head! That song, “The Middle,” has been a song that I’ve known my whole life. My mom once told me that instead of classic lullabies, she would sing “The Middle.” It’s funny because before Bleed American came out, they were dropped by their record label, only to come out with their biggest song ever, “The Middle.” The stories behind this album are fascinating and show how so many things can connect to music. It doesn't matter if it’s actually what is in the song, or what is happening in the world. It’s just cool how it all comes together.
When I was older, like in 4th grade, my mom played the song “Sweetness” for me. I remember being immediately struck by the cries throughout the song. To me, the whoa oh-oh-oh-ohs, sang throughout the song, sounded painful, like a cry for help. The lyrics, “I was spinning free (whoa oh-oh-oh-oh). With a little sweet and simple numbing me,” make me understand the song better. My 10 year old self thought that a song entitled “Sweetness” must be a happy song, which is why I was confused about how painful it sounded. Perhaps I was on the money the whole time. He is saying that the Sweetness (supposedly a good thing, like some sort of pleasure, whether good or bad for you,) is how he is numbing himself from all of the pain. Are the Sweetness drugs? Some addiction in general? “Sweetness” really gives insight into Jimmy Eat World’s music. It’s punk, but also alt, and emo.
I really love the song “A Praise Chorus,” because it’s a song that is meant to hype you up. It’s about not holding on to your past or your insecurities. It’s a message to not live your life as a mere observer, but to be observed! He references the song “Crimson and Clover” by Tommy James and The Shondells, as well as Madness’s “Our House.” He adds a reference to “Don’t Let Start” by They Might Be Giants. He also managed to get his friend, Davey Von Bohlen, of The Promise Ring on the song where he says “So come on Davey, sing me something that I know!” I love when artists reference other songs that mean something to them, or that have shaped them and their music today.
Remember when I said how it is so cool how music can connect to so many things? Well, here is another story that I read on udiscovermusic.com. Bleed American came out in July 2001. It was a hit. Like I said, “The Middle” is, to this day, their most famous song. So yeah, this album did well. However, we all know what happened in 2001, specifically September 11th, 2001. An attack on the World Trade Center occurred and over 2,000 people died, and 6,000 were injured. It is the biggest attack on The U.S to date, and a traumatizing experience for those who had to live through it. If you don’t get how this could possibly relate to Jimmy Eat World’s Bleed American, just think about the name of the album. The album, Bleed American came out just months before. After 9/11, people weren’t as keen to listen to an album with that name, so they had to change it. They changed it to “Jimmy Eat World.” Then, seven years later, they changed it back to Bleed American.
I like albums with stories behind them. The 9/11 story, while dark, shows how even music and culture can become intertwined with history. Just like how some artists today reference the pandemic in their music, or how they had to change something about their art because of the pandemic’s limitations. Also, who doesn't love an underdog story? Being dumped by their label just to produce their biggest song immediately after is such an awesome story. I also like when you can hear their stories in the album. Like how I was saying that in “Sweetness,” you can hear the pain. In “A Praise Chorus,” you know exactly the message that he is portraying. Bleed American is an album full of stories inside and out, and I really love that about it.