Album Review: From Under the Cork Tree – Fall Out Boy (2005)
2015 is the best year in alternative music. It’s the 10 year mark of the albums that we’ve listened to our whole life, the albums that we’ve laughed, cried, and straight up grew up to. This month was the 10 year birthday of From Under the Cork Tree from everyone’s favorite band from Chicago, Fall Out Boy. This album was a pretty big hit for FOB; not only did the album receive double platinum status and sold over 2 million albums worldwide, it sent FOB to mainstream success. From Under the Cork Tree opened many doors for Fall out Boy.
1) Our Lawyer Made Us Change the Name of This Song So We Wouldn’t Get Sued – There’s been a rule that the first song is the grand entrance, and it shows listeners what the band/artist is made of. Case in point: Fall out Boy. This is by far one of the best leading songs in an album, because it shows what the band is made of. “Brothers and sisters put this record down. Take my advice cause we are bad news…” It starts with a bang, gets straight to the point, and badass lyrics. It makes sense why this is the first song of the album.
2) Of All the Gin Joints in All the World – One of my favorite songs in the album, music and lyric wise. Music wise, it’s fast and brings so music energy. Lyrics wise, it feels like it came from the heart, there’s so much truth and energy in the lyrics at the same time. The lyrics and music really blend well bringing energetic music and lyrics together. I give many props to both Pete and Patrick for coming up with music to rock to and lyrics to relate to. This song doesn’t disappoint.
3) Dance, Dance – I’m pretty sure everyone, and I mean EVERYONE, knows this song. Once you hear the drums and the bass line, you know what song this is and you start head banging NONSTOP. Dance is a memorable song from the good old FOB days. And the music video is just as memorable as the song. A freaking high school dance, with Fall Out Boy. 10 years later, and I still laugh when Pete dances at the end.
4) Sugar, We're Goin’ Down – I’m not gonna go into detail about this song, because EVERYONE knows this song. Once the drum comes in, that’s when everyone starts rocking out. But the moment is the first line,” Am I more than you bargained for yet...” Once every one hears that first line, everyone starts rocking out. This song was the very first time almost everyone had seen or heard of FOB. And the music video is unique and definitely an introduction to the band. No one has made a video of a human/deer falling for a human
5) Nobody Puts Baby in the Corner – One of those songs where it’s not one of my favorites, but I’ll still listen to the song when it plays. It has a very punk vibe, the kind that gets you to stop what you’re doing and rock out. The lyrics say a lot about the song as well. Overall, not a bad song.
6) I've Got a Dark Alley and a Bad Idea That Says You Should Shut Your Mouth (Summer Song) – The lyrics say A LOT in this song, it has a really deep meaning and bring a really deep vibe for this song. This song is basically a poem, you can get a poetry vibe out of this song.
7) 7 Minutes in Heaven (Atavan Halen) – This is my MAIN favorite in the album, I love this song for the music and the lyrics. The lyrics in this song have a very punk vibe, while the music has the punk/energetic vibe. Fun Fact: Joe sang as well in this song (Pete and Joe have roles as backup vocals in most of the songs, so here’s to anyone that says it’s ONLY Patrick). Favorite line? “I'm sitting out dances on the wall. Trying to forget everything that isn't you, I'm not going home alone. Cause I don't do too well on my own”
8) Sophomore Slump or Comeback of the Year – Another favorite song of mine, mainly because the music and lyrics blend really well. I’m in love with the lyrics in this song the lyrics are ones that everyone understands. You can listen to the break, and once you hear the lyrics in that part, you can really understand the song and relate to the song as well.
9) Champagne for My Real Friends, Real Pain for My Sham Friends – Another favorite song of mine in the album. It starts with less than a minute of guitar riffs. It’s a really fast song with lyrics that relate to a lot of listeners. This song in particular is a good example, there are moments where you can rock to the song and other moments where you can listen to the lyrics and relate to them. This song is one of my favorites overall.
10) I Slept With Someone in Fall Out Boy and All I Got Was This Stupid Song Written About Me – This song is another favorite on the album, it’s one of those songs where you do nothing but rock out (many songs like that in this album, obviously). I bet everyone’s favorite part is the break where Pete Wentz gets into scream mode for about a minute till Patrick goes back into the song. Also, when Pete screams into the end, and the ending goes into the next song, no one does it like FOB.
11) A Little Less Sixteen Candles, a Little More “Touch Me” – This song is by far one of my favorites, not only from the album but from the band! Every time I hear this song, you guys are gonna see an excited headbanging girl, just saying. Anyways, this song is so energetic and punk, and EVERYTHING that is Fall Out Boy. And the lyrics have very deep meanings as well, so there’s more to love besides the music. Over all, this song is another favorite song in the album.
12) Get Busy Living or Get Busy Dying (Do Your Part to Save the Scene and Stop Going to Shows)- Can’t really count this song as one of my favorites in the album. It has a very dance vibe, and the lyrics mixes really well with the song. It goes from slow to a dance vibe, with a break with the gang.
13) XO – Honestly, I did not think of this song as ending song, but as you listen to the whole song, you can feel the whole album come to full circle. In every ending song, there’s a part where you can feel the album come to full circle, and this is the song. Some songs have that; other songs have every song in the album mixed together. XO is definitely a perfect ending song.
Overall, from under the cork tree is one of the best songs of the alternative rock era. As stated before, I give a lot of props to both Pete, Patrick, and the rest of FOB for coming up with the music and lyrics for the album. 10 years after FUTCT, it shows the band has come A LONG way, from just being 4 Chicago dudes to being one of the best bands in alternative rock. Personally, I’m extremely proud of the guys, how far the album has come, and I know this is not the last of fall out boy.
