Formed in October of 2000, Bayside consisted of four musicians looking for … Read Full Bio ↴Formed in October of 2000, Bayside consisted of four musicians looking for a chance to play music the rest of their lives. They recorded a demo and the band began playing shows around Long Island, NY. They quickly caught the eye of Brooklyn, New York's Dying Wish Records, who released their first EP, "Long Stories Short", featuring the songs "Foot Impressions", "Days Of My Life", "Red Head VS. The Pretty Red Bracelet", "Downtime", "Ask For It", and "Advance Letter Goodbye".

Bayside immediately began touring with no signs of letting up. Bayside has shared the stage with acts like Alkaline Trio, Brand New, Further Seems Forever, Glasseater, The Rocking Horse Winner, The Reunion Show, and Taking Back Sunday. They've also completed an east coast stint in support of The Stryder, as well as appearing at the 2002 Skate and Surf Fest, where the bill included bands such as The Get Up Kids, Midtown, Dashboard Confessional, and Finch. During the summer of 2002, Bayside played a three-week stretch on Van's Warped Tour. In October of the same year, Bayside embarked on their first full US tour with Unsung Zeros and Junction 18.

They also released a Split EP with Name Taken.
The Split featured the songs "Loveless Wrists", "Cold and Blue and Lifeless", "Just Enough To Love You", and "Answers We'll Never Get".

In the midst of all this touring several line up changes occurred, as the band strived to find the right mix of personalities and dedication to get them where they wanted to be. Through the many line up changes there has been two constants...singer/guitarist Anthony Raneri and lead guitarist Jack O'Shea.
Former members include Andrew Elderbaum, Jason Enz, Jim Mitchell, and Gavin Miller who was used as a temporary replacement drummer for John "Beatz".

Eventually Bayside found a compatible mix with the current line up: Anthony Raneri, Jack O'Shea, bassist Nick Ghanbarian, and drummer Chris Guglielmo. Also added during this time was the management of Jamie Arthurs of J&J Artist Management.

During that time, they were signed to Victory Records, the label with whom they have released 4 albums.

Their First album, "Sirens and Condolences", which featured the single "Masterpiece" which they filmed a music video for, and spawned a huge on-coming of fans everywhere. "Sirens and Condolences" also features: "Poison In My Veins", "Phone Call From Poland", "Talking Of Michaelangelo", "Alcohol And Alter Boys", "A Synonym For Acquiesce", "How To Fix Everything", "Kellum", "If You're Bored", "Just Enough To Love You", and "Guardrail".

They then released their second full length, "Bayside", which featured the hit single "Devotion and Desire" for which they filmed a music video, and helped Bayside to justify their place as one of the best up and coming punk/alternative bands today. "Bayside"
also featured: "Hello Shitty", "Tortures Of The Damned", "They Looked Like Strong Hands", "Montauk", "Blame It On Bad Luck", "We'll Be O.K.", "Existing In A Crisis (Evelyn)", "Don't Call Me Peanut", "Half A Life", and "Dear Tragedy".

Then tragedy struck.
On the first night of the Never Sleep Again Tour with label-mates Hawthorne Heights, Aiden, and Silverstein, the band was in a tragic van accident, which left Anthony and Jack slightly hurt, Nick seriously injured, and caused the death of John.
Anthony and Jack decided to re-embark on the tour, and do the remainder of their sets acoustic.

This led to the release of their 3rd full-length album, "Bayside Acoustic", in 2006, which consists of 10 tracks. A new acoustic song in memory of John "Beatz", entitled "Winter"; five acoustic versions of their older songs:"Blame It On Bad Luck","They Looked Like Strong Hands","Masterpiece", "Montauk", and "Devotion And Desire". One live track,"Don't Call Me Peanut". An all-new non-acoustic song, "Paternal Reversal".And two cover songs. One of The Smoking Popes' "Megan", and a cover of Elliott Smith's "Baby Britain". The album also includes a live DVD of the final show of the tour, at the House Of Blues in Chicago, Illinois.

The band released their fourth full-length album, "The Walking Wounded" on February 6th, 2007 on Victory Records. The first single off the album is entitled "Duality", for which they have a music video. The album also features the tracks "The Walking Wounded", "They're Not Horses, They're Unicorns","Carry On", I & I", "Choice Hops and Bottled Self-Esteem", "Head On A Plate", "Dear Your Holiness", "Landing Feet First", "Thankfully","A Rite Of Passage", and "(POP)Ular SciencE".

Anthony has also begun an attempt at a solo career, touring with the Bombers, and performing with Vinny Caruana of I Am The Avalanche. A solo record hasn't been verified yet.

The band recently released a music video for the song "Carry On", that is exclusive to Myspace.
They have also set the date for a re-release of "The Walking Wounded" due out on July 22, 2008.

On September 30th, 2008, they released their 5th full-length studio album "Shudder". Also, their live CD "Bayside: Live At the Bayside Social Club" was released on the same day. It was recorded on August 17th, 2008 at S.I.R. Studios in New York, where a few lucky fans from the Bayside Social Club were given the chance to attend the private show.

Chemistry
Bayside Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

This must be the place.
I can tell by your glare.
I wouldn't touch you on a dare.
Seven months to June and even then, so what?
My mouth is open, my book is shut.
My air guitar is out of tune.
My stupid hair is so '82 to you.
At least I don't fit in.

Corner me in Chemistry.
It's all just simple math to me.
Call me your names.
Make them stick.
I'll laugh until I am sick.
Glad that that's all through.
Got better friends to do.
Just can't remember where I left them.
I'll see you all in class.
Not if I ditch first.
Expect the best, accept the worst.
Walk until your blush subsides.
Drink beneath the 405 in the ivy and think about that girl.
Two grades below.
She pierced her nose way before it was cool.
Some older guy with a motorbike picks her up after school.
This school's a living hell.
I work and don't get paid.
I smoke a lot but can't get laid.
Sit and stare, it's all we do.

All my friends are broken, too.
We're just waiting. Waiting to begin.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to "Chemistry" by Bayside describe the experience of being an outsider in high school. The singer doesn't fit in with the rest of their peers and is often the target of their ridicule. Despite this, they refuse to conform or change themselves and instead find solace in music, smoking, and hanging out with their fellow misfit friends. The title of the song is a reference to the class "chemistry" which serves as a metaphor for the interactions between the singer and their peers. While chemistry can be a complicated subject, the singer views their interactions with their classmates as simple math - they don't fit in and are often bullied. The lyrics are both melancholic and defiant, capturing the struggle of adolescence and the search for self-identity.

Overall, "Chemistry" is a powerful reflection on the struggles of adolescence and the feelings of alienation that can accompany it. The lyrics speak to anyone who has ever felt like an outsider or struggled to find their place in a group. The song is a testament to the power of music to provide comfort and solace in difficult times.

Line by Line Meaning

This must be the place.
The singer feels out of place in their current environment and unsure if they belong.

I can tell by your glare.
The other person is giving off hostile vibes or seems unwelcoming.

I wouldn't touch you on a dare.
The singer wants absolutely nothing to do with the other person and considers them a liability.

Seven months to June and even then, so what?
The passage of time is meaningless and does not bring any kind of relief for the artist's situation.

My mouth is open, my book is shut.
The artist cannot seem to speak up in their own defense or express themselves properly.

My air guitar is out of tune.
The singer feels like they cannot even enjoy their own hobbies or passions because they are out of sync with the world around them.

My stupid hair is so '82 to you.
The singer feels like they are being judged for their appearance and deemed outdated or unfashionable.

At least I don't fit in.
The artist takes pride in the fact that they do not conform to societal norms and expectations.

Corner me in Chemistry.
The artist feels vulnerable and exposed in the classroom.

It's all just simple math to me.
The artist finds solace in the straightforwardness of science and math, as opposed to the complexity of social dynamics.

Call me your names.
The other students bully and tease the singer, calling them derogatory names.

Make them stick.
The other students' words have a lasting impact on the artist's mental and emotional wellbeing.

I'll laugh until I am sick.
The singer uses humor as a defense mechanism to cope with the pain and embarrassment of being bullied.

Glad that that's all through.
The singer is relieved that high school is over and they no longer have to endure such cruel treatment.

Got better friends to do.
The singer has moved on and found a new, healthier social circle.

Just can't remember where I left them.
The artist's memory is hazy when it comes to their past friendships.

I'll see you all in class.
The artist knows they will have to face their bullies again but tries to maintain a sense of detachment and indifference.

Not if I ditch first.
The singer would rather skip class than endure further mistreatment.

Expect the best, accept the worst.
The singer tries to remain optimistic but also realistic about their future prospects and interactions with others.

Walk until your blush subsides.
The artist suggests taking a walk to calm down and regain composure after a humiliating experience.

Drink beneath the 405 in the ivy and think about that girl.
The artist reminisces about a past crush and escapes their current reality through alcohol and daydreaming.

Two grades below.
The artist and the girl they are thinking about are not in the same grade level.

She pierced her nose way before it was cool.
The girl is an individualist who does not follow trends or seek validation from others.

Some older guy with a motorbike picks her up after school.
The girl has a rebellious streak and is involved with someone who is older and possibly a bad influence.

This school's a living hell.
The high school environment is akin to a nightmarish, torturous experience for the singer.

I work and don't get paid.
The singer feels like they are putting in effort and hard work but receiving no recognition or reward in return.

I smoke a lot but can't get laid.
The singer has vices and indulgences but cannot seem to fulfill their sexual desires or find intimacy.

Sit and stare, it's all we do.
The artist and their friends are stuck in a rut and feel like they are going nowhere in life.

All my friends are broken, too.
The artist's friends are also struggling with their mental and emotional health.

We're just waiting. Waiting to begin.
The singer and their friends are unsure of what the future holds and feel stuck in limbo.

Contributed by Ryan P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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TRACKS