2003–2004: Independent success
After the release of their mini-album, Fall Out Boy built a large following playing in the Chicago area. Drummer Andy Hurley, formerly of Racetraitor, joined the band, while Mike Pareskuwicz and T.J. Kunasch left. At this time, Stump also took over rhythm guitar duties. After signing to Fueled By Ramen, they released their first full-length album, Take This to Your Grave, on May 6, 2003.
With singles Grand Theft Autumn/Where Is Your Boy and Saturday receiving video airplay on FUSE and mtvU and radio airplay on alternative stations across the country, the band soon gained a cult following. The album sold very well and eventually achieved gold status, but only after the success of their next album, From Under The Cork Tree.
In mid-2003 the band signed with Island Records, part of the super label The Island Def Jam Music Group along with Def Jam Records. While recording their mainstream debut, they released the acoustic EP My Heart Will Always Be the B-Side to My Tongue on Fueled by Ramen, May 18, 2004. It debuted at #153 on the Billboard Top 200, their first entry on the chart. The two-disc set included a DVD with videos, more acoustic performances, and a fan photo gallery.
2005–2006: Commercial debut
On May 3, 2005, Fall Out Boy released their major label debut, From Under the Cork Tree, which debuted on the Billboard 200 at #9, selling over 68,000 copies in its first week. The album achieved double platinum status and has sold over 2.5 million albums in the US alone. Earlier that year, the band’s stability was threatened when Wentz overdosed on the sedative Ativan in a failed suicide attempt. The track 7 Minutes In Heaven (Atavan Halen) from their album From Under the Cork Tree is based upon Wentz’s attempted suicide.
Their first single, Sugar We’re Goin’ Down, peaked at #8 on the Billboard Hot 100, #6 on the Pop 100 and #3 on the Modern Rock Charts. The video reached #1 on MTV’s TRL, where it was retired on August 26, 2005. The video also won the MTV2 Award at the 2005 MTV Video Music Awards, prompting a huge new interest and surge in sales. The band was also nominated for “Best New Artist” at the 2006 Grammy Awards.
The second single off the album, Dance, Dance, became their second Top 10 Single when it peaked at #9 on the Hot 100. It also reached #6 on the Pop 100 and became the bands top charted hit when it reached #2 on the Modern Rock Charts. The video for the song premiered on TRL on October 11, 2005; it soon reached #1 and was later retired on January 17, 2006. The third single off the album, A Little Less Sixteen Candles, A Little More ‘Touch Me’, was much less popular than both prior singles but still managed to peak at #65 on the Hot 100 and hit #1 twice on TRL, retiring on June 6, 2006.
2007: Continuing prosperity
Fall Out Boy’s third studio album, titled Infinity On High, was released on February 6, 2007. The lead single, This Ain’t A Scene, It’s An Arms Race, debuted at the 2006 American Music Awards. The video debuted on MTV on Tuesday, December 19, 2006. In the album’s opening week, Infinity on High reached number 1 on the Billboard 200, selling 260,000 copies.
“This Ain’t a Scene, It’s an Arms Race” peaked at number 2 on the UK Singles Chart on February 4, 2007, making it their most successful song in the UK to date. The single also peaked on the U.S. Hot 100 at number 2 and the U.S. Pop 100 at number 1. The Carpal Tunnel Of Love (the second single released from the album) reached number 81 on the U.S. Hot 100 by way of digital sales alone. Thnks fr th Mmrs was released on April 9, 2007 and made it to #14 on the Billboard Hot 100 and peaked at #12 on the UK Singles chart.
Showing their versatility, Fall Out Boy has collaborated with rappers Kanye West, Babyface, Jay-Z, and Timbaland. Babyface produced and Jay Z is featured on Thriller. They also worked with Timbaland on his new album Timbaland Presents Shock Value, where they are featured on the track One and Only, for which Stump and Wentz both contributed in writing. Stump was also featured on two songs with Gym Class Heroes (also signed with Fueled By Ramen), including their #1 Single Cupid’s Chokehold. He also was a guest vocalist on Motion City Soundtrack’s single, Everything Is Alright as well as contributing to If You Could Remember.
2008-2009:
On April 1, 2008, Fall Out Boy released their live album, **** Live in Phoenix. The album was recorded in Pheonix on June 22. It contained a studio recording of Micheal Jackson’s Beat It with John Mayer as a guest on the guitar.
On December 16th, 2008, Fall Out Boy released their 4th studio album, Folie à Deux (literally meaning “madness shared by two”). The lead single for the album, I Don’t Care was released September 8, 2008.
On November 17, 2009, Believers Never Die - Greatest Hits was released, featuring two new songs titled Alpha Dog and From Now On We Are Enemies. Along with the release of this compilation, Fall Out Boy announced that they were taking a break. "We're just taking a break and decompressing. We're not putting terms on when we're coming back. We're going to come back when everybody's excited about it and it's fun." said Pete Wentz to J14 Magazine.
2010-2012: Hiatus
In early 2010 the band entered a state of hiatus, with each member eventually going off to explore their own musical interests. Wentz formed DJ duo Black Cards with singer Bebe Rexha in July 2010, releasing an EP before Rexha quietly left the group in January 2012. Trohman and Hurley started the band The Damned Things with Scott Ian from Anthrax and members of Every Time I Die, releasing their debut album Ironiclast in December 2010.
Stump recorded his debut solo album Soul Punk which was released on July 26, 2011. Despite gaining generally positive reviews, ticket sales were poor with many Fall Out Boy fans unwilling to follow him in his new musical direction. This negative feedback caused Stump to create his blog entry "We Liked You Better Fat" in which he honestly aired his feelings, causing Wentz to reach out to him and ultimately begin collborating again musically in February 2012.
2013-2014: Reunion and Save Rock and Roll
During 2012, the band reformed and began attempts to reinvent their sound. Sessions were difficult, with early attempts a struggle to produce new material. On February 4, 2013 the band simultaneously announced their reunion, a new single My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark (Light Em Up) and the album Save Rock and Roll which was released the following month.
2014–2016: American Beauty/American Psycho
Centuries - the first single of Fall Out Boy's sixth studio album - premiered on September 8, 2014. Another song titled Immortals was released October 14, 2014, as part of the soundtrack for the Walt Disney film Big Hero 6. On November 24, 2014, the title of Fall Out Boy's sixth studio album was announced as American Beauty/American Psycho; the album was released on January 20, 2015.
2017–2022: MANIA
On April 27, 2017, Fall Out Boy announced that their new album was set to be released on September 15, titled M A N I A. The first single, Young and Menace was released the same day. The second single, Champion was released in the U.S. on June 22 and worldwide on June 23. On August 3, 2017, Patrick Stump tweeted that the album's release would be pushed back to January 19, 2018, because the band were not satisfied with the results of their work at the time.
A few months after the release of MANIA, Fall Out Boy released their ninth EP, Lake Effect Kid. It was released on August 23, 2018 through Island and DCD2. It features themes from their older albums as well as a song that was a demo for CitizensFOB Mixtape: Welcome To The New Administration -- which was a promotional mixtape for Folie à deux.
They then released Believers Never Die (Volume 2) on November 15, 2019. It is their second greatest hits album and was released through Island. It included two new songs, Bob Dylan and Dear Future Self (Hands Up) .
2023–present: So Much (For) Stardust
Fall Out Boy released a new single, Love From the Other Side, on January 18, 2023. The single featured the song, Love From the Other Side, as well as an edit of the track. After the release of this single, they announced that their eighth studio album, So Much (For) Stardust, was to fully release on March 24, 2023. This album marked the first time the band had released music through Fueled By Ramen since Take This to Your Grave, their 2003 debut album. They also once again joined forces with producer Neal Avron, who produced From Under the Cork Tree, Infinity on High, and Folie à Deux.
Bang the Doldrums
Fall Out Boy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In lipstick on your arm
When you passed out
I couldn't bring myself to call
Except to call it quits
Best friends
Ex-friends till the end
And not the other way around
Racing through the city
Windows down
In the back of
Yellow-checkered cars
This city says
Come hell or high water
When I'm feeling hot and wet
I can't commit to a thing
Be it heart or hospital
Best friends
Ex-friends till the end
Better off as lovers
And not the other way around
Racing through the city
Windows down
In the back of
Yellow-checkered cars
The tombstones are waiting
They were half engraved
They knew it was over
Just didn't know the date
And I cast a spell over the West
To make you think of me
The same way I think of you
This is a love song in my own way
Happily ever after below the waist
Best friends
Ex-friends till the end
Better off as lovers
Racing through the city
Windows down
In the back of
Yellow-checkered cars
Best friends
Ex-friends till the end
Better off as lovers
And not the other way around
Ex-friends till the end
Better off as lovers
The lyrics of Fall Out Boy's song, "Bang The Doldrums," are a poignant reflection on a past relationship that has come to an end. The first verse of the song reveals that the singer has left a note for their lover on their arm in lipstick before leaving. It seems that the singer has been wanting to end the relationship for some time, but could not bring themselves to confront their lover. The line "When you passed out, I couldn't bring myself to call, except to call it quits" reveals that the end of the relationship was not sudden, but that the singer had been planning it for some time.
The second verse of the song reinforces the idea that the singer and their lover were "better off as lovers and not the other way around". The two were best friends but the chemistry between them as lovers was more potent. The line "racing through the city, windows down, in the back of yellow-checkered cars" portrays a vivid image of the carefree and wild nature of their relationship.
The final verse is particularly interesting as the singer casts a spell over the West to make their lover think of them the same way they do. The imagery of the tombstones waiting and being half-engraved conjures up questions about the inevitability of the relationship ending. Nevertheless, the chorus reiterates that the two are better off as lovers despite their tumultuous past.
Line by Line Meaning
I wrote a goodbye note
I left a note to say goodbye to you
In lipstick on your arm
I used lipstick to write the note on your arm
When you passed out
You were unconscious when I did it
I couldn't bring myself to call
I didn't have the courage to call you
Except to call it quits
The only thing I called to do was end our relationship
Best friends
We were once best friends
Ex-friends till the end
Now we're not even friends anymore
Better off as lovers
We were better in a romantic relationship than as friends
And not the other way around
Being friends again would not work
Racing through the city
We used to drive fast through the city
Windows down
With the windows open
In the back of
Sitting in the backseat of
Yellow-checkered cars
A taxi or race car with yellow and checkered markings
This city says
The city seems to be telling us
Come hell or high water
No matter what happens
When I'm feeling hot and wet
When I'm emotional and vulnerable
I can't commit to a thing
I can't make a decision
Be it heart or hospital
Whether it's love or medical care
The tombstones are waiting
Our relationship is dying
They were half engraved
It was already halfway over
They knew it was over
The relationship was beyond repair
Just didn't know the date
We didn't know exactly when it would end
And I cast a spell over the West
I wanted to make you think of me
To make you think of me
In the same way I think of you
This is a love song in my own way
This song is my way of expressing love
Happily ever after below the waist
Our physical relationship was satisfying
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Andrew John Hurley, Joseph Mark Trohman, Patrick Martin Stump, Peter Lewis Wentz, Wesley Eisold
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind