Their music features a rare contribution to the genre, incorporating the use of a violin. Formed in 1997, the final line up consisted of Ryan Key (vocals, rhythm guitar), Ryan Mendez (lead guitar, vocals), Sean Mackin (violin, vocals), Nathan Young on drums, and Josh Portman on bass.
Yellowcard was formed in 1997 in Jacksonville, Florida, USA after meeting at Douglas Anderson School of the Arts. The band was made up of six members back then:
Ben Dobson (1997 - 2000) : vocals, Todd Clarry (1997 - 2001) : guitar, vocals, Sean Mackin (1997 - 2017) : violin, vocals, Warren Cooke (1997 - 2002) : bass, Ben Harper (not the same as Ben Harper) (1997 - 2005) : guitar, Longineu W. Parsons III (1997 - 2014) : drums.
Former members: Ben Dobson (1997 - 2000) : vocals, Todd Clarry (1997 - 2001) : guitar, vocals, Warren Cooke (1997 - 2002) : bass, Alex Lewis (2003 - 2004) : bass, backing vocals, Ben Harper (1997 - 2005) : lead guitar, Peter Mosely (2002 - 2003, 2004 - 2007) : bass, vocals, Sean O'Donnell of Reeve Oliver(2010–2012) : bass guitar, backing vocals
The band released their first album, Midget Tossing, in 1997 but with not much success.
Around that time their lead singer was replaced by Ryan Key who convinced the band that they couldn't be successful in Florida, so they decided to move to Southern California.
The new group released their debut album, One for the Kids (Lobster Records), in 2001, and followed up with The Underdog EP (Fueled by Ramen Records) in 2002.
Yellowcard signed with Capitol Records in 2003 and released Ocean Avenue, which is their most successful album to date.
Soon after, bassist Alex Lewis was let go by the band. Pete Mosely who had produced and played bass on most of the songs on Ocean Avenue took over on bass.
The Yellowcard popularity "skyrocketed" after this period, with a song from Ocean Avenue, Breathing appearing in the game Burnout 3: Takedown.
Lights and Sounds was released in January 2006. The title track, Lights and Sounds, was the first single released off the album. It is also featured on the game Burnout Revenge. How I Go features Natalie Maines of the Dixie Chicks.
In 2005 the guitarist Ben Harper left the band. He chose to work with his record label TAKEOVER RECORDS and has signed bands since his departure. He was replaced by Ryan Mendez (formerly of Staring Back) shortly before the Lights & Sounds tour began.
Paper Walls released on July 17th, 2007. Light Up the Sky was the first single released off this album. The album debuted at No. 13 on the U.S. Billboard 200 selling about 40,000 copies in its first week. After their tour for Paper Walls in 2008, the band went on hiatus for almost 2 years.
While touring for Paper Walls, Peter Mosely announced in a MySpace blog message that he would be leaving Yellowcard. . Josh Portman took over on bass until the reformation of Yellowcard in 2010, upon which Sean O'Donnell became the bass player.
Yellowcard's official Facebook page announced on August 1, 2010, that the band has reformed and will be working on a new record. When You're Through With Thinking, Say Yes released on March 22, 2011. On October 24, 2011, the band released an acoustic version of the album.
Sean O'Donnell left the band in early 2012, replaced by Josh Portman.
Southern Air was released on August 14, 2012. It debuted at 10 on the US Billboard top 200, making this their second album to debut in the top 10 and their second-highest debut. The album's first single, Always Summer, was released May 22, 2012. Here I Am Alive was released July 31 as the second single.
An acoustic version of Ocean Avenue was recorded for the album's tenth anniversary. The album was released on August 13, 2013.
On March 13, 2014, the band announced that drummer and founding member Longineu Parsons III had left the band. Parson's departure left Sean Mackin as the only remaining original member of the band.
On August 4, 2014, Yellowcard announced that the next album would be titled Lift a Sail. On August 19, 2014, the band released the first single, One Bedroom. Lift a Sail released October 7, 2014. The album is a notable change of sound for the band, moving away from pop-punk.
On June 7, 2016, the band announced on Facebook that its next album would be a self-titled album. Yellowcard was released on September 30, 2016. On June 24, 2016, the band released the lead single titled Rest in Peace.
On June 25, 2016, the band announced on via its website that the group would be breaking up after a final tour, stating: "Please come and join us on our last trip around the globe. We hope to share this final record and tour with each and every one of you." The band's final show was on March 25, 2017 in Anaheim, CA.
In 2019, it was reported that they were suing American rapper Juice WRLD over his hit song 'Lucid Dreams'.
Back Home
Yellowcard Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
What I was looking for
When I went home
I found me alone
And sometimes
I need someone to say you'll be all right
What's on your mind?
And I am full of fear
And empty-handed after two long years
Another sunny day in California
I'm sure back home they'd love to see it
But they don't know that what you love is ripped away
Before you get a chance to feel it
Back home
I always thought I wanted so much more
Now I'm not too sure
'Cause sometimes
I miss knowing someone's there for me
And feeling free
Free to stand beside
The ocean in moonlight
And light myself a smoke beneath
The dark Atlantic sky
Another sunny day in California
I'm sure back home they'd love to see it
But they don't know that what you love is ripped away
Before you get a chance to feel it
Everybody here is living life in fear
Of falling out of line
Tearing lives apart and breaking lots of hearts
Just to pass the time
And the eyes get red in the back of your head
This place will make you blind
Put it all behind me
And I'll be just fine
Another sunny day beneath this cloudless sky
Sometimes I wish that it would rain here
And wash away the west coast dreaming from my eyes
There's nothing real for them to see here
Another starry night in California
I'm sure back home they'd love to see it
But they don't know that what you love is ripped away
Before you get a chance
Before you get a chance to feel it
Yellowcard's song "Back Home" tells the story of a person who goes back to their hometown but finds themselves feeling alone and unsure of what they really want or need. The first verse says that the person doesn't know what they were looking for when they went back home, but they ended up feeling isolated and in need of someone to comfort them. However, they feel like they can't find anyone that will truly understand them, and they are scared of the unknown. The chorus talks about how life in California seems perfect, but what people don't know is that the person has lost something they love and haven't been able to fully experience it. The second verse references feeling scared and unsure, but also missing the feeling of being loved and the freedom to stand beside the ocean and light a cigarette, surrounded by the darkness of the night sky.
In the bridge, the song speaks about how living in this place is not easy, as everyone is living in fear of allowing themselves to fall apart, and the fear of breaking someone else's heart. The person notes that it's easy to become blinded with the beauty of it all, giving in and letting it all go, but that they're going to try to leave it all behind and be okay. The last verse says that even though the sky is full of stars, they still feel empty inside and wish for something real to hold onto. They reference their home again, noting that people would love this sunny day just like they would love the starry California night, but that they would all miss what they had lost.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't know
I am not aware
What I was looking for
I didn't know what I wanted
When I went home
When I returned home
I found me alone
I discovered that I was by myself
And sometimes
Occasionally
I need someone to say you'll be all right
I require someone to tell me that everything will be okay.
What's on your mind?
What are you thinking about?
But the water's shallow here
The water is shallow in this place
And I am full of fear
I am frightened
And empty handed after two long years
After two years, I have nothing to show for it
Another sunny day in California
It's sunny again in California
I'm sure back home they'd love to see it
I am certain my family would appreciate the beautiful weather
But what they don't know is what you love is ripped away
They don't understand that what I love has been taken from me
Before you get a chance to feel it
I didn't get an opportunity to experience it
Back home
When I was younger
I always thought I wanted so much more
I assumed I desired many things
Now I'm not too sure
I am uncertain
Cause sometimes
Because every now and then
I miss knowing someone's there for me
I miss having someone to rely on
And feeling free
Feeling unrestricted
Free to stand beside
Free to stand next to
The ocean in moonlight
The sea illuminated by the moonlight
And light myself a smoke beneath the
And smoking a cigarette under the
Dark Atlantic sky
Nighttime sky above the Atlantic Ocean
Everybody here is living life in fear
Everyone is afraid here
Of falling out alive
Of dying unexpectedly
Tearing lives apart and breaking lots of hearts
Ripping apart life and breaking many hearts
Just to pass the time
Just to occupy themselves
And the eyes get red in the back of your head
Eyes in the back of the head turn red
This place will make you blind
Being in this place will blind you
Put it all behind me and
Forget everything that happened and
I'll be just fine
I'll be okay
Another sunny day beneath this cloudless sky
Another bright day under a clear sky
Sometimes I wish that it would rain here
At times, I wish it would rain here
And wash the west coast dreaming from my eyes
And remove the misconception that the West Coast is perfect from my mind
There's nothing real for them to see here
There is nothing genuine for them to see in this place.
Another starry night in California
Another night filled with stars in California
I'm sure back home they'd love to see it
I am convinced my family would appreciate the starry sky
But they don't know that what you love is ripped away
They don't know that what I adore has been taken away
Before you get a chance to feel it
Before I have a chance to experience it
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Betty Key, Billy Wayne Yates, Frank Dycus
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind