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'.
Firewater
Yellowcard Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To show me all the reasons I was wrong for you
Was this for real, it's hard to tell
'Cause it was such a beautiful mess we had got into
I'm gonna overcome this
Paper hearts can't win this time
And all along I should have know this
I know you wanted me to give up this life to be
Everything I was back when you had the hands my heart was in
I was never good at goodbye
Can I swallow this bottle whole
So this brain in my head can forget your face
When we were starting out
You believed in me without a doubt
You were the finest thing that happened to a boy like me
It's so much harder now
I want to try and tell you how
There is so much love in me
Even though it's hard to see
And I was never good at goodbye
Can I swallow this bottle whole
So this brain in my head can forget your face
Can I swallow this bottle whole
'Cause I'd rather be dead than make more mistakes
Today I couldn't stay awake
Feels like I'm drowning in this firewater lake
I won't be sleeping much tonight
It's not the same without you lying by my side
Right beside me
Can I swallow this bottle whole
So this brain in my head can forget your face
Can I swallow this bottle whole
'Cause I'd rather be dead than make more mistakes
I know you wanted me
To give up my heart to be everything I am
And you're the only thing that I can see
I'm sorry, but you're not the only one for me
You left me here beside myself
Left me with all the reasons I was wrong for you
The lyrics of Yellowcard's song "Firewater" depict a complicated relationship that was initially beautiful but ultimately ended badly. The singer is reflecting on the relationship with his ex-partner, who had sat him down to explain that he was wrong for her. The singer is uncertain about whether the relationship was genuine or not because of how messy it had become. He is struggling to move on from the relationship, feeling stuck in his feelings as he grapples with the idea of letting go.
The chorus of the song shows the singer's determination to overcome his pain and move on from the relationship, symbolized through the lyrics "Paper hearts can't win this time." The singer recognizes that the relationship was not what he wanted, but rather what his partner had wanted for him. Despite this realization, he still struggles to accept the end of the relationship, as he was "never good at goodbye." The lyrics become more poignant as the song progresses, with the singer considering whether he would rather forget his ex-partner entirely by swallowing a bottle of pills, as he feels drowned in "firewater."
Overall, "Firewater" is a song about the pain and complications of a failed relationship, with a focus on accepting the loss and learning to move on. The lyrics are emotive and relatable, making the song a favorite among Yellowcard fans.
Line by Line Meaning
You sat me down beside myself
You made me realize my mistakes
To show me all the reasons I was wrong for you
You made me understand why we didn't work out
Was this for real, it's hard to tell
It's difficult to believe it happened
'Cause it was such a beautiful mess we had got into
Even though it was chaotic, it was still beautiful
I'm gonna overcome this
I will move on from this
Paper hearts can't win this time
Superficial relationships will not work now
And all along I should have know this
I should've realized this earlier
It wasn't your dream, it was mine
The relationship did not meet my expectations
I know you wanted me to give up this life to be
You wanted me to change my life for you
Everything I was back when you had the hands my heart was in
To become who I was when we were together
I was never good at goodbye
I struggled with ending things
Can I swallow this bottle whole
Can I drink this bottle to forget you
So this brain in my head can forget your face
So that I can forget your face
When we were starting out
At the beginning of our relationship
You believed in me without a doubt
You had faith in me
You were the finest thing that happened to a boy like me
You were the best thing that ever happened to me
It's so much harder now
It's more difficult without you
I want to try and tell you how
I want to express my feelings to you
There is so much love in me
I still have so much love for you
Even though it's hard to see
Even though it's not evident
Can I swallow this bottle whole
Can I drink this bottle to forget you
'Cause I'd rather be dead than make more mistakes
I would rather die than make more mistakes
Today I couldn't stay awake
I cannot stay awake today
Feels like I'm drowning in this firewater lake
It feels like I am drowning in my sorrows
I won't be sleeping much tonight
I will not be able to sleep much tonight
It's not the same without you lying by my side
It's different without you here with me
Right beside me
Next to me
I know you wanted me
You wanted me to be a certain way
To give up my heart to be everything I am
To change who I am for you
And you're the only thing that I can see
You were the center of my world
I'm sorry, but you're not the only one for me
I'm sorry, but I've moved on from you
You left me here beside myself
You left me alone with my thoughts and feelings
Left me with all the reasons I was wrong for you
You made me realize why it didn't work out between us
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BENJAMIN ERIC HARPER, LONGINEU WARREN III PARSONS, PETER MICHAEL MOSELY, SEAN MICHAEL WELLMAN-MACKIN, WILLIAM RYAN KEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@vin_lulz
So nostalgic for me... Brings me back... I have a lot of deep and painful emotions attached to this song...
@loonlekim
2022 anyone?
@justinc5151
Such an underrated song
@victorhopkins4080
Yup
@Mike45-47Q
Dam I miss this band. I never got to a show. I found them in 04 when I was 15. I miss that life.
@88Featured
I first heard this song when I was a teenager like, 10-15 years ago and I only just now realised they were singing about chugging a whole bottle of alcohol. I used to take the line “can I swallow this bottle whole” literally as if he was singing about eating a glass bottle lmfao
@amberyajcaji3663
Maybe it's my inner nihilism but I immediately understood it as something sinister (ODing, etc) but now I have the image of him trying to swallow an actual bottle in my head hahaha
@aironnegutierrez1037
2021 anyone?
@victorhopkins4080
Yup
@victorhopkins4080
9 years ago this was on YouTube but I remember 2005!