Today’s spin feature is “Rite of Spring” by Angels & Airwaves.
This is off of Angels & Airwaves second full-length release “I-Empire”.
Here are the lyrics, written of course by Thomas Delonge:
I was locked all day in the summer heat
Rite of Spring – Angels & Airwaves
In a small brown house in suburban streets
With a skateboard and my shit guitar
I dreamed all day that they would get me far
My dad would ask me about my grades
The asshole sports that I never played
And then I’d ask about the girls he’d date
Behind our backs when mom had stayed up late
It was near when I turned sixteen
Got kicked out of school and so it seemed
Things were closing in and ready to blow
My dad moved out about that year or so
It took an hour to start a punk rock band
To upset my fucked up family land
And as I held my mum would start to cry
I swore ourselves, a better life
If I had a chance for another try
I wouldn’t change a thing
This made me all on who I am inside
And if I could thank God
That I am here, and that I am alive
And everyday I wake
I tell myself a little harmless lie
The whole wide world is mine
The summers gone, the years have passed
My friends have changed, a few did last
The smallest dreams got pushed aside
The largest ones that changed my life
And all I wish for has come to pass
From rock and roll, to love and cash
It’s all success if it’s what you need
Do what you like and do it honestlyI
f I had a chance for another try
I wouldn’t change a thing
This made me all on who I am inside
And if I could thank God
That I am here and that I am alive
And everyday I wake
I tell myself a little harmless lie
The whole wide world is mine
Hey oh oh oh
Hey oh oh
Hey oh oh oh
Hey oh oh
Hey oh oh oh
Hey oh oh
Hey oh oh oh
Hey oh oh
If I had a chance for another try
I wouldn’t change a thing
This made me all on who I am inside
And if I could thank God
That I am here, and that I am alive
And everyday I wake
I tell myself a little harmless lie
The whole wide world is mine (the whole wide world is mine)
If I had a chance for another try
I wouldn’t change a thing
This made me all on who I am inside (the whole wide world is mine)
And if I could thank God
That I am here, and that I am alive (the whole wide world is mine)
And everyday I wake
I tell myself a little harmless lie (the whole wide world is mine)
The whole wide world is mine
When I listen to this song they remind me a lot of myself, with a couple differences.
- I grew up in what’s considered a decently wealthy area of Woodbridge (not the richest, but next to it), our house is fairly large; I’m the youngest of 4.
- I tried to skateboard as a kid, but was never any good. I played other sports instead, like hockey, basketball and volleyball, and I was pretty good at those ones.
- I used to sing along to all my favourite songs in my bedroom dreaming about playing to a crowd of people like Blink 182, Sum 41 and Green Day did. I thought I’d be one of the “first” women in Canadian punk rock to reach that level of stardom, or whatever you want to call it. Or at least, I aspired to it for years.
- My parents didn’t ask me about school much because I generally got great grades, I didn’t have to be asked to do my homework but I’d do it on my own time, after hanging with my friends and usually late into the night.
- I had and still have a very strenuous relationship with my mother; we don’t talk about much. On the contrary, dad and I get along well and have our love of music in common; we used to go to shows together often which is how I was exposed to great artists like The Eagles, Billy Idol, Deep Purple, The Rolling Stones, AC/DC & so on.
- I pulled together a punk rock band by scouring my high school; 10th grade. It didn’t take long, but it’s hard to find committed players.
- I didn’t get kicked out of school, I actually graduated early, eager to finish I’d pick up extra courses over summer and online. I hate the typical high-school structure in Ontario.
- I’ve said before that if Tom Delonge’s parents were the ones he wished would’ve “stayed together for the kids,” mine were the ones that did that, but should have split up. They’re still together today and it absolutely boggles me.
- I’m still trying to “make it”. I’m in a worse position today financially than ever before in my life. I have more experience than most people in the Canadian music industry I know, but it’s never panned out for me. I still dream, and I still lie; one day the whole wide world will be mine.
AVA in Toronto, Ontario
I saw Angels & Airwaves on their first tour when they came through Toronto and played at The Phoenix Concert Theatre.
I had always been a big Blink 182 fan and really dug the Box Car Racer record, but Angels & Airwaves was a whole other animal, sonically, melodically, lyrically and in particular when it came to their live show.
I see the transition into AVA as Tom’s sort of metamorphosis from being a goofy but sensitive punk-rock dude from San Diego to making his way into becoming a Bono-like global superstar for the rock world.
He’s probably more similar to The Edge, though, personality wise, and I have to keep telling myself that because Bono comes across as such an utter douchebag that I refuse to put Tom Delonge in the same breath-space.
This song in particular, Rite of Spring, when this record came out I would play a lot and sing along to; I had at some point intended on covering it with my then-band, but our lead guitarist at the time hated the band.
He had to go.
He’s actually who I went to the first Angels & Airwaves show with and we had a great vantage point just off to the left of the stage, close enough that you could almost feel Tom’s sweat fling off his hair as he banged on a floor tom they brought out for one of the performances.
But that guitarist I went with, Josh, hated the first couple songs so much he actually ditched me at the show and literally stood outside the whole time instead.
Can you imagine that? Leaving a venue and then not even going home, and just standing outside? Instead of watching to see if it gets any better?
I couldn’t believe he was still there when the show ended.
“You missed a great show man.”
“No, it sucked.”
You literally weren’t even in there, bro. YOU suck.
Anyways, that show solidified me as a now lifelong Angels & Airwaves fan, but it’s the only time I’ve seen them live so hopefully I get another opportunity some day.
I kicked Josh out of the band not long after that. Not because I’m some music-nazi or whatever who thinks the members of my band should listen to what I listen to, but there needs to be a certain level of camaraderie and respect for the art of it and Josh just didn’t have it. This was the last in a series of experiences that proved his heart wasn’t in it like it was in mine.
For some more Angels & Airwaves tunes check out their website. Or like, YouTube, Spotify, Instagram… all that good stuff.
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‘Til next time!
Crooked Forest 