"This Ain't A Scene, It's An Arms Race" by Fall Out Boy
Reviewed by: Krystal Burns
Note: We focus on reviewing songs, and therefore cannot comment on the appropriateness of the album in its entirety. Please use your best judgment whenever purchasing or listening to music.
The Artist
This Chicago-based quartet united in 2001. Patrick Stump (vocalist/guitarist), Pete Wentz (bassist/lyricist), Andrew Hurley (drummer), and Joe Trohman (guitarist) had all been a part of the underground hardcore scene before creating Fall Out Boy. They released their first album in 2001, but really hit it big with the 2005 album “Under the Cork Tree,” earning them a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist.
The Album
The sneak-peak single, “Ain’t a Scene, It’s an Arms Race” was released January 16, 2007 debuting at the top of the charts. The song showcases the trademark Fall Out Boy style with some added twists here and there to get their fans hyped for the upcoming album “Infinity On High” (title courtesy of Van Gogh) available in February.
The Song
Not many of us like to sit down and think through the lyrics of our favorite songs. More often that not, we sing along without giving much thought to what we’re saying. A lot of times lyrics don’t make much sense, but the style of the songs and the attitude of the artists draw us in. The latest song by Fall Out Boy toys with the same kind of ambiguity and overall sense of despair that Panic! At the Disco hit the charts with not too far back.
What the title, “It Ain’t a Scene, It’s an Arms Race,” really means is anyone’s guess. But once the song gets going it doesn’t take much for the I-don’t-care, in-your-face vibe to jump out at you. “Fitting you with weapons in the form of words/ And don’t really care which side wins… That’s just the business I’m in… And the lies I weave are oh-so intricate.” The attitude towards life Fall Out Boy preaches in this song (and most others) is one of hopelessness and bitterness. “I wrote the gospel on giving up,” Stump sings.
Focusing on the disappointments in life seems to come easily -- who hurt you, what situation didn’t go your way, those times you messed things up. Sure, at church everyone talks about peace and love, but how can that be real in the face of so much negative pressure from everyone in your daily life?
John 8:32 says, “Know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” And the truth is that at the end of the day all that matters is your relationship with Jesus Christ. More important than your friends at school or even your relationship with your parents is where you stand with Him. Until you get things right with God and put Him first, nothing else will be right. That is the truth that sets you free from the hopelessness and despair all around you. It’s also the truth that can bring you joy and hopefulness for the rest of your life (even when sad and ugly things happen to you).
So What Do You Think?
1. Fall Out Boy is considered a pop/punk band. Do you think it’s possible to be both or are they opposite styles?
2. If you could say anything to these artists, what would it be?
3. What are some pressures you wish you were free from? Is it possible to be free from everything?