Published on Jul 22, 2003
“Yeah my girlfriend/ takes collect calls from the road/ and it
doesn’t seem to matter/ that I’m lacking in the bulge.” In 1997,
Blink 182 exploded onto the new-school punk scene, waving their
flag of unhindered irreverence proudly. In those early days, Blink
cultivated the uncanny ability to corrode any kind of substantial
message they may cough up with penis humor. Since then they have
endured a drummer change, and unending criticism for their more
recently found commercial success. But hearken back to the days
when they were just Blink-Mark Hoppus, Tom Delonge and Scott Raynor
— and they played with a rollicking rowdiness that produced some
of their best music.
Number 11 on this disc, “Josie,” was Blink 182’s earliest real
hit, maybe because the video featured a bikini-clad Alyssa Milano.
But I choose to believe the reason fans clung to the single was
because of the inventive arrangement of turkey-shoot, yet touching,
lyrics and punch lines that capitalized on hilarious stuff like
masturbating. In the end, Blink still finds a way to drive the
point home, and you remember what the song meant to you. “Josie” is
a prime example of Blink 182 at their song-writing best and
musically catchiest.
Blink, those charmers, made a name for their music as being
rambunctious, silly… politically incorrect? Couldn’t be.
Obviously, when you think “Blink 182,” you don’t call up the same
thoughts you would as, say, well, some serious singer/songwriters I
know nothing about. Take, for example, “Degenerate” (number 13).
“Don’t like hesh/ don’t like rap/ kicked ol’ Sally ’cause she’s
fat/ I’m a jerk/ I’m a punk/ took a shower ’cause I stunk/ smoked a
bong/ killed a cat/ had my nuts attacked by rats/ dad got nude/ I
wore a thong/ For a hobby I make bombs.” Unluckily, “Degenerate”
has no catchy beat, and the funny (yes, funny) but offensive lyrics
are delivered in typical Blink fashion, which is fast enough that
you can’t understand them and no parents can get pissed.
Dude Ranch isn’t exactly the abhorrent onslaught it might
appear to be. Some of the tracks are insightful, astute and notably
poetic. The climax on
Dude Ranch comes early on with number 3’s “Dammit.” Not
necessarily Blink’s highest charting single, “Dammit” became an
anthem, much like, if not matching the popularity of, Nirvana’s
“Smells Like Teen Spirit.” “it’ll happen once again/ you’ll turn to
a friend/ someone that understands/ sees through the master plan/
but everybody’s gone/ and you’ve been there for too long/ to face
this on your own/ well I guess this is growing up.” Boasting one
very identifiable guitar riff throughout, “Dammit” is the only song
on the CD that isn’t backed by a cheerful, goofy melody.
Nevertheless, it still receives semi-regular airplay and a devoted
cult following.
Amidst all the dueling song-meanings and contrasting lyrics,
Dude Ranch is worth your time