Everclear is a band that rose to fame in the 90’s, started in Portland Oregon by lead singer and guitarist Art Alexakis.
Everclear is mostly known for their simple yet emotionally charged lyrics, which are usually about Art’s troubled past and current struggles that are attributed to them. He grew up in a broken home, and without a father figure, and in bad neighborhoods that have lead to problems in his personal life including drug use and depression.
But in their short time together, they turned out some serious tunes. In this article, I share my top 5 favorite songs by Everclear.
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Father of Mine
Father of mine,
take me back to the day,
Yeah when I was still your golden boy,
back before you went away
This is an emotional song about growing up without his father. For reasons unknown (in the song) Art’s father left his home while he was young and he reflects on the emotional scars that left and also the effects of not having a father figure in his life during childhood. Simple lyrics, but with a clear and emotional message. One article suggests that kids are having to grow up without a father figure more and more than in the past. Studies have also shown that the effects of such situation can be very problematic. It is a real problem in the world and this song without a doubt reaches to many kids who have gone through, and/or are currently going through something similar.
AM Radio
I’d be in bed with the radio on
I would listen to it all night long just to hear my favorite song
You’d have to wait till you can hear it on the AM radio
Yeah, you can hear the music on the AM radio
Some of the older generations can relate to this song, the prominence of the radio is quickly fading in this age of multimedia players, MP3 players, phones that you can play music off of and the overall digitalization of our technology and the way we listen to our music. Anyways, great tune!
Wonderful
I just don’t understand how
You can smile with all those tears in your eyes
And tell me everything is wonderful again.
This song is fantastic, very catchy and heartfelt. Once again, Art sings of the broken families and promises and the uncertainty and sadness kids feel when they see their parents fight. They are helpless and can only hope, and they only want the best for their family. This song mixes the hopeful, yet sad, and happy at the same time emotions that make for a beautiful yet emotionally charged song.
I Will Buy You a New Life
I will buy you a garden
Where your flowers can bloom
I will buy you a new car
Perfect shiny and new
This song isn’t so much about the social problems within households, but it’s more about love, unconditional feelings for a loved one although you may not have the material means to provide. It is of the promises you vow to keep of a better life. It’s kind of sad to hear Art begging and promising that he’ll buy the love of his life gardens, cars, and houses. As if love should be about the material aspects!
We can live beside the ocean
leave the fire behind
swim out past the breakers
watch the world die.
One of my favorite choruses and guitar rifts, Santa Monica is truly a great, heartfelt song and it was one of Everclear’s first hit singles. The lyrics ring true to the people who feel estranged and want to find some connection or meaning to life. We are satisfied by simple pleasures like “palm trees” or “sun shines”, and yet, we are always longing and wanting more. When we are alone, we want someone to be with, when we have someone to be with, we just want some alone place, and I think this song encapsulates those mixed and often contradictory feelings and emotions perfectly.
