If you know me, you know that Third Eye Blind is one of my all-time favorite bands. Many people only know them because of their big hits from the 90’s such as “Jumper” or “Semi-Charmed Life”. I’m sorry, but this band has so much more to offer to the world than just those singles. Don’t get me wrong, I love those songs too but there are so many more amazing pieces of music that the band has written and I firmly believe they do not get the attention they deserve. Due to my love for them, I have taken it upon myself to make a list of just six of their lesser-known songs that you MUST listen to. This band changed my life and I hope they can change yours as well!
1. "Darkness”
This track is off of Third Eye Blind’s second studio album called Blue. Imagine splashing ice-cold water on your face after you’ve been angry or frustrated. Simply refreshing – that’s the only way I can begin to honor the healing powers this song has. Stephan Jenkins’s voice is haunting and soothing at the same time as he sings ‘because the world darkens around me, strange friends all surround me. New ideas in my head start to burn. Dropped out of school ‘cause of things that I never learned’. The outro from “Darkness” is absolutely divine. Of course, that is just my biased opinion but I would say it is pretty damn close to fact. If you don’t believe me, just check this track out for yourself.
2. "Company”
The song starts off with an instant bang. ‘Start your engines’ is what Stephan Jenkins sings along with the intense crashing of cymbals and shredding of guitar. Off of their third studio album Out of the Vein, this track draws the emotion out of all of us; the lyrics, the mood and the electric feel seem to reach inside our souls and twist. The song seems to follow someone that is having a rough time, struggling with maybe a mental illness, substance abuse or a combination of both. There is even a reference to self-harm when Jenkins sings ‘little cuts on your wrist, to try to get back the feeling’. This track is raw and brutally honest and even relatable on some level – especially to those who are stuck in a very dark place. It is a lyrical masterpiece and as usual, Stephan’s voice just soars through the duration of the song giving us a rush.
3. "The Background”
A bittersweet, melancholy intro to lead us into the black and white world where we can linger on our heartbreak. I mean, who wouldn’t love a song like that? The lyrics are pure poetry. This great song is off of the band’s self-titled debut studio album. Jenkins sings about being stuck in the background and life still going on while he is picturing this girl still in his life: ‘the plans I made still have you in them, because you come swimming into view’. The magic this track has is unbelievable.
4. "Slow Motion”
So a fun fact about this song is that the full version wasn’t released until years later when 3eb put out their compilation album A Collection. This track talks about how Hollywood and the media romanticize violence. The song was deemed too controversial to be released, as the album it was supposed to be on, Blue, was released to close to the shootings at Columbine. Their record label requested that the band remove the song from the album. So, if you buy Blue you will only be able to hear the instrumental version of the track.
5. "Non-Dairy Creamer”
Off of their EP Red Star, this track is definitely political but also blunt in its nature. The song discusses how misleading most of the stuff in this country is and I think it is very important that we do so. One of my favorite lines in the song is “heard any good jokes lately? Cause we sure do need ‘em”. It’s offering some (ironic) comic relief that the country desperately needs. Perhaps this song is even more relevant now with this 2016 election. (yikes!)
6. "Don’t Believe A Word”
This track is a powerful one. Also off of Ursa Major, it is rumored to be about politics and our corrupted justice system. Whether or not that is true, I don’t know for sure. All I know is that this song makes me feel invincible. It’s amazing when a song can have that effect on you, isn’t it? Keep an ear out on the last two minutes, when Stephan Jenkins starts to repeat “wake up screaming”. The anticipation builds with the drumbeat progressively growing louder, and is then answered appropriately with a ‘YEAH!!!’ and a musical explosion. This is definitely one of my favorite tracks from the band – not just because of the lyrical composition, but also because of the instrumentation.
