Anthem

"Anthem" is about being trapped in the suburbs and wishing for your 21st birthday to come so you can finally have freedom and beer. It's a subject the band is quite familiar with - they were living in Poway, a northern suburb of San Diego, California, when they formed the band in the early '90s. Guitarist Tom DeLonge, who sings lead vocals on the track, didn't wait around until his 21st birthday to drink, though. In fact, he got expelled from high school after showing up drunk to a basketball game. The act of rebellion ended up being a fortuitous one; he was transferred to nearby Rancho Bernardo High School, where he met Scott Raynor, Blink's first drummer, at a Battle of the Bands competition.

Like many of blink-182's songs, this expresses the way many teenagers feel. Their appeal to this audience is the reason for their massive success.

This is the last song on the band's huge commercial success, Enema Of The State. Their third studio album, it went on to sell 15 million copies worldwide thanks to the hit singles "What's My Age Again?" and "All The Small Things."