Sophomore Slump Or Comeback Of The Year

This song is about growing up in a small town and avoiding the monotonous life of most of the residents. Among the solutions: Burn the town down.

Some of the lyrics take the perspective of a successful and gifted band, singer or songwriter: "We're the therapists pumping through your speakers, Delivering just what you need... I hope you sing along and you steal a line." It probably represents a no-name band finally making something of themselves after a hard early career ("We're traveled like gypsies"). The singer also seems to be attempting to draw the attention of a particular girl, or pleading to the masses to listen to his music ("Cause I'll keep singing this lie if you'll keep believing it... I swear I'd burn this city down to show you the light").

Fall Out Boy founder Pete Wentz, who is also the band's bassist and primary lyricist, was concerned with hitting a sophomore slump with From Under The Cork Tree, the band's major-label follow-up to their indie-released debut, Take This To Your Grave. The pop-punk act was being hailed as the next big thing, and the pressure to live up to the title was too much for him to bear. In the midst of making the album, he ended up overdosing on anxiety meds in a Best Buy parking lot, which inspired the song "7 Minutes In Heaven (Atavan Halen)." Far from being a sophomore slump, the album really was a comeback of the year and launched the band into the mainstream. It sold more than 2 million copies in the US and peaked at #2 on the albums chart. More importantly, Wentz got the help he needed with therapy.