Top Ten Songs by Jimmy Eat World

I’m sure many of you have heard some of Jimmy Eat World’s songs at one time or another. They’re not exactly the mainstream-type bands that you always see on MTV and whatnot, being that those channels are dominated by reality shows and bubblegum, sugar-blonde, ex-Disney kid-actor-turn-singer “celebrities,” but hey, Jimmy Eat World has got some good songs. They’ve got a whole bunch of albums to their credit, which means that there are much more than just ten songs that qualify for this list, but I’m very partial towards the albums Clarity and Futures, with a little touch from their self-titled album (formerly called Bleed American). So here’s that list:

10. Sweetness. C’mon, the name of this song is friggin’ Sweetness. How can you not like it? (Don’t answer that..) I was originally going to put Ten down as the number ten song on this list, figuring it would be a little poetic, but this one caught my attention more. And I didn’t really feel the other nine should be changed, so here you go: it begins with absolute Sweetness.

9. Blister. For some reason, the songs that have very little lyrics where half of the entire three minutes is a repetition of the chorus seems to work for me. Blister is one of those songs. Actually, a lot of Jimmy Eat World’s songs are like that. This is one of the in-between musical ballads, where the music isn’t played too slow but also isn’t as fast as some other rock songs.

8. For Me This Is Heaven. As with the toss-up between Sweetness and Ten, I was debating whether to put this one or Just Watch The Fireworks for number eight. They’re both equally good, but I feel this one would be better. Somehow, Fireworks seemed a bit lengthy.

7. Work. I love the way this song starts. I’m a little biased towards the acoustic version of songs, and this one reminds me of those. Also, I know the lyrics weren’t really intended to mean actual work, but it feels slightly proper to listen to this song on my way to, well, work. Kind of lightens the impact of realizing you’re still part of the blue-collar labor force out there, ya know? Just a little…? No…? Alright.

6. Your New Aesthetic. There’s not much to say about this one, except that the chorus has some crazy tune that puts spirals in my head.

5. Night Drive. Personally, I didn’t like this song at first. But after listening to it a few more times, it lodged itself in my mind. It’s just such a psychedelic-like tune – kind of makes you light-headed. I could imagine this song being played during the drug years when things such as ecstasy were still technically legal.

4. Clarity. How can anyone deny the awesomeness of a song that shares the same name as the album itself?

3. The Middle. Now, I’m willing to bet that unless you’ve listen to a lot of Jimmy Eat World’s music in the 90’s, this is probably the first single you’ve heard on the radio or seen the video of on TV. And if it is, good start. The music is catchy, the chorus is amazing, and the lyrical message is quite clear.. not to mention inspirational.

2. Just Tonight. Easily one of the best songs ever. Er, at least I think so. It’s so good that I almost, almost, almost made this song number one on this list. Of all the decisions, this was the hardest. It’s a slightly faster-paced song that somehow makes me imagine a chase scene. Don’t ask me why. That, or a clubbing atmosphere. With lots of flashy, pretty lights that would make prisms happy.

1. Pain. From start to finish, I absolutely love this song. There are no words to describe it. It’s just so upbeat. For a song that’s not exactly supposed to be all sunshine and rainbows (dude, it’s called PAIN), it really is unbelievable. I have to say, this was an awesome choice for a single on their Futures album. I know, I know, I’m just rambling now, but everything about this one just exudes musical genius and best exemplifies Jimmy Eat World’s rhythmic abilities. If you’re too lazy to listen to any of the other songs that I put on this list, then just get Pain. You won’t regret it.