Crucial Track for August 23, 2025

"Fall Semester" by The Get Up Kids

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What was your favorite song in high school? Why did it resonate?

I don't listen to this band nearly as much anymore but I loved The Get Up Kids in high school. I got 4 Minute Mile on a cassette from my cousin and wore it out (and eventually got the CD at Hot Topic because where else would you go to get mid to late 90s emo/punk/hardcore albums???).

Fall Semester is the song that stuck with me. If not my favorite it was in the top 3 in high school. It's the one I remember. And it's lyrics make sense for that:

> If I tried, would you still call me son? > If I tried, would you call me at all? > If I say that I'll go, regardless of what you want me to do > If I say that I'll go, regardless, I'm better off without > I'm better off without you > > If I change my mind, it won't be soon enough for you > But I'm not you > I'm not you > I'm not you > > I'll try to compromise for you to see > There's so many other things for me to find out > Run myself into the ground > Would you please forgive me if I found my way back home? > > Everything I see > Everything I do > Everywhere I've been > These mean nothing to you?

It captures that angst of trying to figure out who you are while dealing with the expectations of others. It balances the desire your parents have for you with your own desire to explore the world and figure it. "There's so many other things for me to find out." A perfect emotive high school anthem.