"Gives You Hell" by All American Rejects
Note: We focus on reviewing songs, and therefore cannot comment on the appropriateness of the album in its entirety. Please use your best judgment whenever purchasing or listening to music.
The Artist
The All-American Rejects, originally from Oklahoma, got their start when Tyson Ritter (vocals/bass) got together with Nick Wheeler (guitar/programming) while still in high school. Later they added Mike Kennerty (guitar) and Chris Gaylor (drums) to complete the band. Their debut album, titled "All-American Rejects," arrived in 2002, and AAR was an instant success. Their second album, "Move Along," came out in July of 2006 and was successful, as well.
The Album
"When the World Comes Down" continues in the punk-pop style that made the All-American Rejcts famous in "Move Along." "When The World Comes Down" features the catchy beats and synth sounds that one expects in a pop album, combined with punk vocals and guitar rhythms. It was released on December 18, 2008, and the single "Gives You Hell" is already at the top of the charts. The album does contain cursing and some suggestive language.
The Song
"Gives You Hell" is the hit single off of the All-American Rejects new album. It is a light, tongue-in-cheek song about a man who takes a look back after a breakup.
There are two types of love songs -- the "I Love You So Much" love song and the "I Didn't Like You, Anyway" song. "Gives You Hell" falls firmly into the second category.
Lyric:
I wake up every evening
With a big smile on my face
And it never feels out of place
And you're still probably working
At a nine-to-five pace
I wonder how bad that tastes
It doesn't sound like it hurts the writer's feelings very much that he has become incredibly successful while his old flame is still working a normal job. In fact, he is gloating a bit, and that is the whole theme of the song. He hopes his old girlfriend will be tortured by her decision.
Lyric:
When you see my face
Hope it gives you hell
A bad breakup can be devastating. Two people have shared thoughts and feelings and often have been physically intimate. Then . . . nothing. The connection is severed, but the wound is still there.
One of the he most common reactions to a break up is to talk bad about the other person with your friends and to wish the worst for him or her. Those are natural reactions. They are defensive, protective reactions. It allows us to tell ourselves that this person was not really that great anyway, so it doesn't really matter that we aren't together anymore.
And we wish, maybe only secretly, that he would trip and fall on his face sometime just so we can know he is hurting, too. These feelings are all magnified if that person had also been unfaithful.
But there's a reason why some Christians call the Kingdom of God the "Upside-Down Kingdom." The commands of Christ are often exactly opposite of what feels natural to us. And no commandment is more unnatural than Jesus' command in Luke 6.
"But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back."( Luke 6:27-30)
But isn't it true that obeying the most difficult commands of the Christian life -- such as loving our enemies -- is what makes the love of Jesus most evident to the unsaved? When we are hurt deeply by a breakup, we have a great opportunity to show how important Jesus is to us by loving the person who has hurt us. Here are several ideas for showing love in this situation.
1. AVOID IT. This is kind of obvious, but you would be amazed at how often teenagers jump into bad relationships. Read the review on Britney's "Womanizer" and try to apply the advice you find there to avoid bad relationships from the start.
2. PRAY ABOUT IT. Ask God for strength to love your ex every morning. Then, pray for God to bless your ex (and no I don't mean asking God to "bless" her with an extra large pimple in the middle of her forehead).
3. TALK ABOUT IT. Try talking about your relationship with someone older than you are in the faith. Talk about the good, the bad, what went wrong, what went well, and what you can learn. Maybe God has an important lesson for you that will make your future relationships much better.
These are just a few ideas. Do whatever you think will show your continuing Christian love for your ex. And most importantly, no more "breaking out both headlights" (see: Carrie Underwood)! As Christians we must love our neighbor even when our neighbor is our lying, cheating, backstabbing, good-for-nothing, ex-boyfriend or girlfriend.
Questions
- How did you react to your worst break up?
- Do you think many Christian teens love their ex-es or are do most of us act as hurtfully as anyone else?
- Have you ever been the sympathetic listener while someone trashes his or her ex? How can you be a loving friend and, at the same time, keep your friend from tearing down their ex?
- Is it okay to tell others the truth about your ex? Does it matter what your motives are?
- Have your parents been through a divorce? Can you imagine what that is like? Does one parent talk bad about the other? How can you pray for your parents' thoughts and feelings toward each other?
