Damned If I Do Ya (Damned If I Don't)

Last updated
"Damned If I Do Ya (Damned If I Don't)"
Cover damned.png
Single by All Time Low
from the album Nothing Personal
ReleasedJune 16, 2009 (2009-06-16)
Recorded2009
Genre Pop punk
Length3:11
Label Hopeless
Songwriter(s)
All Time Low singles chronology
"Weightless"
(2009)
"Damned If I Do Ya (Damned If I Don't)"
(2009)
"Lost in Stereo"
(2010)

"Damned If I Do Ya (Damned If I Don't)" is a song by American rock band All Time Low and is the second single taken from their third studio album, Nothing Personal (2009). It was released by Hopeless Records as a digital download on June 16, 2009. It became All Time Low's first US Billboard Hot 100 charting song, debuting and peaking at No. 67, and was their only song to chart until "Monsters" in early 2021.

Contents

Lyrical meaning

In an exclusive acoustic session with Real Magic TV, Alex Gaskarth (lead vocalist of All Time Low) explained the meaning of this song by stating, "It's a fun little tune about, uh, about charades that one may have with another individual. I'll leave the rest up to you." [2] [ citation needed ]

Track listing

  1. "Damned If I Do Ya (Damned If I Don't)" – 3:11

Music video

In the first week of July, three videos for the making of "Damned If I Do Ya (Damned If I Don't)" were posted on Buzznet. It shows lead singer Alex Gaskarth in a school bench with a teacher walking around him. It was shot with a green screen, which Rian Dawson (drummer for All Time Low) explained would mean that the editors would create the background during the production process.

The video was directed and animated by Matthew Stawski, who also directed All Time Low's video for "Weightless" and Fall Out Boy's "America's Suitehearts" video. The artwork for the video was done by Joshua Clay, who also did the artwork for Fall Out Boy's "America's Suitehearts" along with Serge Gay, Jr.

Some behind the scenes photos were posted on a Glamour Kills blog on September 8, 2009, stating that the music video will premiere the following week.

The video itself premiered on September 11, 2009.

The video mainly revolves around lead singer Alex Gaskarth. It is set on a talk show called "Damned If I Do Ya, Damned If I Don't". The video opens with Alex and the host, Nika "Nothing Personal" Jones, as she talks about Alex's affair with his school teacher. The video displays distractions Alex has with his classes and at his band practices due to this affair. At the end of the bridge of the song, after Alex sings "but I never promised you", the song comes to a halt. Jack, Zack, Rian, Alex's parents, and the school teacher come out, and a full out brawl is started. The chorus of the song comes back in as everyone is beating each other up. As the song continues, the fight continues as well, and eventually Alex defeats everyone. He and the school teacher kiss and the video ends with the audience clapping.

Charts

Chart (2009)Peak
position
UK Indie (OCC) [3] 28
US Billboard Hot 100 [4] 67

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA) [5] Gold500,000Double-dagger-14-plain.png

Double-dagger-14-plain.png Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Related Research Articles

All Time Low American rock band

All Time Low is an American rock band from Towson, Maryland formed in 2003. Consisting of lead vocalist/rhythm guitarist Alex Gaskarth, lead guitarist Jack Barakat, bassist/backing vocalist Zack Merrick, and drummer Rian Dawson, the band took its name from lyrics in the song "Head on Collision" by New Found Glory. The band has consistently done year-long tours, has headlined numerous tours, and has appeared at music festivals including Warped Tour, Reading and Leeds, and Soundwave.

<i>The Three Words to Remember in Dealing with the End EP</i> 2004 EP by All Time Low

The Three Words to Remember in Dealing with the End EP is the first EP by American rock band All Time Low, released in 2004 by Emerald Moon Records.

<i>So Wrong, Its Right</i> 2007 studio album by All Time Low

So Wrong, It's Right is the second studio album by American rock band All Time Low. Following an unsuccessful showcase for Fueled by Ramen, Hopeless Records signed All Time Low in March 2006. They released an EP, Put Up or Shut Up, through the label in July of that year. After amassing 12 songs by January 2007, the band demoed some of them for Paul Leavitt. The group began recording So Wrong, It's Right in April at SOMD Studios in Beltsville, Maryland with producers Leavitt and Matt Squire. The band wrote five additional songs while in the studio. Following an acoustic tour in June, the band participated in Warped Tour, and "Dear Maria, Count Me In" was made available for streaming. After premiering a music video for "Six Feet Under the Stars", So Wrong, It's Right was released on September 25. The band spent the next three months supporting Boys Like Girls on their US tour.

<i>Lead Sails Paper Anchor</i> 2007 studio album by Atreyu

Lead Sails Paper Anchor is the fourth studio album by American metalcore band Atreyu. It is the band's first release with Hollywood Records, and the album had a significantly different sound to it than their previous albums, moving away from a metalcore-type sound, for the most part. The album was released on August 28, 2007. The first single was "Becoming the Bull".

Hi Hater

"Hi Hater" is a song by American rapper Maino, released as his commercial debut single and the lead single from his debut album, If Tomorrow Comes... (2009). The song is featured in the video game Midnight Club: Los Angeles.

<i>Skip School, Start Fights</i> 2008 studio album by Hit the Lights

Skip School, Start Fights is the second studio album from the American pop punk band Hit the Lights.

Weightless (All Time Low song) 2009 single by All Time Low

"Weightless" is a song by American rock band All Time Low and the first and lead single from the group's third studio album Nothing Personal (2009). The single was released through Hopeless Records as a digital download on April 7, 2009, and was released in the UK on August 3, 2009. The song is also available to download on the music video games Rock Band and Guitar Hero 5. It became the first song by the band to receive radio airplay, exposing the band to a new audience, and helping it peak at No. 104 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song has become a live staple, and is considered to be one of the band's signature songs along with "Dear Maria, Count Me In". In 2014 the song was certified Gold by the RIAA.

<i>Nothing Personal</i> (All Time Low album) 2009 studio album by All Time Low

Nothing Personal is the third studio album by American rock band All Time Low. As early as May 2008, the band began writing for their third album, and by November revealed they would be recording in the winter. The band began pre-production in early January 2009 and started recording later in the month, which lasted until March. Half of the album's songs were produced by Matt Squire with Butch Walker, David Bendeth and S*A*M and Sluggo each producing a few songs. Tom Lord-Alge mixed the majority of the album. "Weightless" was made available for streaming in March, and released as a single in April. A support slot for Fall Out Boy and an appearance at the Bamboozle festival followed.

Cassadee Pope American pop punk singer, songwriter

Cassadee Blake Pope is an American pop punk singer, songwriter, & musician. Pope was the lead vocalist and songwriter of the rock band Hey Monday, with whom she released two studio albums & 3 EPs. Pope embarked on a solo career in early 2012, and released the EP Cassadee Pope in May 2012. She took part in the 3rd season of The Voice & became the 1st female winner on December 18, 2012. Her debut solo country album, Frame by Frame, was released on October 8, 2013 to a top 10 Billboard 200 charting. It debuted at No. 1 on Top Country Albums, with 43,000 copies sold in its 1st week.

<i>Dirty Work</i> (All Time Low album) 2011 studio album by All Time Low

Dirty Work is the fourth studio album by American rock band All Time Low. Following the success of Nothing Personal, the band signed to major label Interscope Records in late 2009. After spending sometime writing material in Los Angeles, the band started recording with Mike Green in March 2010. Over the following months the band recorded songs with John Fields, Butch Walker, Matt Squire, David Kahne and U4L. In between sessions, the band embarked on the Bamboozle Roadshow tour. Neal Avron mixed the majority of the album's recordings while Green, Mark Trombino and Chris Lord-Alge each mixed a song. Vocalist/guitarist Alex Gaskarth co-wrote the album's songs with a variety of people, including those who produced a few of the songs. While recording, the album was planned for release in 2010. It was delayed to January 2011, and then to spring. Further recording sessions then took place in November 2010, as well as in January 2011.

<i>Dont Panic</i> (All Time Low album) 2012 studio album by All Time Low

Don't Panic is the fifth studio album by American rock band All Time Low. After signing with major label Interscope Records in November 2009, the band worked on their fourth album Dirty Work. It was delayed a number of times until its eventual release in June 2011. During that time, the people at the label that had signed the band were fired or replaced. By the end of the year, vocalist/guitarist Alex Gaskarth said Dirty Work was "kind of dead in the water", prompting the band to work on their next album shortly afterwards. After completing a week of pre-production in April 2012, the band started recording Don't Panic with Mike Green, in Los Angeles, California and finished in May. The album features appearances from Cassadee Pope of Hey Monday, Anthony Raneri of Bayside and Jason Vena of Acceptance.

A Love Like War 2013 single by All Time Low featuring Vic Fuentes

"A Love Like War" is a song by American rock band All Time Low for the reissue of their fifth studio album Don't Panic: It's Longer Now! (2013). Written and produced by the band's lead vocalist/guitarist Alex Gaskarth and Mike Green, and featuring the input of Pierce The Veil's lead vocalist Vic Fuentes, the song was released through Hopeless Records on September 2, 2013.

Somewhere in Neverland 2012 single by All Time Low

"Somewhere in Neverland" is a song by American rock band All Time Low for their fifth studio album Don't Panic (2012). Written and produced by the band's lead vocalist/guitarist Alex Gaskarth and Mike Green, the song was released through Hopeless Records as the second official single off the album on September 18, 2012. The song uses allusions to Peter Pan and the story Peter and Wendy as a metaphor for the narrator refusing to grow up.

<i>Future Hearts</i> 2015 studio album by All Time Low

Future Hearts is the sixth studio album by American rock band All Time Low, released April 3, 2015 by Hopeless Records as the follow-up to Don't Panic (2012). The first single, "Something's Gotta Give" premiered on BBC Radio 1 on January 12, 2015. Every physical copy contains five of twenty collectible "polaroids". Deluxe editions of Future Hearts feature bonus songs, expanded artwork and an alternative cover. This is the last All Time Low album to be released on Hopeless Records.

Alex Gaskarth American singer

Alexander William Gaskarth is an English-born singer, songwriter, guitarist, musician and actor from Baltimore County, Maryland. He is best known as the lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist, and primary songwriter for the American rock band All Time Low since its formation in 2003.

Dirty Laundry (All Time Low song) 2017 single by All Time Low

"Dirty Laundry" is a song by American rock band All Time Low for their seventh studio album, Last Young Renegade (2017). It was released as the album's lead single on February 17, 2017 and serves as the group's first release on the Fueled by Ramen label. The song impacted American alternative radio on March 7, 2017.

Good Times (All Time Low song) 2017 single by All Time Low

"Good Times" is a song recorded by American rock band All Time Low for their seventh studio album, Last Young Renegade (2017). Lead singer Alex Gaskarth co-wrote the song with its producers, Andrew Goldstein and Dan Book. The song was first released to digital retailers on May 31, 2017 as the fourth and final promotional track before the album's release. "Good Times" was serviced to American adult radio on June 26, 2017 through Fueled by Ramen as the second and final official single from Last Young Renegade.

Simple Creatures American pop rock band

Simple Creatures is an American pop rock duo that was formed by vocalist, bassist, and keyboardist Mark Hoppus of Blink-182 and vocalist, guitarist, and keyboardist Alex Gaskarth of All Time Low. Based in Los Angeles, the duo released their first EP, Strange Love, on March 29, 2019. Their second EP, Everything Opposite, was released on October 11, 2019.

<i>Wake Up, Sunshine</i> 2020 studio album by All Time Low

Wake Up, Sunshine is the eighth studio album by American rock band All Time Low. It was released on April 3, 2020, and is their second release with Fueled by Ramen following Last Young Renegade in 2017. The album's fourth and final single "Monsters" is the highest-charting song of their career.

Monsters (All Time Low song) 2020 single by All Time Low featuring Demi Lovato and Blackbear

"Monsters" is a song by rock band All Time Low featuring Blackbear and Demi Lovato. The song was written by FRND, Kevin Fisher, Jack Barakat, Alex Gaskarth, Blackbear and Demi Lovato, and produced by Zakk Cervini and Gaskarth. The song was originally released on April 3, 2020 by Fueled by Ramen, as part of the band's eighth studio album Wake Up, Sunshine. Following 11 weeks at number one on Billboard's Alternative Airplay chart, the song was re-released with vocals by Demi Lovato on December 4, 2020. It debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 at number 88 and has since peaked at number 55.

References

  1. "Ascap Ace Search". ASCAP. 2010-04-16. Retrieved 2010-04-16.[ permanent dead link ]
  2. Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine : All Time Low - "Damned if I Do Ya" Acoustic (RMTV Official). YouTube .
  3. "Official Independent Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 17, 2021.
  4. "All Time Low Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved March 22, 2021.
  5. "American single certifications – All Time Low – Damned If I Do Ya (Damned If I Don't)". Recording Industry Association of America . Retrieved March 19, 2021.