Youth of the Nation

Last updated

"Youth of the Nation"
Pod youth of the nation.png
Single by P.O.D.
from the album Satellite
B-side
  • "Alive" (semi-acoustic version)
  • "Sabbath"
ReleasedNovember 27, 2001 (2001-11-27)
RecordedMarch 2001
Genre
Length4:17
Label Atlantic
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s) Howard Benson
P.O.D. singles chronology
"Alive"
(2001)		"Youth of the Nation"
(2001)		"Boom"
(2002)
Music video
"Youth of the Nation" on YouTube

"Youth of the Nation" is a song by American Christian metal band P.O.D. It was released on November 27, 2001, as the second single to come from their second major label album, Satellite . It was inspired in part by the school shootings at Santana High School and Columbine High School. "Youth of the Nation" became the band's only No. 1 hit on the US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart and reached No. 28 on the Billboard Hot 100, their only single to reach the top 40.

Contents

Background

The song's inspiration stems from a trip when the band was on their way to record for Satellite on March 5, 2001. They were held up in traffic and discovered that the reason was a mass shooting at Santana High School, where a fifteen-year-old student named Charles Andrew Williams killed two and wounded thirteen. The album was consequently delayed, and the band was inspired to write "Youth of the Nation."

In a 2008 interview, guitarist Marcos Curiel described the event:

"We were rehearsing and writing Satellite a couple of blocks away from the school. One day on the way to the studio, there were all these helicopters and cars speeding by. We really didn’t know what was going on. When we got to the studio, this guy had the news on, and he was like, ‘This kid just went and started blasting fools.’ So we started jamming, and that rhythm just naturally came out, then Wuv [Bernardo, drummer] put that drumbeat on it, and the song was born."

Curiel added, "When you can hear something that's going to uplift you like 'Alive' or something that's going to bring out knowledge like 'Youth of the Nation,' we've done our jobs as an artist." [4]

Lyrics and song structure

"Youth of the Nation" contains three stories of adolescent tragedy in American culture. It begins by describing a teenager skating to school only to be shot by a fellow student. Lyrics go on to speculate whether or not the boy who committed the act felt unloved. Following the chorus, a 12-year-old girl called "little Suzie" is depicted as having been abandoned by her father and subsequently "finding love in all the wrong places." Finally, another teen known as "Johnny boy" fails to fit in with his peers and ultimately commits suicide by firearm, "[telling] the world how he felt with the sound of a gat [handgun]." [2]

Music video

The music video for "Youth of the Nation" has the band performing the song in a room filled with photos of adolescents as seen on the single cover. It revolves around a group of teenagers taking a cross country trip in a car from New York City to Venice Beach in Los Angeles via Western Pennsylvania (New Kensington, Arnold, Cheswick, Harmarville), Carhenge is used as a backdrop for parts of the chorus along with other locales. The book On the Road by Jack Kerouac can be seen on the dashboard of the car. Directed by Paul Fedor, the video found significant airplay on MTV2.

The video features a prefamous Joel David Moore as the teenager driving the car. [5]

Marcos Curiel noted that censorship of the video came into play due to Viacom: "We had a girl sitting on the hood of the car going down the highway trying to be free-spirited, you know? [...] But, Viacom and MTV had us edit that out because kids are so easily influenced." [4]

Awards

2003 Grammy Awards

2002 MTV Video Music Awards

Track listing

UK, European, and Australian CD single [6] [7]

  1. "Youth of the Nation" (album version) – 4:17
  2. "Alive" (semi-acoustic version) – 3:23
  3. "Sabbath" – 4:32

Chart

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA) [36] Gold35,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Release history

RegionDateFormat(s)Label(s)Ref.
United StatesNovember 27, 2001 Atlantic [37]
February 11, 2002 Contemporary hit radio [38]
AustraliaMarch 11, 2002CD [39]
United KingdomMay 6, 2002
  • CD
  • cassette
 [40]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Complicated (Avril Lavigne song)</span> 2002 single by Avril Lavigne

"Complicated" is the debut single by Canadian singer-songwriter Avril Lavigne from her debut album, Let Go (2002). It was released on 11 March 2002 by Arista Records. Lavigne and production team the Matrix are credited as writers. Production on the song was helmed by the Matrix. According to Lavigne, the song is about being honest with oneself rather than "putting on a face".

<i>Satellite</i> (P.O.D. album) 2001 studio album by P.O.D.

Satellite is the fourth studio album by American Christian nu metal band P.O.D. The album was released on September 11, 2001 debuting at No. 6 on the Billboard 200 chart with over 133,000 copies sold. It spent five consecutive weeks in the top 10 of that chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blurry</span> 2001 single by Puddle of Mudd

"Blurry" is a song by American rock band Puddle of Mudd. It was released on October 16, 2001, as the second single from the band's debut album Come Clean (2001). It was 2002's most successful rock song in the United States, topping the Billboard Mainstream Rock and Modern Rock Tracks charts as well as their year-end listings. "Blurry" also found success outside the US, reaching the top 20 in Ireland, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Island in the Sun (Weezer song)</span> 2001 single by Weezer

"Island in the Sun" is a song by the American rock band Weezer. It is the second single from the band's second self-titled album Weezer, released in 2001. "Island in the Sun" was not originally planned to be on the album, but producer Ric Ocasek fought for its inclusion. It was a successful radio single and perhaps the band's biggest hit ever outside of the United States, reaching No. 31 in the UK and No. 17 in France. In January 2002, the Australian Triple J Hottest 100 ranked the song 7 in its 2001 countdown. "Island in the Sun" is also the most-licensed track in the Weezer catalog. In 2009, Pitchfork named it the 495th greatest song of the 2000s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">How You Remind Me</span> 2001 single by Nickelback

"How You Remind Me" is a song by Canadian rock band Nickelback. With lyrics written by lead singer Chad Kroeger and music composed by the band, the track was released on July 17, 2001, as the lead single from their third studio album, Silver Side Up (2001). A "Gold Mix" was made for latter editions of the single, with the heavier guitars edited out of the chorus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">With Arms Wide Open</span> 2000 single by Creed

"With Arms Wide Open" is a power ballad by American rock band Creed. It was released on April 18, 2000, as the third single from their second studio album, Human Clay. The song reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 in November 2000, becoming the band's first and only song to top the chart. The song also received honors at the 43rd Annual Grammy Awards in 2001, being nominated for Best Rock Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group, as well as Scott Stapp and Mark Tremonti winning the Grammy Award for Best Rock Song.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vertigo (U2 song)</span> 2004 single by U2

"Vertigo" is a song by Irish rock band U2. It is the opening track on their eleventh studio album, How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb (2004). It was released to radio as the album's lead single on 8 November 2004, and upon release, it received extensive airplay. The song was an international success, bolstered by its usage in a television advertisement featuring the band for Apple's iPod digital music player. The song lent its name to the band's 2005–2006 Vertigo Tour.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Work It (Missy Elliott song)</span> 2002 single by Missy Elliott

"Work It" is a hip hop song written by American rapper Missy Elliott and her producer Tim "Timbaland" Mosley for Elliott's fourth studio album Under Construction (2002). The song's musical style, and production by Timbaland, were heavily inspired by old school hip hop from the early 1980s. It samples Run-D.M.C.'s "Peter Piper" and Rock Master Scott & the Dynamic Three's "Request Line".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Drive (Incubus song)</span> 2000 single by Incubus

"Drive" is a song by American rock band Incubus, released on November 14, 2000, as the third single from their third album, Make Yourself (1999). It is the band's biggest hit and breakthrough single, eventually reaching the top of the US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart on March 3, 2001, and number nine on the Billboard Hot 100 on July 28, 2001. It also reached number four in Portugal, number 13 in New Zealand, number 34 in Australia, and number 40 in the United Kingdom. In 2001, "Drive" won a Billboard Award for Modern Rock Single of the Year. Director Bill Draheim documented the making of "Drive" in Save Me from My Half-Life Drive.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hanging by a Moment</span> 2000 single by Lifehouse

"Hanging by a Moment" is a song by American alternative rock band Lifehouse. It was the first single released from their debut studio album, No Name Face (2000), issued through DreamWorks Records. The track was written by lead singer Jason Wade, who said that he wrote the song in about five minutes without thinking about what would happen to it. It was produced by American record producer Ron Aniello and was mixed by Brendan O'Brien. Musically, "Hanging by a Moment" is a post-grunge song that contains influences of alternative rock.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Logical Song</span> 1979 single by Supertramp

"The Logical Song" is a song by English rock group Supertramp that was released as the lead single from their album Breakfast in America in March 1979. It was written primarily by the band's Roger Hodgson, who based the lyrics on his experiences being sent away to boarding school for ten years. The song became Supertramp's biggest hit, rising to No. 7 in the United Kingdom and No. 6 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. In 2001, a cover version by the band Scooter returned the song to the top 10 in several European countries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Am Mine</span> 2002 single by Pearl Jam

"I Am Mine" is a song by American rock band Pearl Jam. Written by vocalist Eddie Vedder, "I Am Mine" was released on October 8, 2002, as the first single from the band's seventh studio album, Riot Act (2002). The song peaked at number six on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart. The song was included on Pearl Jam's 2004 greatest hits album, rearviewmirror .

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jaded (Aerosmith song)</span> 2001 single by Aerosmith

"Jaded" is a song by American hard rock band Aerosmith. It was written by lead singer Steven Tyler and songwriting collaborator Marti Frederiksen. Serviced to US radio in January 2001, the single was released on February 20, 2001, as the first single from the band's 13th studio album, Just Push Play (2001). The song was debuted publicly at the American Music Awards and was also played at the halftime show for Super Bowl XXXV in January 2001. It was ranked No. 86 on VH1's "100 Greatest Songs of the '00s".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">It's Been Awhile</span> 2001 single by Staind

"It's Been Awhile" is a song by American rock band Staind, released on March 27, 2001, as the lead single from their third studio album, Break the Cycle (2001).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Reason (Hoobastank song)</span> 2004 single by Hoobastank

"The Reason" is a song by American rock band Hoobastank. Released on January 26, 2004, as the second single from their second studio album of the same name, the power ballad is Hoobastank's most commercially successful single, peaking at number two on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number one on the US Modern Rock Tracks chart. In 2005, it was nominated for two categories at the 47th Grammy Awards: Song of the Year and Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals. Internationally, "The Reason" reached number one in Canada and Italy and peaked within the top 10 in 10 other countries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Broken (Seether song)</span> 2004 single by Seether

"Broken" is a song by South African rock band Seether, first appearing on their debut album, Disclaimer (2002). It was reworked and recorded again in 2004, this time featuring American singer Amy Lee, the lead singer of Evanescence and then-girlfriend of Seether vocalist Shaun Morgan. It was included on the soundtrack to the 2004 Marvel Comics superhero film The Punisher, and was also on Seether's second studio album, Disclaimer II.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alive (P.O.D. song)</span> 2001 single by P.O.D.

"Alive" is a song by American Christian metal band P.O.D. It was released on July 31, 2001, as the lead single from their second major-label studio album, Satellite (2001). It is one of the band's most popular songs. The "Alive" CD single was first released in 2001 and then again in 2002 with alternative cover art and tracks. A semi-acoustic remix was included as a bonus track on the special edition re-release of Satellite available August 27, 2002.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wherever You Will Go</span> 2001 single by the Calling

"Wherever You Will Go" is the debut single of American band the Calling. The song was released on May 22, 2001, as the first single from their debut studio album, Camino Palmero (2001). It remains their most successful hit, peaking at number five on the US Billboard Hot 100 and topping the Adult Top 40 for 23 weeks, the second-longest-running number one in the chart's history. Outside the United States, the song topped the music charts of Italy, New Zealand, and Poland, reached number three in the United Kingdom, peaked at number five in Australia, and became a top-10 hit in several European countries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adrienne (song)</span> 2002 single by the Calling

"Adrienne" is the second single from American rock band the Calling's debut album, Camino Palmero (2001). When Aaron Kamin and Alex Band wrote the song, they both had girls in mind, but according to the band, they changed the name in the song to "Adrienne" because they did not want to get sued. Released on April 15, 2002, "Adrienne" reached number 16 on the US Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 and was a minor hit in Europe and Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boom (P.O.D. song)</span> 2002 single by P.O.D.

"Boom" is a song by American Christian metal band P.O.D. It was released in April 2002 as the third single from their second major label studio album Satellite. While it did not chart as well as the album's previous singles, the song has appeared significantly in film and television. "Boom " was included on the remix album Community Service and as a bonus track on the special edition re-release of Satellite available August 27, 2002. A limited edition, gatefold picture disc of the single was also available in the UK.

References

  1. ↑ Pattison, Louis (September 12, 2005). "P.O.D : Youth of the Nation". NME . Retrieved December 17, 2016.
  2. 1 2 Fenell, Zachary Alternative Rock Songs About Suicide Yahoo! (October 11, 2010) Archived July 29, 2014, at the Wayback Machine
  3. ↑ "Ranking: Every Alternative Rock No. 1 Hit from Worst to Best". July 5, 2017.
  4. 1 2 Blatt, Mitchell P.O.D. Interview: Back Together, New Album in April Archived April 13, 2008, at the Wayback Machine Juiced Sports (March 13, 2008). Retrieved on 12-23-11.
  5. ↑ "P.O.D.: Youth of the Nation". January 17, 2024.
  6. ↑ Youth of the Nation (UK & European CD single liner notes). P.O.D. Atlantic Records. 2002. AT0127CD, 7567-85249-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  7. ↑ Youth of the Nation (Australian CD single liner notes). P.O.D. Atlantic Records. 2002. 7567852492.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  8. ↑ "P.O.D. – Youth of the Nation". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved November 21, 2011.
  9. ↑ "P.O.D. – Youth of the Nation" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved November 21, 2011.
  10. ↑ "P.O.D. – Youth of the Nation" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved November 21, 2011.
  11. ↑ "P.O.D. – Youth of the Nation". Tracklisten. Retrieved November 21, 2011.
  12. ↑ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media . Vol. 20, no. 23. June 1, 2002. p. 19. Retrieved July 31, 2020.
  13. ↑ "P.O.D.: Youth of the Nation" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat. Retrieved November 21, 2011.
  14. ↑ "P.O.D. – Youth of the Nation" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved November 21, 2011.
  15. ↑ "P.O.D. – Youth of the Nation" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved November 21, 2011.
  16. ↑ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Single (track) Top 40 lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved July 31, 2020.
  17. ↑ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Youth of the Nation". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved July 31, 2020.
  18. ↑ "P.O.D. – Youth of the Nation". Top Digital Download. Retrieved November 21, 2011.
  19. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – P.O.D." (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved November 21, 2011.
  20. ↑ "P.O.D. – Youth of the Nation" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved February 16, 2020.
  21. ↑ "P.O.D. – Youth of the Nation". VG-lista. Retrieved November 21, 2011.
  22. ↑ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 31, 2020.
  23. ↑ "P.O.D. – Youth of the Nation". Singles Top 100. Retrieved November 21, 2011.
  24. ↑ "P.O.D. – Youth of the Nation". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved November 21, 2011.
  25. ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 31, 2020.
  26. ↑ "Official Rock & Metal Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 31, 2020.
  27. ↑ "P.O.D. Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved July 31, 2020.
  28. ↑ "P.O.D. Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved July 31, 2020.
  29. ↑ "P.O.D. Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved July 31, 2020.
  30. ↑ "P.O.D. Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved July 31, 2020.
  31. ↑ "Top 100 top played radio tracks in Canada in 2002". Jam!. Archived from the original on September 6, 2004. Retrieved March 23, 2022.
  32. ↑ "Top 100 Single–Jahrescharts 2002" (in German). GfK Entertainment . Retrieved February 16, 2020.
  33. ↑ "Årslista Singlar, 2002" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan . Retrieved February 16, 2020.
  34. 1 2 "The Year in Music 2002: Mainstream and Modern Rock". Billboard. Vol. 114, no. 52. December 28, 2002. p. YE-87.
  35. ↑ "Most-Played Mainstream Top 40 Songs of 2002". Airplay Monitor . Vol. 10, no. 51. December 20, 2002. p. 12.
  36. ↑ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2002 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association . Retrieved July 31, 2020.
  37. ↑ "Going for Adds" (PDF). Radio & Records . No. 1429. November 23, 2001. pp. 79, 82, 88. Retrieved June 6, 2021.
  38. ↑ "Going for Adds" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1439. February 8, 2002. p. 30. Retrieved June 6, 2021.
  39. ↑ "The ARIA Report: New Releases Singles – Week Commencing 11th March 2002" (PDF). ARIA. March 11, 2002. p. 26. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 22, 2008. Retrieved June 6, 2021.
  40. ↑ "Reviews – For Records Out on 6 May 2002" (PDF). Music Week . April 27, 2002. p. 12. Retrieved August 26, 2021.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.