The Freshmen (song)

"The Freshmen" is an alternative rock song by The Verve Pipe that was featured on their 1996 album Villains. It was released as the album's third single on March 31, 1997.^[1] The song peaked at #5 in the United States and topped the Modern Rock chart.

[edit] Song meaning

Brian Vander Ark wrote the song in 1991 about the guilt he felt from his ex-girlfriend having an abortion. This is shown in the first verse with the line "stopped a baby's breath and a shoe full of rice."^{[citation needed]}

The song was written after watching the film The Freshman starring Marlon Brando and Matthew Broderick. In an interview, Vander Ark says, "At some point in our lives, we're all freshmen. We are all at that point when we think we know everything but we don't know shit".^{[cite this quote]}

The girl in the song is based on Vander Ark's girlfriend at the time -- who really had an abortion. However, she didn't actually commit suicide like in the song, which Vander Ark said was poetic license.^[2]^[3]

The song was also covered by the Grand Rapids-based ska band Mustard Plug.

[edit] References

^ http://www.amazon.com/Freshmen-Verve-Pipe/dp/B00000E6QVwas
^ Verve Pipeings FAQ
^ Carlini, Anne. (n.d.). "Brian Vander Ark: What’s Lurking Underneath." Exclusive Magazine. Retrieved October 28, 2007.

[edit] External links

Preceded by "Staring at the Sun" by U2	Billboard Modern Rock Tracks number-one single May 3, 1997 - May 17, 1997	Succeeded by "Semi-Charmed Life" by Third Eye Blind