Way Away

"Way Away"
Single by Yellowcard
from the album Ocean Avenue
Released May 30, 2004
Format Audio CD/digital download
Genre Pop punk, punk rock
Length 3:22
Label Capitol
Writer(s) Ryan Key
Producer Neal Avron
Yellowcard singles chronology
"Way Away"
(2004)
"Ocean Avenue"
(2004)

"Way Away" is the first single and opening track of Yellowcard's album Ocean Avenue. The song and music video both reflect the band's choice about leaving their hometown of Jacksonville, Florida to California in hopes of making a name for themselves in the Southern California music scene.

"Way Away" is part of the soundtrack for the American football video game Madden NFL 2004 and SSX3.

Contents

Background

In an interview, former Yellowcard lead guitarist Ben Harper said that "Way Away" is "about our band and facing the people who didn't believe in what we were doing. That's kind of like an ode to disbelievers."[1] In another interview, vocalist Ryan Key, in discussion of the song, said: "It's the story we have sort of been through as a band in the last couple of years, moving from our hometown in [Jacksonville,] Florida, out to [Southern] California and starting to tour really hard and just sort of following our dreams. Hopefully other people will take that song and apply it to their own lives and be able to kind of get out of whatever they are stuck in and don't want to be in."[2] Key also revealed that the song was "harder than some of our other songs, [whereas] 'Ocean Avenue' is kind of in the middle of the spectrum of where the record goes."[2]

Track listing

  1. "Way Away" - 3:22
  2. "Hey Mike" - 4:01
  3. "Avondale" (Acoustic) - 3:37
  4. "Way Away" (Video)
  5. Behind the Scenes Footage (Video)

Music video

Directed by Patrick Hoelck, The video starts out with the band members pulling up in a Vista Cruiser car in a vacant parking lot and begin setting up their gear and start playing in front of a supermarket. The band's frontman, Ryan Key is shown in from several scenes of the video showing him loading his car and moving away from his job, family, and his girlfriend and writing the lyrics of "Way Away". The video ends after Ryan and band is singing to a self image of himself and drives away in the distance.

The video was shot in front of the "Super A Foods" Market store in Los Angeles, California.

Reception

Allmusic gave the song a positive review, by saying "[Way Away] thrives on the basics of rock & roll — foliated guitars weaved in between high-speed percussion." Chris Conlon of the Telegraph Herald said he was "dumbfounded" when he listened to the song. Conlon goes on to say, "The song basically says that you are the master of your destiny, that no one can stand in your way."[3]

Charts

Chart (2004) Peak
position
UK Singles (The Official Charts Company)[4] 63
US Alternative Songs (Billboard)[5] 15

References

  1. ^ Tenorio, Paul (2003-11-13). "Music Review: 'Way Away' from pop-punk". The Daily Northwestern. http://media.www.dailynorthwestern.com/media/storage/paper853/news/2003/11/13/Play/Music.Review.way.Away.From.PopPunk-1912844.shtml. Retrieved 2009-03-25. 
  2. ^ a b Moss, Corey; Jonathan Cane (2003-10-20). "Some Meatloaf, A Scoop Of Peas And Yellowcard?". MTV News. http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1479838/20031020/yellowcard.jhtml. Retrieved 2009-03-27. 
  3. ^ Conlon, Chris (2003-07-17). "Yellowcard album "Way Away" cool - Critics might say it's just mainstream but it's about real life". Telegraph Herald: c7. 
  4. ^ "Chart Stats – Yellowcard – Way Away" UK Singles Chart. Chart Stats. Retrieved January 22, 2011.
  5. ^ "Yellowcard Album & Song Chart History" Billboard Alternative Songs for Yellowcard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved January 22, 2011.

External links