For many college students, reliving the glory days of punk music is a constant urge. With such iconic lines from punk music such as, “A single tear is droppin’,” “I wanna be sedated” and “The shadow in the background of the morgue,” it’s hard not to wish that every day could be filled with punk classics. Luckily, on “Punk for a Day Day” on Oct. 25, you can celebrate with a playlist sure to help you connect with your most authentic punk identity, even if all it does is remind you of Guitar Hero jams.
“I Wanna Be Sedated” — Ramones
“I wanna be sedated” is the kind of line of nihilistic humor that’s commonplace today but was definitely before its time when the song came out in 1978. This song, though it stands out from other entries on the list due to its extra upbeat and happy tones, was an original of the punk movement when it began around the ‘70s in the United States.
“I Miss You” — blink-182
If you don’t have intense flashback memories of scream-singing this song in your car, now is your chance to make some memories. With such iconic lines as “hear your voice of treason” and “The webs from all the spiders, catching things and eating their insides,” this song is the perfect sing-along to make you feel like you’re relating to something emotional and profound, without ever experiencing something similar to what the song describes.
“Basket Case” — Green Day
A punk playlist without Green Day is no punk playlist at all. Lead vocalist Billie Joe Armstrong once said, “A guy walks up to me and asks, ‘What’s punk?’ So I kick over a garbage can and say, ‘That’s punk!’ So he kicks over the garbage can and says, ‘That’s punk?’ and I say, ‘No that’s trendy!’” Reminisce on that quote while jamming to any Green Day song.
“London Calling” — The Clash
A band from the late ‘70s and early ‘80s, The Clash contributed greatly to punk as we know it today. The vocals and guitar in this hit give off a spooky sound, making the song a perfect mix of a late-October jam and a Punk for a Day Day classic.
“If You Can’t Hang” — Sleeping With Sirens
Who doesn’t love a song that compels you to start head-banging from the very beginning? Although Sleeping With Sirens verges more on the emo-subculture of the punk umbrella, this song still has its place on the Punk for a Day Day playlist due to its fast-paced, head-banging angst.
“Love Will Tear Us Apart” — Joy Division
Joy Division has the kind of songs that would play in the soundtrack of “The Perks of Being A Wallflower” — kind of hipster, kind of ‘80s, kind of angsty. Although less of a headbanging bop than other songs on this list, Joy Division definitely deserves a mention as one of the great punk bands. See also “Let’s Dance to Joy Division” by The Wombats for a more upbeat and slightly less punk bop.
“Savior” — Rise Against
Rise Against has the vibes of what Nickelback would be if it had more mature vocals and never turned into a meme. “Savior” is a great throwback song you may have forgotten about, but as soon as the music starts, you’ll instantly remember a time and place when everything was better and more punk.
“Face Down” — The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus
At first glance, you may think you don’t know this song, but it’s secretly a classic. The song is guaranteed to have all of your punk friends scream-singing at your next social gathering.
“Suburban Home” — Descendents
This song tears apart the great American Dream in the most punk fashion possible. With an opening line of, “I want to be stereotyped, I want to be classified,” you know what kind of song you’re getting into, and it only gets better from there.
“I Wanna Be Your Dog” — The Stooges
With surprising Christmas jingle-bell vibes, “I Wanna Be Your Dog” breathes fresh air into the punk genre all the way from 1969 when the song was released. If Iggy Pop — the lead singer of the group — isn’t punk, then nothing is.
“Waiting Room” — Fugazi
Fugazi exemplifies punk from the ‘80s with each of its upbeat, rock-punk jams. Although this song features sparse and occasionally-slurred lyrics, the instruments carry the sound all the way through.
“You’re Gonna Go Far, Kid” — The Offspring
There was a time in most of our lives when we thought this song was the pinnacle of angsty punk music, especially during the chorus when we enjoyed adding extra emphasis to the “f-word” and feeling like we were more hardcore than we actually were.
“Anarchy In the UK” — Sex Pistols
Punk and the United Kingdom are easily associated with each other. The iconic line “I am an anti-Christ” was born from this song and perfectly exemplifies the anti-establishment and anti-mainstream nature of the punk genre.
