My Gen X Playlist: Dammit – Blink 182

Resilient

I’m sometimes a hard nut to crack. I can buckle down and mix it with the best of them. Pressure, long hours, stress. I can absorb it all for long unsustainable amounts of time. I put my head down and march forward.

Until I can’t.

Twice in my life I’ve had to push the pause button. In some ways, I’ve considered them personal failures. I wasn’t raised to give up, nor to lose. It’s a humbling experience, but in a strange way, a necessary one. How can you ever win if you’ve never lost?

There is shame, regret and frustration wrapped into a ball and strapped around my ankle. It invisibly drags behind me as I walk, following me as I go about my day. Nobody hears it’s scraping sound behind me, except me. It’s a reminder of my decision to hit the pause button.

This, too, shall pass.

These words deafen the noise in my head. I know this feeling is only temporary. It’s just a matter of time before I re-emerge. It’s never a matter of if, it always is a matter of when. I keep my head down and continue marching forward. I’m pretty resilient. It just takes time to shake this off.

Hello Music Theory came out with a list of songs about failure. Blink-182’s Dammit came in it at number 5. This song is a reminder that failure is a part of life.

The song tells the story of a young man grappling with a breakup, feeling like he’s failed in his relationship. He laments, “Well, I guess this is growing up.” It captures his realization that failure, heartbreak, and disappointment are often part of the journey into adulthood.

Through its lyrics, “Dammit” reminds us that failure is a normal part of life, especially when it comes to relationships. Not everything will go as planned, and that’s okay.

– hellomusictheory

It’s good to keep failure in perspective. One moment doesn’t define who we are. I found a few quotes that fit quite nicely.

Turn your wounds into wisdom.

– Oprah Winfrey

You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them.

– Maya Angelou

The real test is not whether you avoid this failure, because you won’t. It’s whether you let it harden or shame you into inaction, or whether you learn from it; whether you choose to persevere.

– Barack Obama

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For a complete playlist, please click here.

For the Spotify playlist, please click here.

It's alright to tell me what you think about me
I won't try to argue or hold it against you
I know that you're leaving, you must have your reasons
The season is calling, your pictures are falling down

The steps that I retrace, the sad look on your face
The timing and structure, did you hear he fucked her?
A day late, a buck short, I'm writing the report
On losing and failing, when I move, I'm flailing now

And it's happened once again, I'll turn to a friend
Someone that understands, and sees through the master plan
But everybody's gone, and I've been here for too long
To face this on my own, well, I guess this is growing up

Well, I guess this is growing up

And maybe I'll see you at a movie sneak preview
You'll show up and walk by on the arm of that guy
And I'll smile and you'll wave, we'll pretend it's okay
The charade, it won't last, when he's gone, I won't come back

And it'll happen once again, you'll turn to a friend
Someone that understands and sees through the master plan
But everybody's gone, and you've been there for too long
To face this on your own, well, I guess this is growing up

Well, I guess this is growing up
Well, I guess this is growing up
Well, I guess this is growing up
Well, I guess this is growing up
Well, I guess this is growing up