From Under the Cork Tree is the second studio album from Fall Out Boy. Released in 2005, the album is a follow-up to their first album, Take This To Your Grave. But this sophomore effort clearly launched the band into even further stardom.
Fall Out Boy is a group consisting of bassist/songwriter, Pete Wentz, guitarist/lead vocalist, Patrick Stump, lead guitarist Joe Trohman, and drummer Andy Hurley. The band started out playing covers from other popular bands at the time, such as The Ramones and Green Day, before working on their own material.
The name of this album is a reference to one of my favorite childhood books, Ferdinand. The bull in the well-known book doesn’t want to fight, and instead he sits underneath a cork tree all day long.
One of the best parts of the album, which some listeners find pretentious, are its long song titles. The album kicks off with a song called “Our Lawyer Made Us Change the Name of This Song So We Wouldn’t Get Sued”. This was apparently a true sentiment, as the band members wanted to give this track another name, but their lawyer advised them against this. Another very long song title is “Get Busy Living Or Get Busy Dying (Do Your Part To Save The Scene And Stop Going To Shows)”.
I personally am a fan of these long song titles, because they give the album a more interesting tone. This trend started with a few songs on their first album, but then it really took off with this one.
I could go on all day talking about how remarkable a lyricist Pete Wentz is. One of my favorite moments on the album comes from the song “Nobody Puts Baby In The Corner”, when he sings, “Keep quiet. Nothing comes as easy as you. Can I lay in your bed all day? I’ll be your best kept secret and your biggest mistake. Hand behind this pen relives a failure every day.”
Clearly, Wentz loves a good double entendre, and he has a gift for unstoppable, catchy combos. He also uses many aspects of his personal life to give soul to his lyrics.
In “Dance, Dance”, the band lays down one of the most notable basslines in their discography. The song begins with just the drum set and bass playing, setting the tone for the entire song.
The music video for this track features the band looking nerdy as can be, with glasses and slicked-back hair, at a school dance. They try to woo their dates, or seduce another girl into dancing with them, and it all culminates in a dance battle, with Pete Wentz going against some of the “popular” kids. The whole thing is quite campy and terrific.
Another fun attribute of this album is all of its featured artists. Brendon Urie from Panic! At The Disco has vocal credits on “7 Minutes in Heaven (Atavan Haven)”, which is actually his first official vocal performance before Panic’s first album, A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out. Additionally, William Beckett of The Academy Is… sings one of my favorite portions of “Sophomore Slump or Comeback Of The Year”. These two artists are also featured as vampires in the music video for “A Little Less Sixteen Candles, A Little More Touch Me”.
My personal favorite song title on the album is “I Slept With Someone in Fall Out Boy, And All I Got Was This Stupid Song Written About Me”, and it features vocals from Chad Gilbert of the band New Found Glory. There’s this charming back and forth between Gilbert and Wentz towards the end of the song, and it all climaxes into a totally epic conclusion.
From Under The Cork Tree is one of my favorite albums of all time, and I seriously recommend you give it a try. Its interesting lyrics, campy videos, and diverse features all make for a great ride!
