There are just 17 days left until I get to see Panic! live for the first time (you better believe I have a countdown!), so I thought I'd highlight my favorite songs by them this time. They've changed a lot in 10 years and "they" has recently become "he", as Brendon Urie is the sole remaining member. Bassist Dallon Weekes, guitarist Kenneth Harris, and drummer Dan Pawlovich now only accompany Brendon on tour--they no longer contribute creatively.
I think it's going to be wayy too hard to feature just five songs so I may do ten, oops heh.
I think it's going to be wayy too hard to feature just five songs so I may do ten, oops heh.
That Green Gentleman (Pretty. Odd., 2008)
This first song is very close to being my favorite by Panic!. Actually, this entire album is probably my favorite besides Death of a Bachelor (2016). It has a wonderfully happy sound and the optimistic lyrics describe how the singer recognizes that he's a different person and that even though he and his circumstances may have changed, he is happy. Brendon himself has said that his favorite lyric that he's ever written is "things have changed for me, c'mon everybody let's dance and sing".
When I was waiting in line to buy my Panic! tickets, someone drove by with this song blasting and I almost lost it. I think it really hit me then that I'm actually going to get to see and hear him up close. Granted, Brendon's voice makes me want to cry in general, but this song means a lot to me for some reason. I'm not good at explaining things.
When I was waiting in line to buy my Panic! tickets, someone drove by with this song blasting and I almost lost it. I think it really hit me then that I'm actually going to get to see and hear him up close. Granted, Brendon's voice makes me want to cry in general, but this song means a lot to me for some reason. I'm not good at explaining things.
I wanna go where everyone goes | |
FOlkin' Around (Pretty. Odd., 2008)
If you're really familiar with Panic!, then you probably wondered what the heck this was when you first heard it, because it sounds almost nothing like anything they've ever done. They've been categorized as theatrical, techno, gothic, rock, indie, alternative, baroque pop--you name it--but never FOLK. It's got the fiddle, it's got the harmonica, and it's even got the beloved banjo. I love folk music so it's pretty easy for me to love this song. It shows the stunning versatility of this band. In under two minutes, it's very fun, and its ironic and intentionally exaggerated lyrics will have you wishing Brendon would delve more into the folk genre.
| Your melody sounds as sweet as the first time it was sung |
WHen the day met the night (Pretty. Odd., 2008)
This song is such a beautiful and happy story about two opposites falling in love and sticking by each other. This song is very brassy and Beatles-esque, which makes sense, considering the album was heavily inspired by Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. An interesting aspect of the lyrics is that the sun and moon weren't assigned specific genders, so it's up to the listeners to determine that for themselves. My favorite part of the song is when the guy didn't mean to fall in love with her--he just did, and he didn't know how to not be in love with her. All was golden.
When the moon found the sun | |
I have friends in Holy Spaces (Pretty. Odd., 2008)
The lyrical portion of this song is just under a minute and a half and the instrumentation consists of ukulele, trumpet, and clarinet, which combine to create an interesting old fashioned sound (it even sounds like a fuzzy vinyl recording if you listen closely). Brendon wrote it and said, “What happened was one night when we were writing another song, we took an hour break. I was playing something on the guitar and as we were all hanging around I was making up lyrics to it. It just kind of became a ditty and the rest of them – I think they’re all crazy – but they were like ‘You can throw that on the album.’ That was one of the two songs I got to throw on there". I love it when songs just kind of happen like this and get to be incorporated into the final product. I love spontaneous creativity.
| I'm not complaining that it's raining, |
The Ballad of mona lisa (Vices & Virtues, 2011)
This is one of their more popular ones, from the time when Panic! was basically left to Brendon, Dallon, and drummer Spencer Smith (who later left the band to deal with personal addiction-related issues). Brendon's vocals in this are amazing, as they always are, and the video has nods to the band's past with the clocks being set to 9 (from "Nine in the Afternoon") and the top hat (from "I Write Sins Not Tragedies") being dusty on the church pew as a way of saying goodbye to the former Panic! At the Disco. Brendon said “On the surface it can seem like just the story of drama between a guy and a girl. But it’s really about what I’ve been going through, an inner-struggle within myself, and fighting the dualities of my personality – the side that f–ks everything up and destroys everything and the other side that tries to pick up the slack.”
Say what you mean, tell me I'm right | |
Sarah Smiles (Vices & Virtues, 2011)
This song is so important. Brendon wrote it about a girl he started dating around this time (and now she's his WIFE, which I'm sure I'll get to later). I just absolutely love how a single person can inspire someone so much. It must be wonderful for Sarah to know that she meant so much to Brendon even in the earliest stages of their relationship. Brendon says he wrote this song to try to impress Sarah because he was so infatuated with her at the time. It was a huge step for him to be able to build up his confidence like that and to just write a song that blatantly told what he was feeling is very admirable. The instrumentation is interesting (accordion and brass--say what?) and there's a part where Brendon sings the chorus a capella for a moment. It was refreshing to hear nothing but his pure vocals, even if it was only for five seconds.
| Does she know that my destiny lies with her? |
This is gospel (Too weird to live, too rare to die, 2013)
This is another one of my absolute favorites. Brendon wrote it about Spencer's battle with addiction. He said, "I was angry at Spence when I wrote the song...It's like, 'Why won't you let me help you? Why won't you let anyone in? All I want is to make a difference for you so we can rise above this'". Brendon's "gospel for the fallen ones" is a gospel that many people will be able to relate to no matter what their circumstances are or have been. He also plays all of the instruments in the original recording of the song. The music video is beautifully directed, but I'm attaching the piano version here instead because it's completely raw, Brendon's vocals are super smooth, and it makes me cry every time. Even with chicken nuggets flying everywhere (you'll see what I mean). This song is a true catharsis that'll definitely touch your heart, if you happen to have one.
Don't try to sleep through the end of the world | |
The End of all things (Twtltrtd, 2013)
I might cry before I even start writing about this song. It serves as Brendon's public wedding vow to Sarah, whom he married in April of 2013, and he wrote it very shortly before their private ceremony. HIS VOW TO HER. IN A SONG. As soon as those first piano notes start playing, my eyes tear up and I cry through the whole song. Brendon wanted the message to be put with minor keyed notes, which creates an amazingly sad but beautiful sound. I'd say the lyrics, though they may seem simple, are among some of the most beautiful I've ever heard. The only thing I'm not too crazy about is that he used a synthesizer vocoder device that makes his voice sound kind of robotic, similar to the original version of "This Is Gospel". I wish there was an acoustic version, but I don't see one coming anytime soon. From 'does she know that my destiny lies with her' in "Sarah Smiles" to 'I am always yours' in this--just, ahhh! What a lovely outcome.
| In these coming years |
Emperor's New clothes (Death of a bachelor, 2016)
Everything about this song (and album) is just so cool. Brendon was inspired by and wanted to do something similar to Queen, so he ended up stacking his own voice 38 times. Yes--38. It produced a really neat operatic sound that adds to the overall theatrical quality. The lyrics are referring to Brendon becoming the only remaining member of the band, how it belongs to him now, and he's never giving it back. It's the end of eras, he's taking back the crown, he is the king, he is Panic! At the Disco. The beginning of the video is sort of a continuation of "This is Gospel". The video is magnificently choreographed and features Brendon as a demon--yay ahaha. Also, I can never stop talking about how great his vocals are, seriously. Just listen, his range is amazing.
Heroes always get remembered | |
Death of a bachelor (DOAB, 2016)
This track is one of the two on this album in which Brendon uses his "Frank Sinatra vocal style". Frank Sinatra is Brendon's idol and I'm telling you, if anyone can sound like anything even remotely close to Sinatra, it's Brendon. He can really croon. The song is about his transition into married life and how he is sacrificing his life as a bachelor to have a "lifetime of laughter" with the love of his life. He's saying that the death of the bachelor is a good thing. He has his happily ever after; what more could he ever need or ask for? The loungey beat-heavy tune has me snapping my fingers and swaying along every time I hear it.
| And when you think of me |
Obviously, you should definitely look into more Panic! At the Disco if you liked any of these. The musical diversity that this band has is outrageous and Brendon has come so far as a person and a musician since 2005. Both his vocals and instrumental abilities are some of the best I've ever heard. I can't wait to finally see him live next month and this summer!
As always, thanks so much for reading and be sure to share this with your friends!
As always, thanks so much for reading and be sure to share this with your friends!