A Praise Chorus

A Praise Chorus

A Praise Chorus Single Cover

First Played:	Live 2001-02-11 Soundgarden, Dortmund, Germany
Released:	2001-07-24
Length:	4:03
Label:	Dreamworks
Writer:	Jimmy Eat World, Davey von Bohlen, Peter P. Lucia Jr.*, Tommy James
Producer:	Mark Trombino, Jimmy Eat World

A Praise Chorus is a song by American rock band Jimmy Eat World. It was released in October 2002 as the fourth single released from the band's fourth album Bleed American, which was later retitled Jimmy Eat World.

Appears On

• Bleed American
• Live At La Scala
• Mississippi Nights
• Bleed American (Demos)
• Bleed American (single)
• The Middle (single) (Radio 1 Session)
• A Praise Chorus (single) Edit and Album Version
• Sweetness (single) (Live At La Scala version)
• Good to Go EP (Live At La Scala version)
• The Middle/A Praise Chorus Tour EP
• Are You Listening? EP
• Mosh & Go
• The Hot Stuff. The Noise Of Summer
• Go
• Absolutely Live In The Zone
• Atticus ...Dragging The Lake, As "Praise Chorus (LIVE In London!) *Unreleased"
• EQX-clusives Volume 4
• The Cornerstone Player 036
• Deadsy Jimmy Eat World
• Believe in What You Want

Lyrics

[Verse 1]

Are you going to live your life wondering

Standing in the back, looking around?

Are you going to waste your time thinking

How you've grown up or how you missed out?

Th-th-th-th-things are never going to be the way you want

Where's it going to get you acting serious?

Th-th-th-th-things are never going to be quite what you want

Even at 25, you got to start sometime

[Chorus]

I'm on my feet, I'm on the floor, I'm good to go

Now all I need is just to hear a song I know

I want to always feel like part of this was mine

I want to fall in love tonight

[Verse 2]

Are you going to live your life standing in the back looking around?

Are you going to waste your time?

Got to make a move or you'll miss out

So-so-so-so-someone's going to ask you what it's all about

Stick around, nostalgia won't let you down

So-so-so-so-someone's going to ask you what it's all about

What you going to have to say for yourself?

[Chorus]

I'm on my feet, I'm on the floor, I'm good to go

Now all I need is just to hear a song I know

I want to always feel like part of this was mine

I want to fall in love tonight

[Bridge]

Crimson and clover, over and over

Crimson and clover, over and over

(Crimson)

Our house in the middle of the street

(And clover)

Why did we ever meet?

(Over)

Started my rock 'n roll fantasy

(And over)

(Crimson)

Don't, don't, don't let's start

(And clover)

Why did we ever part?

(Over)

Kick start my rock and rollin' heart

(And over)

[Chorus / Outro]

I'm on my feet, I'm on the floor, I'm good to go

So come on, Davey, sing me something that I know

I want to always feel like part of this was mine

I want to fall in love tonight

(Here tonight)

I want to fall in love tonight

(Here tonight)

I want to always feel like part of this was mine

I want to fall in love tonight

I want to fall in love tonight

I want to fall in love tonight

Songs "praised" by this song

After the second stanza, references to seven songs become the "praise chorus" of the title. The first line is sung continuously in the background before the other six are sung over it.

1. Tommy James and the Shondells – Crimson and Clover – "Crimson and clover, over and over", sung continuously in the background.
2. Madness – Our House – "Our house in the middle of the street."
3. The Promise Ring – Why Did Ever We Meet – "Why did we ever meet?"
4. Bad Company – Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy – "[Started] my rock 'n' roll fantasy."
5. They Might Be Giants – Don't Let's Start – "Don't, don't, don't let's start."
6. The Promise Ring – All of My Everythings – "Why did we ever part?"
7. Mötley Crüe – Kickstart My Heart – "Kickstart my rock 'n roll heart."

Following the recording of the song's demo (which contains none of these songs, but rather a repetition of "Fast action/Come on, come on, come on/Fast action/So what'cha here for"), the band felt that it needed some additional work in the chorus section. They sent the recording to The Promise Ring's Davey von Bohlen, a friend of the band, and asked him to "Sing [us] something that [we] know". During live performances, Tom Linton sings the repeated "Crimson and Clover" line, while Jim Adkins sings the lyrics from the other six songs.

Reception

Billboard Alternative Charts, peaked at 16

Personnel

Jimmy Eat World

• Jim Adkins – lead vocals, lead guitar, percussion
• Rick Burch – bass guitar, backing vocals
• Zach Lind – drums
• Tom Linton – rhythm guitar, backing vocals

Additional musicians

• Davey von Bohlen – additional vocals on A Praise Chorus

Production

• Mark Trombino – producer, engineering, mixing
• Jimmy Eat World – producer
• Justin Smith – assistant engineer
• William Eggleston – front cover photograph
• Christopher Wray-McCann – photography
• Jim Adkins – art direction
• Jeff Kleinsmith – art direction, design
• Jesse LeDoux – design

Other Versions

Demo

While all of the demo versions of the songs on Bleed American were changed, mixed, and produced heavily before they were released on the album, A Praise Chorus likely changed the most. The changed lyrics are below with relevant parts bolded and italicized

Lyrics

[Verse 1]

Are you going to live your life wondering

Standing in the back, looking around?

Are you going to waste your time thinking

How you've grown up or how you missed out?

Th-th-th-th-things are never going to be the way you want

Where's it going to get you acting serious?

Th-th-th-th-things are never going to be quite what you want

Even at 25, you got to start sometime

[Chorus]

I'm on my feet, I'm on the floor, I'm good to go

Now all I need is just to hear a song I know

I want to always feel like part of this was mine

I want to fall in love tonight

[Verse 2]

Are you going to live your life standing in the back looking around?

Are you going to waste your time?

Got to make a move or you'll miss out

Someone's gonna write about this years from now

Maybe you were there, she couldn't tell

So-so-so-so-someone's going to ask you what it's all about

What you going to have to say for yourself?

[Chorus]

I'm on my feet, I'm on the floor, I'm good to go

Now all I need is just to hear a song I know

I want to always feel like part of this was mine

I want to fall in love tonight

[Bridge]

Fast action

Come on, come on, come on!

What are you here for?

Live At LaScala

Good To Go EP Cover

As appears on Good to Go EP. Song length is 3:50.

External Links

Jimmy Eat Pod Episode Link: https://www.jimmyeatpod.com/020-a-praise-chorus/

https://genius.com/Jimmy-eat-world-a-praise-chorus-lyrics

https://www.discogs.com/artist/82079-Jimmy-Eat-World?query=A%20Praise%20Chorus

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Praise_Chorus

https://everythin2.com/title/A+Praise+Chorus

https://www.rocksound.tv/features/read/the-lasting-impact-of-bleed-american-by-jimmy-eat-world

https://web.archive.org/web/20041030010924/http://dallasobserver.com/issues/2001-08-02/hearthere.html