SONG: "Are You Alone"
ARTIST: The Starting Line
ALBUM: "Somebody's Gonna Miss Us"
YEAR: 2009
PLACE OF ORIGIN: Churchville, Pennsylvania
YEARS ACTIVE: 1999 - present
WHAT I THINK THE SONG IS ABOUT:
"Are You Alone" appears to be a song about two people who were once in a relationship but they grew apart and went their seperate ways. The vocalist seems like he still has strong feelings for her and he wonders if she is still alone or if she's found someone new. You almost get the feeling that the vocalist is too scared to ask her. Maybe he doesn't want the bad news that she is seeing someone and his hopes of reuniting would be dashed. I chose the live version of "Are You Alone" for my song of the week. The original studio version can be found on The Starting Line's 2007 album "Direction".
THE STARTING LINE DISCOGRAPHY (Full length albums only:
2002 - Say It Like You Mean It (Drive-Thru Records)
* peaked at #109 on the Billboard 200 on 8-3-02
2005 - Based On A True Story (Geffen Records)
* peaked at #18 on the Billboard 200 on 5-28-05
2007 - Direction (Virgin Records)
* peaked at #30 on the Billboard 200 on 8-18-07
2009 - Somebody's Gonna Miss Us (Image Entertainment)
* did not chart on the Billboard 200
2012 - The Early Years (Drive-Thru Records)
* did not chart on the Billboard 200
2021 - Based On A True Story Live At Studio 4 (Memory Music)
* did not chart on the Billboard 200
2021 - Direction Live At Studio 4 (Memory Music)
* did not chart on the Billboard 200
2021 - The Best Of Live At Studio 4 (Memory Music)
* did not chart on the Billboard 200
MY THOUGHTS ON THE STARTING LINE:
The Starting Line formed as a band back in 1999, hailing from Churchville, Pennsylvania. Originally, the band went by the name Sunday Drive. By 2001, the band officially changed their name to The Starting Line. After releasing an EP, The Starting Line dropped their debut full length album in 2002, "Say It Like You Mean It". With pop punk anthems like "The Best Of Me", "Up And Go" and "Leaving", The Starting Line began garnishing the attention of major labels, eventually inking a deal with Geffen Records. Though the band released their second album, "Based On A True Story" through Geffen, the relationship between the label and band was rocky at best. Geffen wanted the same pop songs from their first album but The Starting Line were maturing as musicians and songwriters. Geffen agreed to drop The Starting Line from their contract and they signed a deal with Virgin Records for the release of their third full length album, "Direction". In 2008, it was announced the band was going on an indefinite hiatus but it only lasted about a year. They began performing live as early as 2009. They would also release their first live album that year called "Somebody's Gonna Miss Us". The Starting Line was kinda on again off again in the 2010's. They wouldn't record new material till 2016 with the release of the "Anyways" EP. In 2021, they released three live albums, two of them playing their entire "Based On A True Story" album and their "Direction" album. There hasn't been any news as to the band working on a new album at this point. The Starting Line is a pop punk band that relies on catchy hooks and melodies in their sound. I first heard of these guys when I heard the acoustic version of "The Best Of Me" in the early 2000's. My first thoughts were wow, this song is poppy as shit!! But man, is it a catchy tune. I love the acoustic version of the song. While my preferred punk style is skate punk and hardcore punk, I'm always down for some good pop punk every now and again as well. As I said earlier, these guys pop up on tours and festivals every now and then but their releases of original material have been sporadic at best in the last 10 years. Hopefully the boys get in the studio and give their fans some new material in the near future.
SIMILAR ARTISTS:
The Early November
Midtown
Taking Back Sunday
The Ataris
The Academy Is...
TEN THE STARTING LINE SONGS YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT:
1. The Best Of Me (acoustic version)
2. Island
3. Bedroom Talk
4. Somebody's Gonna Miss Us
5. Up And Go
6. Something Left To Give
7. Leaving
8. Surprise, Surprise
9. Stay Where I Can See You
10. Saddest Girl Story
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