This week California Deluxe was released 3 years ago! Compared to California, originally released in 2016, the deluxe edition took us more on the blink’s experimental path. We got to see the darker undertones, which we can thank Matt Skiba for, that they were trying to explore. The darker undertones allowed for us to see their calling as a new line-up; but, I also believe to show us hidden messages as well.
The b-side included songs:
- “Parking Lot”
- “Misery”
- “Good Old Days”
- “Don’t Mean Anything”
- “Hey I’m Sorry”
- “Last Train Home”
- “Wildfire”
- “6/8”
- “Long Lost Feeling”
- “Bottom of the Ocean”
- “Can’t Get You Your Pregnant”
- “Bored to Death” (live and acoustic)
Most under appreciated songs from the deluxe I believe are “6/8” and “Bottom of the Ocean”.
“6/8” has been described by the described the song on their twitter saying “This is the strangest song Blink have ever recorded. It’s in 6/8 time. It’s aggressive & one of our favorites from the deluxe because of it.” I would have to agree. This song gave blink the new sound they needed to show they are new as well.
I also gained a new respect for the song after hearing the thoughts from Mark Hoppus. Hoppus explained in a tweet in 2019 some of the meanings behind the lyrics. The lyrics he was referring to were: “You want to tie yourself to the mast”. The inspiration came from a painting he saw when he was suffering from his own severe anxiety and depression.
“In the song “6/8,” the lyric “you just want to tie yourself to the mast” is a reference to JMW Turner, whose art I saw at Greenwich while in the middle of a severe anxious depression. Legend has it he tied himself to the mast of a ship during a storm and then painted this image.”
“Bottom of the Ocean” is my favorite from the album. While not much has been said about this song from blink, I really enjoy the imagery it creates. You get a sense of being in turmoil. I believe that the song was away of them expressing the turmoil they went through becoming the new line-up.
“Bottom of the Ocean” best describes a feeling of understanding and home for me. While this might be a weird way to describe it, it was the first song to describe what it’s like to be battling severe anxiety and depression just waiting for “the tide to change” hoping for a better tomorrow. I believe that “Bottom of the Ocean” ties closely with “6/8.” After hearing Hoppus describe the painting of the storm he found while he as battling depression, it gave me a deeper understanding of the song as well.
blink-182 has always found ways to speak the words and even express the emotions I never could. blink has been one band I believe has found ways to help normalize mental health concerns in their lives within their music. blink has such an amazing talent in finding ways for you connect to their songs. blink-182 will forever be one of my favorite bands, not only in ways I can connect to the music but with the memories I have made with them as well.
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