"Don't Throw Out My Legos" is a song by American pop band AJR, appearing as the fourth track on their third studio album Neotheater. It uses an upbeat keyboard-based instrumental while discussing the difficulty of growing up.
| "Don't Throw Out My Legos" | |
|---|---|
| Song by AJR | |
| from the album Neotheater | |
| Released | April 26, 2019 |
| Recorded | 2018 |
| Genre | Electropop[1] |
| Length | 4:10 |
| Label | |
| Songwriter(s) |
|
| Producer(s) | Ryan Met |
| Audio | |
| "Don't Throw Out My Legos" on YouTube | |
| Music video | |
| "Don't Throw Out My Legos" on Vimeo | |
Background
edit"Don't Throw Out My Legos" was the second song written for Neotheater, preceded by "Karma" and followed by "Next Up Forever".[3] The song describes the emotional hardships of moving away from one's parents,[4] with the band struggling to conform to the social construct of adulthood.[5] Rolling Stone praised the track's personality as "a saccharine but strangely affecting ode to lost innocence".[6] "Don't Throw Out My Legos" was the first song showcased of Neotheater, receiving live performances during the AJR's The Click tour in 2018.[7] The lyric "People want shirts with the band name on it" would later inspire a shirt design with plain white color and "The Band Name" as lettering.[8]
Composition and production
editDuring the Neotheater World Tour, AJR visualized the layers of the chorus for "Don't Throw Out My Legos".[9] The song's production began from sampling the sound of car keys being dropped,[10] being pitched up an octave and combined with a drum beat in 3
4 time signature and at a tempo of 147 beats per minute. The song's snare drum takes inspiration from the snare of the Beatles' "Penny Lane". This composition was then shifted into 4
4 time signature and included piano in the key of D major. Following the addition of bass and hi-hats, the band incorporated the Neotheater's theme of orchestral sampling by creating a melody out of viola and close harmony choirs to complete the chorus.[11] The pre-chorus and bridge of "Don't Throw Out My Legos" are piano-based with an ascending beat that leads into the chorus.[6] Riff Magazine compared these chord progressions to music from Mister Rogers' Neighborhood.[12]
Music video
editA music video for "Don't Throw Out My Legos" was released on Vimeo and Spotify, with the former being a widescreen video and the latter being a vertical canvas of the same footage. It features the band and other studio personnel creating and performing the song, interspersed with clips of the band relaxing in-studio with their Bouvier dog Shay.
Personnel
editCredits adapted from Tidal.[13]
- Adam Met – bass, backing vocals
- Jack Met – lead vocals, instruments
- Ryan Met – instruments, backing vocals, production, programming
- Chris Gehringer – mastering engineer
- Joe Zook – mixing engineer
- Drew Allsbrook – mixing engineer
- JJ Kirkpatrick – trumpet
- Chris Berry – drums
Charts
edit| Chart (2019) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (Billboard)[14] | 26 |
References
edit- ^ Weinzapfel, Olivia (May 1, 2019). "AJR's 'Neotheater' provides songs for the subjective soul". Ball State Daily. Retrieved April 29, 2024.
- ^ "US: AJR debut atop the US charts with new album Neotheater". BMG. May 7, 2019. Archived from the original on December 1, 2020. Retrieved April 29, 2024.
- ^ AJR (April 29, 2019). AJR Breaks Down Their New Album Neotheater (YouTube video). Zach Sang Show. Event occurs at 25:41. Retrieved April 29, 2024.
- ^ Thompson, Ashlee (November 24, 2023). "Review | AJR makes their most personal album yet with 'The Maybe Man'". The Breeze. Retrieved April 29, 2024.
- ^ Tindle, Evyn (September 28, 2019). "4 Reasons You Should Listen to AJR's 'Neotheater'". Her Campus. Retrieved April 29, 2024.
- ^ a b Dolan, Jon (April 26, 2019). "Review: AJR Dance Through Coming of Age Reality on 'Neotheater'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved April 29, 2024.
- ^ Hudelson, Molly (November 9, 2018). "Follow 'The Click' In Your Ear: AJR Are Turning Out Fine". Substream Magazine. Retrieved April 29, 2024.
- ^ Smith, Katy (February 22, 2021). "The mythos of AJR's new single". The Anchor. Retrieved April 29, 2024.
- ^ Dzurillay, Julia (December 11, 2021). "AJR's 'Bang' Features a Well-Known Voice to New York City Travelers". Retrieved April 29, 2024.
- ^ Appleby, Madison (May 1, 2019). "AJR's 'Neotheater': Theatrical and impactful". The Daily Campus. Retrieved April 29, 2024.
- ^ Tady, Scott (January 22, 2020). "AJR pleases sold-out Moon audience". The Beaver County Times. Retrieved April 29, 2024.
- ^ Westrom, Piper (April 24, 2019). "ALBUM REVIEW: AJR balances familiar and fresh on 'Neotheater'". Riff Magazine. Retrieved April 29, 2024.
- ^ "Credits / Neotheater / AJR". Tidal. April 26, 2019. Retrieved April 29, 2024.
- ^ "AJR Chart History (Hot Rock & Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved April 29, 2024.