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Sugar, We're Goin Down

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"Sugar, We're Goin Down" is a song by American rock band Fall Out Boy, released to US radio on April 4, 2005, as the lead single from their second album, From Under the Cork Tree. Two different CD singles were released with different B-sides, Part I with a green cover and Part II with a red cover. With music composed by vocalist Patrick Stump and lyrics penned by bassist Pete Wentz, the single reached No. 8 on the US Billboard Hot 100, becoming Fall Out Boy's first top-10 hit and exploding the band into the mainstream, exposing them to a new audience. It spent five weeks in the top 10 and 20 weeks in the top 20 out of its 42 chart weeks.

"Sugar, We're Goin Down"
Single by Fall Out Boy
from the album From Under the Cork Tree
B-side"The Music or the Misery"
ReleasedApril 4, 2005 (2005-04-04)
Genre
Length3:49
Label
Composer(s)
Lyricist(s)Pete Wentz
Producer(s)Neal Avron
Fall Out Boy singles chronology
"Saturday"
(2003) 		"Sugar, We're Goin Down"
(2005) 		"Dance, Dance"
(2005)
Music video
"Sugar, We're Goin Down (Concept Version)" on YouTube
"Sugar, We're Goin Down (Lo Fi Cut Version) on YouTube
"Sugar, We're Goin Down"
Song sample taken from the album From Under the Cork Tree. It was the band's breakthrough single.
Problems playing this file? See media help.

The song became the band's first two-million seller in July 2009,[4] and as of February 2013, has sold 4,639,000 copies in the US.[5] It was upgraded to a 8× platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in November 2023.[6] On July 22, 2013, "Sugar, We're Goin Down" was certified silver by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) for 200,000 sales.[7]

Background

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Stump told Rolling Stone that he deliberately slurred the lyrics in the song's chorus to make it sound better, saying that he "was trying to do a straight punk song for fun" and adding, "I saw those lyrics and just kind of barked them out. But there was something about the rhythm of it, where I was like, 'Hmm, that actually might be too good for just a shitty punk song.'"[8] Contrary to popular belief, instead of going through thirty versions before going back to the first one, Stump clarified the song went through countless rewrites until they landed on the final version which was chosen.[9]

The song appears on the karaoke games Lips (as downloadable content) and in Karaoke Revolution Presents: American Idol, and is also a playable song on Band Hero. It is in the 2005 film The Fog and its soundtrack. American country pop artist Taylor Swift covered "Sugar, We're Goin Down" at a concert on her 2011 Speak Now Tour in Chicago,[10] during which she would sing a cover of a song originally released by an artist from each tour stop. Hayley Williams joined Fall Out Boy onstage in 2014 to perform the song as part of a Super Bowl Blitz show.[11] The band themselves used a sample of the song in "What a Catch, Donnie"[12] and referenced it in "Save Rock and Roll", from the album of the same title.[13]

Chart performance

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"Sugar, We're Goin Down" would rise and fall in inconsistent patterns. The song debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 on July 2, 2005, at No. 93 and rose each week. Eleven weeks later, on September 17, 2005, the song entered the top 10 at its peak of No. 8,[14] becoming Fall Out Boy's first top 10 single. At this point, the song did not have much airplay but had relied on the strength of digital downloads alone, and it experienced a sales surge following the band's performance at the 2005 MTV Video Music Awards.[citation needed]

Following this download surge, however, downloads fell, and the song dropped to No. 15 the following week. During this time, though, mainstream radio support came in, and while downloads were falling, airplay was able to help stabilize the song. As a result, "Sugar" rose in the following weeks to be at either position No. 10 or 11. It spent five weeks in the top 10 and 20 weeks in the top 20, and in total stayed on the charts for 42 weeks before it was retired, making it the band's most successful single charting. The track peaked at No. 2 on the Hot Digital Songs chart and reached the top position on the Hot Digital Tracks chart. Its airplay peak was No. 18 on the Hot 100 Airplay chart.[15]

On the Pop 100 chart, "Sugar, We're Goin Down" displayed a slightly better performance. With the same digital download stats, but with an airplay panel to its advantage, the song reached a peak position of No. 6 on the Pop 100 with its component airplay, Pop 100 Airplay, being No. 6. In terms of total spins versus total impressions, the single also peaked at No. 6 on the Top 40 Mainstream chart. It reached No. 3 on the Hot Modern Rock Tracks chart and became a rock-radio staple.[16]

In the United Kingdom, the song first charted on January 15, 2006, at No. 54 before moving to just outside the top 20 at No. 24 on February 5. However, it continued rising in the charts in February, and entered the top 10 at its peak position of No. 8. As of 2013, the song has sold over 200,000 copies in the UK to date being certified silver. It remained in the top 75 of the UK Singles Chart for 21 weeks.[17]

Music video

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The official music video for "Sugar, We're Goin Down" was directed by Matt Lenski.[18] The music video centers on a boy who has deer antlers on his head. While he is walking around, a younger boy throws a shirt at one of his antlers. While he is sitting at a cemetery and eating, a kite falls onto his antlers and a girl tries to recover it, and they become friends. The girl's father disapproves because the boy has antlers, asking him to leave his daughter alone. Frustrated, the boy decides to try to cut off his antlers with a variety of tools, but she stops him. Later, the couple goes to a bowling alley. When the girl's father sees they are still together, he tries to shoot the boy with a bow and arrow, but fails as a car rams into him. The boy tries to help him and notices that he has deer hooves for feet. The father then gives the couple his blessing. The music video also frequently cuts to scenes of the band members performing the song.[19]

Reception and legacy

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Blender ranked "Sugar, We're Goin Down" at No. 4 on their "100 Greatest Songs of 2005" list[20] and About.com placed the song at No. 3 on their "Top 100 Pop Songs of 2005" list.[21] It was also nominated for the Kerrang! Award for Best Single in 2006. In 2009, Phoenix New Times writer Martin Cizmar wrote that "Sugar, We're Goin Down" was possibly "the most listened-to emo track of all time".[22]

Music critics have retrospectively considered "Sugar, We're Goin' Down" as a seminal, genre-shaping song within pop punk and emo. In 2015, Billboard ranked the song number six on their list of the 10 greatest Fall Out Boy songs.[23] In 2020, Alternative Press called "Sugar, We're Goin' Down" one of the most influential pop punk songs of all time, stating that the song "shaped the genre", was "a lyrically abstract masterpiece that gave subsequent bands an excuse to write creatively" and that it was "a game-changer".[24] In 2021, Kerrang ranked the song number four on their list of the 20 greatest Fall Out Boy songs.[25] Also in 2021, Rolling Stone ranked "Sugar, We're Goin Down" at 443 on their amended list of the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time", noting that the song "signaled a sea change – emo, which had roots in confessional hardcore punk, had grown into a new and often highly theatrical kind of arena rock".[26] Variety ranked it as one of the 25 best emo songs of all time in 2022.[27]

Track listings

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All songs were written by Fall Out Boy.

CD single

  1. "Sugar, We're Goin Down" – 3:51
  2. "The Music or the Misery" – 3:27

CD 1

  1. "Sugar, We're Goin Down" – 3:47
  2. "The Music or the Misery" – 3:27

CD 2

  1. "Sugar, We're Goin Down" (album version)
  2. "Dance, Dance" (Patrick Stump Secret Agent Remix)
  3. "Snitches and Talkers Get Stitches and Walkers"
  4. "Sugar, We're Goin Down" (video)

7-inch vinyl

  1. "Sugar, We're Goin Down"
  2. "Nobody Puts Baby in the Corner" (Acoustic version)

Charts

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Certifications

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[48] Gold 40,000*
United Kingdom (BPI)[49] 2× Platinum 1,200,000‡
United States (RIAA)[50] 8× Platinum 8,000,000‡
United States (RIAA)[51]
Mastertone 		Gold 500,000*

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

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Region Date Format Label Ref(s).
United States April 4, 2005 Alternative radio Island [52][53]
United Kingdom February 6, 2006 CD Mercury [54]

References

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  1. ^ "20 Essential Pop Punk Tracks Everyone Should Know". NME. June 2, 2011. Retrieved December 9, 2016.
  2. ^ Kellman, Andy. Now That's What I Call Music 20 (2005): Review at AllMusic. Retrieved December 20, 2023.
  3. ^ "10 Emo Songs That Don't Suck". Phoenix New Times.
  4. ^ "Week Ending July 5, 2009: All Michael, All the Time - Chart Watch". New.music.yahoo.com. July 8, 2009. Retrieved May 12, 2011.
  5. ^ Grein, Paul (February 12, 2013). "Chart Watch: 5 Reasons for Pharrell to Be "Happy"". Yahoo Music.
  6. ^ "American single certifications – Fall Out Boy – Goin' Down". Recording Industry Association of America.
  7. ^ "Certified Awards Search". British Phonographic Industry. Archived from the original (To access, enter the search parameter "Fall Out Boy") on August 1, 2017. Retrieved November 3, 2013.
  8. ^ Brian Hiatt (February 24, 2006). "Let's Hear It for the Boy: Fall Out Boy : Rolling Stone". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on March 17, 2010. Retrieved May 12, 2011.
  9. ^ Montgomery, James (June 23, 2008)Fall Out Boy's Pete Wentz Says New Album May Sound Like AC/DC And White Stripes -- Or Not MTV News. Viacom. Retrieved September 10, 2011.
  10. ^ Watch: Taylor Swift Covers Fall Out Boy's 'Sugar, We're Goin' Down' Archived September 8, 2014, at the Wayback Machine MTV News. Viacom. Retrieved September 20, 2011.
  11. ^ FALL OUT BOY PERFORM 'SUGAR, WE’RE GOING DOWN' WITH HAYLEY WILLIAMS Archived January 12, 2016, at the Wayback Machine Hitthescene.net. Retrieved January 27, 2015.
  12. ^ "Sugar, We're Goin Down by Fall Out Boy on WhoSampled". WhoSampled.com. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
  13. ^ "I will defend the faith going down swinging". Genius.com. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
  14. ^ a b "Fall Out Boy Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved September 25, 2015.
  15. ^ "Fall Out Boy – Chart history". Billboard Radio Songs for Fall Out Boy. Retrieved January 15, 2016.
  16. ^ Nine Inch Nails' With Teeth Devours Chart Competition MTV.com. Viacom. Retrieved August 4, 2011.
  17. ^ "FALL OUT BOY". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 25, 2015.
  18. ^ Garcia, Alex S. "Fall Out Boy - "Sugar we're goin' down [version 2: concept]"". Music Video DataBase. Archived from the original on October 13, 2012. Retrieved September 1, 2014.
  19. ^ Fall Out Boy - Sugar, We're Goin Down on YouTube https://youtube.com/watch?v=uhG-vLZrb-g
  20. ^ "Blender - All Things Blender, All In One Place". Archived from the original on August 4, 2009. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
  21. ^ "Top 100 Pop Songs of 2005". Top40.about.com. April 7, 2011. Archived from the original on November 10, 2014. Retrieved May 12, 2011.
  22. ^ Cizmar, Martin (March 5, 2009). "10 Emo Songs That Don't Suck". Phoenix New Times. Retrieved June 14, 2016.
  23. ^ Payne, Chris (January 21, 2015). "Here Are Fall Out Boy's Ten Best Songs". Billboard. Retrieved March 13, 2022.
  24. ^ "These are the 25 most influential songs of pop punk". Alternative Press. September 23, 2020. Archived from the original on January 20, 2022. Retrieved January 20, 2022.
  25. ^ Law, Sam (July 20, 2021). "The 20 greatest Fall Out Boy songs – ranked". Kerrang. Retrieved March 13, 2022.
  26. ^ "500 Best Songs of All Time". Rolling Stone. September 15, 2021. Retrieved January 20, 2022.
  27. ^ "The 25 Best Emo Songs of All Time". Variety. October 18, 2020. Retrieved October 18, 2022.
  28. ^ "R&R Canada CHR/Pop Top 30" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1635. December 2, 2005. p. 27. Retrieved October 16, 2020.
  29. ^ "R&R Canada Rock Top 30" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1632. November 11, 2005. p. 92. Retrieved May 7, 2024.
  30. ^ "Fall Out Boy – Chart Search" Billboard European Hot 100 Singles for Fall Out Boy. Retrieved September 25, 2015. [dead link]
  31. ^ "Irish-charts.com – Discography Fall Out Boy". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved January 16, 2020.
  32. ^ "Fall Out Boy – Sugar, We're Goin Down" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved September 25, 2015.
  33. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 2, 2015.
  34. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 25, 2015.
  35. ^ "Fall Out Boy Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved September 25, 2015.
  36. ^ "Fall Out Boy Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved September 25, 2015.
  37. ^ "Fall Out Boy Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved September 25, 2015.
  38. ^ "Fall Out Boy Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved September 25, 2015.
  39. ^ "Pop 100". Billboard. Vol. 117, no. 47. November 19, 2005. p. 54.
  40. ^ "Fall Out Boy – Chart history". Billboard Rock Digital Songs for Fall Out Boy. Retrieved January 17, 2016.
  41. ^ "Top 100 Hits for 2005". Longbored Surfer. Retrieved September 25, 2015.
  42. ^ "Billboard's Modern Rock Tracks Top 40 of 2005". J and J Heath. Retrieved February 5, 2016.
  43. ^ "2005 Year End Charts – Pop 100 Titles". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Archived from the original on September 27, 2012. Retrieved January 15, 2016.
  44. ^ "End of Year Singles Chart Top 100 – 2006". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 25, 2015.
  45. ^ "Hot 100 Songs: Year End 2006". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved September 25, 2015.
  46. ^ "Adult Pop Songs Year End 2006". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved February 5, 2016.
  47. ^ "Year End Charts – Pop 100 Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Archived from the original on October 3, 2012. Retrieved January 15, 2016.
  48. ^ "Canadian single certifications – Fall Out Boy – Sugar, We're Goin Down". Music Canada.
  49. ^ "British single certifications – Fall Out Boy – Sugar We're Goin Down". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved October 13, 2023.
  50. ^ "American single certifications – Fall Out Boy – Sugar, We're Goin Down". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved November 29, 2023.
  51. ^ "American ringtone certifications – Fall Out Boy – Sugar, We're Goin Down". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved March 10, 2015.
  52. ^ "Going for Adds" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1600. April 1, 2005. p. 19. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
  53. ^ "FMQB Airplay Archive: Modern Rock". Friday Morning Quarterback Album Report, Incorporated. Archived from the original on November 23, 2015. Retrieved October 30, 2016.
  54. ^ "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. February 4, 2006. p. 31.
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