Way Away

"Way Away" is the debut single by American band Yellowcard. It is the opening track of their fourth album Ocean Avenue. "Way Away" was released to radio on July 22, 2003.[1] The song and music video both reflect the band's choice about leaving their hometown of Jacksonville, Florida to California in hopes of making a name for themselves in the Southern California music scene.

This article is about the Yellowcard song. For the Indica album, see A Way Away.
"Way Away"
Single by Yellowcard
from the album Ocean Avenue
ReleasedOctober 27, 2003
Recorded2003
GenrePop punk
Length3:22
LabelCapitol
Songwriter(s)Ryan Key, Ben Harper, Peter Mosely, Longineu W. Parsons III, Sean Mackin
Producer(s)Neal Avron
Yellowcard singles chronology
"Way Away"
(2003)		 "Ocean Avenue"
(2004)

The song was featured on the video game soundtracks to both Madden NFL 2004 and SSX 3.

Background

In an interview, former Yellowcard lead guitarist Ben Harper said that "Way Away" is "about our band and facing the people who didn't believe in what we were doing. That's kind of like an ode to disbelievers."[2] In another interview, vocalist Ryan Key, in discussion of the song, said: "It's the story we have sort of been through as a band in the last couple of years, moving from our hometown in [Jacksonville,] Florida, out to [Southern] California and starting to tour really hard and just sort of following our dreams. Hopefully other people will take that song and apply it to their own lives and be able to kind of get out of whatever they are stuck in and don't want to be in."[3] Key also revealed that the song was "harder than some of our other songs, [whereas] 'Ocean Avenue' is kind of in the middle of the spectrum of where the record goes."[3]

Track listing
  1. "Way Away" - 3:22
  2. "Hey Mike" - 4:01
  3. "Avondale" (Acoustic) - 3:37
  4. "Way Away" (Video)
  5. Behind the Scenes Footage (Video)

Music video

Directed by Patrick Hoelck, The video starts out with the band members pulling up in a Vista Cruiser car in a vacant parking lot and begin setting up their gear and start playing in front of a supermarket. The band's frontman, Ryan Key is shown in from several scenes of the video showing him loading his car and moving away from his job, family, and his girlfriend and writing the lyrics of "Way Away". The video ends after Ryan and band are singing to a self-image of himself and drives away in the distance.

The video was shot in front of the "Super A Foods" Market store in Los Angeles, California on July 1, 2003.[4]

Reception

Allmusic gave the song a positive review, by saying "[Way Away] thrives on the basics of rock & roll — foliated guitars weaved in between high-speed percussion." Chris Conlon of the Telegraph Herald said he was "dumbfounded" when he listened to the song. Conlon goes on to say, "The song basically says that you are the master of your destiny, that no one can stand in your way."[5]

Weekly charts
Chart (2003–04) Peak
position
US Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles (Billboard)[6] 1
US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)[7] 25
UK Singles (OCC)[8] 63

References
  1. "FMQB Airplay Archive: Modern Rock". Friday Morning Quarterback Album Report, Incorporated. Retrieved October 30, 2016.
  2. Tenorio, Paul (2003-11-13). "Music Review: 'Way Away' from pop-punk". The Daily Northwestern. Retrieved 2009-03-25.
  3. Moss, Corey; Jonathan Cane (2003-10-20). "Some Meatloaf, A Scoop Of Peas And Yellowcard?". MTV News. Retrieved 2009-03-27.
  4. "Click to 8:34 mark to see date of filming the video". Archived from the original on 2021-12-19. Retrieved February 19, 2011.
  5. Conlon, Chris (2003-07-17). "Yellowcard album "Way Away" cool - Critics might say it's just mainstream but it's about real life". Telegraph Herald: c7.
  6. "Yellowcard Chart History (Bubbling Under Hot 100)". Billboard.
  7. "Yellowcard Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard.
  8. "Yellowcard: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 22, 2011.
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