“Semi-Charmed Life" by Third Eye Blind, Sunday, July 25, 2021

Hitting #1 on the Alternative Rock charts this week in 1997, and peaking at #4 on the pop charts in August 1997, "Semi-Charmed Life" was Third Eye Blind's first single, but singer Stephan Jenkins was worried that the explicit lyrics of the track would cause radio stations not play the song. Third Eye Blind's eponymous debut LP spun three top 10 Hot 100 hits and five top 20 hits, but "Semi-Charmed Life" is the band's most memorable and highest-charting song. Third Eye Blind is an example of a band that peaked early in their career and then faded into obscurity. The band churned out hits from their second and third records, but their fourth album only had one hit. Gaps between albums, line-up changes, and failure to evolve to the changing music scene made Third Eye Blind at best a relic of '90s rock nostalgia. But to truly appreciate this band, think of the days before pop radio talked explicitly about sex and drugs. Back when the word ass was bleeped out. There had definitely been songs about sex and drugs before, but Third Eye Blind's "Semi-Charmed Life" walked up to the line of radio censorship with only one two words being censored. Those words were essentially what the upbeat song of the summer was all about. 

AND WHEN THE PLANE CAME IN, SHE SAID SHE WAS CRASHING. In 2016, one of the more bizarre political headlines in a year of bizarre politics was that Third Eye Blind had played the Republican National Convention. Republican candidates have been hard-pressed to find musical acts, whereas the Democratic Convention could hold festivals. What made Third Eye Blind's performance stand out, however, was that it was a Trojan Horse. When the band took to stage, Stephan Jenkins asked, "Who here believes in science?" During the concert Jenkins, eventually booed off stage before they could play the hit preached about the messages in Third Eye Blind songs:  LGBT rights and anti-war. It made me wonder if anyone in charge had even listened to Third Eye Blind.  It also made me wonder if the GOP would be open to future attacks by late night hosts, pretending to be Republicans. It is interesting to note, though, how many rock stars have gone or outed themselves as right-wing in the recent years. Bands like Smashmouth playing at a super-spreader event during the pandemic, Staind's Aaron Lewis releasing a polarizing patriotic, pro-war tune, or Trapt supporting the #firefauci movement. Back in the '90s rock was one of the lesser political times of the genre. But a group from San Francisco with an anti-suicide song about a person who is coming to terms with his sexuality, is probably not going to turn Republican. 

THE BEACH GIVES A FEELING, AN EARTHY FEELING. "Semi-Charmed Life" became a hit because the lyrics were so fast, that most didn't know what it's about. Stephan Jenkins sings in what critics call a "rapping style." When the melody slows down enough, we hear lines that sound like sex or romance. We're even treated to some setting painting when Jenkins sings about the beach. The lyrics "crystal meth" are the only words censored about this song, the drug Jenkins was on during this album's cycle. In the summer of '97, it was just a fun radio song. That's why the peppier-than-ever girl on the karaoke stage was singing the song at the '90s-themed Welcome Back party for Mission College in September of '08. The girl was fumbling through the lyrics and singing off-key, but keeping spirts high the whole time. "Hi Allan, I'm James. James Reagan." "Like the president?" "Yes, no relation, though." "Oh my gosh! Is that Tina Fuentes? I'll see you guys later" "Bye...Lois," Allan's voice fell like an awkward teenager. "So how do you know Lois?" "She was a couple grades below me at Orlando Adventist Secondary School. I pretty much don't know anyone here." "Me neither." "Cool, then would you be my date?" James said with a snicker. "Well, don't count on anything happening afterwords," Allan laughed. The song was followed by a group of boys from Asian Club singing Backstreet Boys' "I Want It That Way." 

https://genius.com/Third-eye-blind-semi-charmed-life-lyrics