I love Fall Out Boy. Call me a fake artsy person or whatever, but to me, their lyrics hit different. There’s just something so poetic about some of these lines. No wonder Taylor Swift named Pete Wentz her favourite lyricist.
Here are some of my favourite Fall Out Boy songs, plus the lyrics that resonated with me, in no particular order:
Dead On Arrival
(Spotify | Apple Music)
Favourite lyric: “I know I’m not your favourite record, but the songs you grow to like never stick at first”
I think this could very well be my all-time favourite Fall Out Boy song. The angsty beat of a pop punk song, the instruments married seamlessly together, the borderline poetic lyrics. All sound like perfection to me.
What A Catch, Donnie
(Spotify | Apple Music)
Favourite lyric: “I’ve got troubled thoughts and the self esteem to match”
I turn to this song whenever I feel hopeless and depressed. It makes me feel less alone in my plight. This is one of their less punk, more ballad type songs, and Patrick carries the notes well. I especially like the end where lines from some of their other songs are played over each other.
A Little Less Sixteen Candles, A Little More “Touch Me”
(Spotify | Apple Music)
Favourite lyric: “I set my clocks early ’cause I know I’m always late”
As someone trying to leave the dating scene in 2025, I get this song on a spiritual level. It’s just overall exhausting and I feel somewhat seen when I listen to this song. Also, Vampire Pete in the music video, or actually, the whole music video in general is so chaotic, I LOVE IT.
The (Shipped) Gold Standard
(Spotify | Apple Music)
Favourite lyric: “Sometimes I want to quit this all and become an accountant now, but I’m no good at math and besides the dollar is down”
Very relatable lyrics, especially in this pre-recession. I, too, feel like that with the ringgit down. Call me pretentious or fake, but listening to the lyrics to this song just gives me perspective, especially the part about the horseshoe crab. Sounds like something young Anushiya would say.
“The Take Over, the Break’s Over”
(Spotify | Apple Music)
Favourite lyric: “They say your head could be your prison, then these are just conjugal visits”
Even though they’re not my favourite lyrics from this song, “Wouldn’t you rather be a widow than a divorcee?” got me thinking hard at 16. There were so many good lines from this song to be honest. Plus, watching the music video felt like a fever dream.
Alone Together
(Spotify | Apple Music)
Favourite lyric: “I don’t know where you’re going but do you got room for one more troubled soul”
This song’s title attracted me at first because how can someone be alone, together? These words have opposite meanings! Listening to it for the first time, I got goosebumps. When the song starts, it’s just Patrick’s isolated vocals until the first chorus, then the music kicks in.
The Mighty Fall
(Spotify | Apple Music)
Favourite lyric: “But if you ask me, two’s a whole lot lonelier than one”
This song’s title is fun and Fall Out Boy’s collaboration with Big Sean was the cherry on top. Of course, I preferred Patrick’s vocals to Big Sean’s, but the whole song is a bop. Plus, the music video for this song is Part 5 of the Youngblood Chronicles, directly after Alone Together (Part 4).
Just One Yesterday (ft Foxes)
(Spotify | Apple Music)
Favourite lyric: “Letting people down is my thing, baby, find yourself a new gig, this town ain’t big enough for two of us”
Coincidentally, this song is Part 6 of the Youngblood Chronicles. This song is a big mood. Foxes added a little bit of sweet, soft, ethereal melody to this masterpiece. When I hear this song, it makes me pine so hard for the lover I never had and I think that’s beautiful.
American Beauty/American Psycho
(Spotify | Apple Music)
Favourite lyric: “I’m the best worst thing that hasn’t happened to you yet”
First of all, I LOVE the comparison; Angela Hayes from American Beauty and Patrick Bateman from American Psycho. Sometimes, I do feel like a psycho whenever I compare myself to the beautiful people out there and relate a little too well with this song.
HOLD ME TIGHT OR DON’T
(Spotify | Apple Music)
Favourite lyric: “I took too many hits off this memory, I need to come down”
I think this is my favourite song from their 2017 album MANIA, where they tried a different sound. It’s really catchy, and the whistling tune is an absolute earworm. Prishya thinks this song sounds like it belongs in a Bollywood movie and I can kinda picture it.
An honourable mention would be Electric Touch (YouTube | Spotify | Apple Music) which isn’t technically their song but they’re featured in it so I consider that a Fall Out Boy song.