Graduate

Album: Third Eye Blind (1998)
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Songfacts®:

  • Written by lead singer Stephan Jenkins and guitarist Kevin Cadogan, this was Third Eye Blind's second single - the first was "Semi-Charmed Life." The graduation in the lyrics is metaphorical - a desire to grow up and be successful. >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Benny - Akron, OH
  • An excellent (if obvious) song for a graduation-related scene, this was featured in the movies Can't Hardly Wait (1998) and Remember the Daze (2007).
  • This song earned a longstanding spot in Third Eye Blind's setlists. In 2015, when we asked Stephan Jenkins, if he ever gets sick of it, he replied, "No, I'm not sick of it because the audience, they ignite off of it. I'm a vampire. They fill me up with fresh blood."

Comments: 10

  • Brian from UsaJust adding my voice to those confused and disappointed by the garbage remix that now exists on all steaming. This self-titled album, with the incredible guitar work from Kevin Cadogan, was an album I could listen to front to back. Now I just get annoyed because there was no need for this change. I almost wonder if it has to do with the falling out between Jenkins and Cadogan. I know they co-wrote this song among many on this record.
  • Kayd from UsaIf you were listening to Spotify and were confused by the stupid remix, search The Collection on there, and you can hear the proper mix. No idea why they would subject people to such a bad remix.
  • Eddie Ray Iler Jr from AtlantaI hate the fact that the version on ALL digital distributions is that crappy mix of it. It's really irritating. I don't know why they replaced it with such a bad mix. Or why they even bothered replacing it at all. I really think this needs to be answered. Because it is almost like revisionist history.
  • Danny from NycWildrosesrock, this is something that’s been bothering me since Spotify launched. The mix of Graduate on the Spotify ST is definitely not the same as the original LP. I too grew up on this record, and despite the countless google and forum searches, I’ve yet to figure out why this mix even exists at all. I really feel like I’ve tried some pretty obscure parts of the internet to no avail. Glad to know I’m not alone.
  • Wildrosesrock from LaI grew up listening to this record on repeat. Does anyone know why there's a different version of "Graduate" on the self titled LP "Third Eye Blind" via Spotify? I'm not talking about the remix that's on the "Collection" album. There's now 3 mixes of "Graduate" out there. The one on the self titled (via Spotify) is not the version I grew up with on CD. The original is on the "Collection" album along with the remix. Listen to them back to back. Anyone know why they did this? It's kind of a bummer. Can't find any info anywhere on it.
  • Holden from Salt Lake City, UtThis song is awesome. It's undoubtedly Third Eye Blind's best song.
  • Clubber Lange from Ocean Gate, NjOne of the best uses of the word "punk-ass" in a pop song...
  • Drew from Buffalo, NyI think the song isn't necessarily about graduating high school or college, but to get out of the same old things that always go on. He wants liberation from the norm.
  • Chris from Louisville, KyI agree that this song is metaphorical. It's basically saying that there has got to be something out there better than this. Also, I love the line, "Will this song live on long after we do." We all want to do something worthwhile with our lives and we all want to be remembered after we die.
  • Jonathan from Fayetteville, NcThis song is exactly how I feel right now going into senior year.
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