Peak
43
Weeks
11
Score
804
Chart Year
2003
This is about kids in school who are not popular. The song is meant to give them confidence. A month before this was released, it was used in the football video game Madden 2003. The game sold over 5 million copies and provided the exposure the song needed to become a hit. With songs becoming more difficult to get on radio and MTV, many artists began using non-traditional methods to get their songs heard. This proved that a video game can break a song. The band is led by Joel and Benji Madden, who are twins. Good Charlotte performed this at the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards. After they played it, host Chris Rock said "Good Charlotte? More like mediocre Green Day." In a 2012 interview with Alter the Press, Joel remembered the song's origin and its surprising success: "'The Anthem' was a special song. When I was 19, the first time we went out to LA I met one of my heroes, John Feldmann [producer], who is a really dear friend of mine and still is today. I remember the first time we met, he took me surfing. A movie was interested and had called asking that they needed a song. We were hanging with John at the time and said we should just do it. We went and wrote 'The Anthem' – me, Benj and John. It turned out the movie didn't even want it but we really liked the song and the fact we wrote with John made it extra special. We only went into the studio with one song and that was 'The Anthem.' "I honestly didn't think 'The Anthem' would even be a big song. It's weird how that even happened. I don't know, man, I really like that song and one of my favorite's to play live. It's one song I never really thought about or imagined to be a big hit. I don't even know if I actually grasped it was a big hit. I know that live it goes off live and is a fan favorite, but I don't know how much of a hit it is. I'm not one to know. We've never had a number one single but hits in a really weird way but I don't think we had number songs that had dominated the charts. I know we have recognizable songs, and we still feel lucky, but 'The Anthem' is a weird one, man. It's a special song. It's one of those songs that every time I hear it, it takes me back to a special time in my life." Billy Martin on the album's theme: "A lot of the songs are about us when we were in high school, dealing with family problems, self issues, and depression. You get stressed out, and you feel like the whole world is falling apart. When you're in high school, if some kid makes fun of your shorts, you think it's the biggest thing in the world, and it drives you crazy. But for the most part, as soon as you get out of high school, you realize it's not that big of a deal. There are so many more important things in this world. The CD is supposed to just be a record to prove to you that we felt the same way you did in high school, and look where we are now! You just gotta hold on and make it through." Joel described this to Sorted magazine as "a song about not living the way that you're supposed to live. Like I guess that in America everybody kinda looks at, to be successful you gotta go to college, get a job, a house, two cars, a wife and some kids. That's the American Dream or whatever. It's like, well, I could never go to college or whatever. I'm kinda proud of being looked down on because we've made something happen. We didn't have the most opportunities growing up." Billy added: "To us, it's a song saying that whatever goal you have, try and reach it."
Yeah Here, we go It's a new day But it all feels old It's a good life That's what I'm told But every day, it all just feels the same At my high school It felt more to me Like a jail cell A penitentiary My time spent there it only made me see That I don't ever wanna be like you I don't wanna do the things you do I'm never gonna hear the words you say And I don't ever wanna I don't ever wanna be You, don't wanna be just like you What I'm sayin' is, this is the anthem Throw all your hands up You, don't wanna be you Go to college Or university Get a real job That's what they said to me But I could never, live the way they want I'm gonna get by And just do my time Out of step while They all get in line I'm just a minor threat so pay no mind Do you really wanna to be like them? Do you really wanna be another trend? Do you wanna be part of that crowd? 'Cause I don't ever wanna I don't ever wanna be, you Don't wanna be just like you Oh what I'm saying is, this is the anthem Throw all your hands up You, don't wanna be you Shake it once that's fine Shake it twice that's okay Shake it three times Your playin' with your self again (You, don't wanna be just like you) What I'm saying is, this is the anthem Throw all your hands up Y'all got to feel me Sing if you're with me You, don't wanna be just like you (Be just like you) This is the anthem Throw all your hands up Y'all got to feel me Sing if you're with me Another loser anthem (Woah) Another loser anthem (Woah) Another loser anthem (Woah) Another loser anthem
| Week | Chart Date | Position | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mar 29, 2003 | 56 | 70 |
| 2 | Apr 5, 2003 | 54 | 72 |
| 3 | Apr 12, 2003 | 50 | 76 |
| 4 | Apr 19, 2003 | 43 | 83 |
| 5 | Apr 26, 2003 | 43 | 83 |
| 6 | May 3, 2003 | 51 | 75 |
| 7 | May 10, 2003 | 50 | 76 |
| 8 | May 17, 2003 | 56 | 70 |
| 9 | May 24, 2003 | 62 | 64 |
| 10 | May 31, 2003 | 84 | 42 |
| 11 | Jun 7, 2003 | 91 | 35 |