All Of This by blink-182

Album: blink-182 (2003)

License This Song

artistfacts

Songfacts®:

Like the album's second single, "I Miss You," this was musically inspired by The Cure's 1983 single "The Love Cats." But this time, blink-182 took things a step further when they enlisted the English rock band's frontman to sing on the track. Blink bassist Mark Hoppus explained:

"We are all huge fans of the Cure. Having Robert Smith collaborate on a track is a total dream come true for us. We recorded this song in a rather unconventional manner. Travis recorded the kick and snare together, then went back and overdubbed the high hat, then overdubbed the ride cymbal, then overdubbed the ribbon crasher. Tom went in and recorded the acoustic guitars and the electrics. I went in and recorded the bass, using a new discovery for this album, which is a 1973 Fender Bass VI. It is exactly like a guitar, in that it has six strings but is tuned an octave lower. It wasn't amplified. We plugged it directly into the board. Then Roger came in and added keyboards.

Tom sang the lead first two lines for the chorus, and then we sent the track to Robert over in England. He recorded his vocals there, and sent the track back to us. We added drum fills and harmonies and added Mellotron.

The song was recorded in four different studios in two different continents and is one of the best on the record."
The plan to make this song the album's fifth single was thwarted by the band's four-year hiatus. The music video would have been directed by M. Night Shyamalan, who said, "I love this song. Almost did a video for this. It would have been about vampires." >>>
Suggestion credit:
Cody - Chicopee, MA
According to blink-182 guitarist Tom DeLonge, the band wasn't convinced that Smith would give them a chance based on their repertoire of irreverent pop-punk tunes laden with crass humor. "Who knew what his perception was of our band in the past?" he told Billboard.

But Smith put their minds at ease with his response. DeLonge continued, "But what he said was, 'Nobody knows what kind of songs you are going to write in the future and nobody knows the full potential of any band. I really like the music you sent me,' and he wanted to do it. And it was just amazing.'"
Admittedly, Smith wasn't sure a collaboration with blink-182 would work at first, until he realized the band trying a new approach with their fifth album, which they described as an art piece. "I'd heard a couple of singles," he told Blender, "but I couldn't really see how I could sing on anything or write any words. But the demos for the album that eventually came out were fantastic. I think they suffer in a way that we [The Cure] suffered in that people weren't allowing them to become something else. If another band put that new CD out as their first album, people would go crazy."
This follows the track "Easy Target," which tells the story of a lovesick young man who's humiliated by his crush. That young man was Jerry Finn, who grew up to be blink-182's producer. "All Of This" picks up the story as he still can't get the girl off his mind despite how poorly she treated him.

Comments: 30

Huwey from WalesHollie was a girl Jerry Finn wanted and she pretended to like him so he would make a fool of himself, he told Tom and Mark the story and it influenced them to write the 2 songs
Allison from Sydney, AustraliaI thought Tom's part was about that Holly chick who used Tom to get to Tom's brother?
Garry from Melbourne, AustraliaSo did Robert Smith write the lyrics? The booklet for the album says he co-wrote the song..
Jessica from St. Louis , MoVery meaningful lyrics. Let's just hope Tom is still just as funny and weird as before though!!!
LONG LIVE BLINK 182!!!!
Puia from Mz, IndiaI was in a relationship for about two years, it wasnt what i wanted but i couldnt get out of it. When the album came out ,this song in particular wasnt my fav though i kept listing to it along with the other tracks without paying attention the meanings and stuff . One night i was sleeping with my girlfriend listing to the whole album on my cell phone, when this song started playing ,i realized , half the time ive been with this girl i've been thinking about my ex-girlfriend all along . The lines '' another night with her but i'm always wanting you'' means so much ...
Ben from Humble, Txyeah aaron,
This song is still about holly from easy target, and its about how he still likes/loves her, and he wants her attention, and hes letting her use him for that.
somewhere among those lines :)
Aaron from Dunfermline, United KingdomYea This Is Defineately Not A Boc Car Racer Song. And Someone Said "when tom was a kid, tom asked this girl out holly (or maybe she asked him) and she told her to meet her at her house at a certain time (i don't know when exactly) and when he got there, holly and her friends jumped out and sprayed him with a hose..." Yea Thats Not This Song, Thats "Easy Target". Also It was Written About One Of Their Friends in That Situation, Not Tom...
James from New York, Bosnia And Herzegovinawhen tom was a kid, tom asked this girl out holly (or maybe she asked him) and she told her to meet her at her house at a certain time (i don't know when exactly) and when he got there, holly and her friends jumped out and sprayed him with a hose...
Erin from Ashland , Ohwhen i listen to this song i feel the emotions of a boy who cares about one girl. Because he is not with her he gives himself(especially his body)to others, letting them use him. By doing this he hopes "To fill a whole" and find a way to ease his mind and the pain he feels because he cannot have her. He becomes desensitized ("Nothing I feel pulls at me at all") to people from his actions and the more he gives himself to others the more he realizes he is empty without her presence.
Olivia from Odessa, TxI can relate to what Amanda from Canada said. I, too, was in a long-distance relationship (with a guy named Matt). He loved me first, y'know? So when he first got with her (the other girl), he always wanted to be with me (and I always wanted to be with him) even though we were both taken by others that, in actuality, really wanted to love us(Matt and I).
Matt from Beach Park, Ili dedicated this song to my friends and family.i love this song!!!
Holly from Shepherdsville, KyI'm confused about the meaning... could it mean that he loves holly and is with someone else but wants her instead? And by use me, he means i'll do anything for you? or is it in a bad way like in Easy Target
Mike from Louiservillagepoo, Ini love this song, its just way too great and robert smith just makes it so much and did anyone else notice at the end of easy target it has sorta the same guitar part, just thought i'd point that out
Alex from Loveland, CoI had no idea they had that guy from the Cure on this song! It is definately the weirdest on the album, and I must admit I'm not it's biggest fan, but it's okay.
Amanda from Pickering, Canadai'm in a long distance relationship &there's another girl that is in love with my boyfriend who he kind of 'left for me'...when we first got together he told me this song reminded him of me, the whole "another night with her, but i'm always wanting you"...not just that part but the whole song. & i've related to this song with guys before too. I think it's just about love. &that as much as you want to love the person who loves you, you can't really control what you feel for someone else....
Gary from Elkton, MdI really relate to this song because i went through a situation like this
I love blink-182 and i love this song it is one of the best on the cd
Yasmin from Canberra, AustraliaThis is a great song, is really good to have Robert Smith in it too. Blink and The Cure together....awesome.
Becca from Hamilton, CanadaI love this song. The first time I heard it I hated it. But then as I listened to it more and more I grew to love it. Without any doubt in my mind,this is one of the best songs on the album.
Billy from Yer Mom, WaI'm suprised by how many people are having trouble figuring out what this song's about, so I'll help you. Look at this song in the context of the whole. This isn't the only song about Hollie. "Easy Target" is the only other one that actually mentions her name, but I think (get ready for this one kids) that EVERY SONG ON THE ALBUM IS ABOUT HER. Songs like "Obvious" and "Easy Target" make it clear Hollie used him to get back at someone else ("Can you comfort yourself with a sense of revenge?" "Hollie's looking dry looking for an easy target." "She's on a mission and I'm collateral damage.") He's been hurt, but at the same time, Hollie was so great that he's still in love with her. In this song, as he lays beside some other girl, he's suprised to realize that everything he knows now about Hollie hasn't changed the way he feels about her. Is he stupid, or is Hollie that increadible?
Dylan from Calgary, CanadaWell anyways this is a great song and now the band has split and I don't know if they will join up again for a while because all of them want to have some time off either for family like tom and travis or if they want to stay at home and just sleep in a lot like mark. But no matter what they will always have a place in my heart for what they have done for me in my life. THANK YOU BLINK-182 FOR CHANGING MY LIFE INTO THE BETTER PERSON I AM TODAY!!
Azizah from Cape Town , South AfricaThis is such a cool song! I just love the rhythm!
Jamie from Las Vegas, NvI love BLINK-182 and thats about all i need to say (haha) and my fave song you sing is I'm lost without you!! i love it!! i swear that i can go on forever again.. well of couse you know it. Thankx for being the bast band ever in PUNK HISTORY> i would vote you guys for anything!! Luv ya lotz
Jamie LasVagas, Nv
Merr from Nova Scotia, Canadathis is my favorite song in the entire world, it reminds me of someone who lost their long love, then they were laying with someone else, "another night with her but im always wanting you" cuz he is always wanting her after that night no matter what, robert smith sounds really good with blink 182 in this song, its amazing i absolutely LOVE iot.. usee me hollyy comon and use me... the use me holly common and use me is talking about a girl that uysed him and hurt him really badly ..
Megs from York, Englandwhat a great song!
Dylan from Calgary, CanadaI can't believe people dont even look in the eyes of the writter. What would you say or write if ur gf was just using you to get back at her bf and the reason they wrote this song is because one of them (i'm not saying who) was used by a girl he liked and he was hurt so that's why they wrote this.
Dylan from Calgary, CanadaWHAT THIS SONG WAS NOT A BOXCAR RACER SONG. I know this for a fact because I am a member of both Boxcar Racer, The Transplants and Blink-182 sites and have done my research on each and every song, skit and anything done by them. So before you go and but any info on the web make sure you know what you're talking about
Chloe from Hampshire, EnglandIf its by box car racer why is it on blink 182's album? Anyways its a great song thanks
Alyssa from Gp, CanadaThis is by Boxcar Racer, not Blink 182... But basically the same people. So whatever
Jake from Chicago, IlNow I do not get who some girl they talk about...I believe her name is Holly. Now this so called "Holly" is a name used in some sort of vengeful or hate mannor. I would like to say someone he liked as a childhood friend/girlfriend that made a messup in his life making THAT hurtful to him and fuels him to write a song simply stating, "why did you do this Holly". My other theory is that he was setup by her just to make a awful gag at the end that everyone would laugh at him. I still think he might of wanted a very strong relationship with her and he still think that would of been a great idea. My theroy to that is the part in the song "But I am always wanting you"...
Arkady from London, EnglandLooking at the lyrics, I would guess this song is about the pain of being attatched to one person in a serious relationship, but being in love with someone else a la

"Another night with her
"But I'm always wanting you"

see more comments

More Songfacts:

SiriusThe Alan Parsons Project

The song used in introductions by the Chicago Bulls and many other sports teams is "Sirius" by The Alan Parsons project, the opening track on the Eye In The Sky album.

The RoofMariah Carey

Mariah Carey's song "The Roof" is about her first kiss with Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter.

LolaThe Kinks

When The Kinks released "Lola," most people didn't realize Lola was a man. "I was dancing with this beautiful blonde, then we went out into the daylight and I saw her stubble," Ray Davies said of the inspiration.

Follow Your ArrowKacey Musgraves

Kacey Musgraves offered "Follow Your Arrow" to her friend Katy Perry, but Perry thought Musgraves should record the song herself, telling Kacey it seemed "like something that you would totally say."

That'll Be The DayBuddy Holly

Buddy Holly got the title for his hit song "That'll Be The Day" from a phrase John Wayne repeats in the 1956 movie The Searchers.

Sour TimesPortishead

The eerie percussion and guitar for Portsihead's "Sour Times" was sampled from Lalo Schifrin's "Danube Incident," music composed by the Argentine composer for an episode of Mission Impossible.