7 Great Third Eye Blind Songs If You Just Give Them a Chance (Video)

A fresh look at a band that won some long-overdue respect for its Republican National Convention troll

Third Eye Blind Steven Jenkins

People hate Third Eye Blind because their first big song had “doo doo doo” in the hook, or because they blame them for songs actually recorded by other artists.

But they was doing great things long before they hilariously trolled the Republican National Convention. Here are seven songs that might make you recognize the subversive genius of Third Eye Blind.

“Never Let You Go” has a Lou Reed-like simplicity and is catchy as hell. But the catchiness of Third Eye Blind songs conceals lyrics that are complicated, personal and hyper-sexual.

Third Eye Blind once recorded an entire album about what’s it’s like to break up with Charlize Theron. (It happened to singer Stephan Jenkins.)

This song is from that album. At least when the rest of us go through breakups we don’t have to see our ex on the cover of Vogue.

Close your eyes and ignore the Nickelbackiness of all the models in the video — it was made at a terrible time for music. Just listen to how emotional and pretty this is.

Jenkins has taken some understandable heat for his uncool dealings with bandmates. Whatever: The opening lines of “God of Wine” will speak to anyone who’s been in a bad fight with someone they love.

I know, they’re from the ’90s. But go to a Third Eye Blind show and half the people are in their twenties and they sing along with every song. I don’t know why. It’s weird. This is “Motorcycle Drive-By” and it’s a masterpiece.

Did you know the doo-doo-doo song is about crystal meth and oral sex? Listen again. One thing I love about Jenkins’ lyrics is that his lyrical flow is more like Del the Funky Homosapien’s than anyone other artists.

Am I overselling this now? OK.

OK, you say, but all these songs are old. No! Third Eye Blind is still doin’ it. Here’s a newer one.

Here is a cloying, opportunistic, achingly terrible song that people think was recorded by Third Eye Blind. It was not.

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