"Anthem Part Two" is a song by American rock bandBlink-182 from the band's fourthstudio album,Take Off Your Pants and Jacket (2001) and a sequel to "Anthem" fromEnema of the State (1999). It was written primarily by guitaristTom DeLonge, with additional songwriting credit to bassistMark Hoppus, and drummerTravis Barker. A sequel to this song, "Anthem Part 3", was released as the opening track of their ninth studio albumOne More Time... (2023).

"Anthem Part Two" exploresteenage rebellion, placing blame on parents for adolescent mischief. Music critics were mixed in their impressions of the song; some found it enjoyable while others considered it formulaic.

Blink-182 attracted mainstream recognition with its 1999 albumEnema of the State, which sold five timesplatinum domestically and influenced a host ofpop punk bands.^[1] Its follow-up, 2001'sTake Off Your Pants and Jacket, followed a similar path, hitting number one on theBillboard 200.^[2] For the project, the trio aimed to make a groovier, less polished effort than its predecessor; central points of inspiration includedpost-hardcore acts likeFugazi andRefused.^[3] "Anthem Part Two" track takes its title from the final song onEnema, "Anthem"; it serves as asequel and logical continuation of similar themes.^[4]

Though credited to all three band members, "Anthem Part Two" was largely composed by DeLonge. Hoppus has considered the song among DeLonge's best: "The intro still gives [me] chills," he wrote onTwitter in 2020, singling out its "stab of guitars and drums with thearpeggiated guitar line" as a highlight.^[5] To write the song, DeLonge explored his memories ofhigh school:

"I do journey back every once in a while. I'll just put myself in that spot and say, 'What was I feeling at that moment?' For ["Anthem Part Two"], I was thinking about how when I was in high school, I got kicked out for drinking. And I didn't even drink a lot. I drank, like, once, and I got caught. My parents were ultraconservative and they just went berserk on me. And I remember going, 'Hey, if I'm really that messed up as a kid, then you guys should be blaming yourselves a little bit too and not taking it all out on me.'"^[6]

Lyrically, the song explores parental responsibility^[7] and adolescent frustration.^[8] Its chorus places blame for teenage misconduct squarely on parents, declaring, "If we're fucked up, you're to blame."^[4] The song'srebellious verses claim "We need guidance, we've been misled / Young and hostile but not stupid."^[9] During the song'sbridge, DeLonge repeats with increasing intensity that "everything has fallen to pieces."^[10]Variety writer Troy J. Augusto interpreted the lyrics as a "cry out for leadership in a seemingly out-of-control world."^[11] According to sheet music published at Musicnotes.com by Kobalt Music Publishing America, "Anthem Part Two" is written incommon time with atempo of 207beats per minute, and is set in thekey ofC major. DeLonge's vocal parts span from c♯₅ to G₅.^[12]

Upon their reunion with Tom DeLonge in 2022, the band recorded a sequel to the song titled "Anthem Part 3" for their 2023 albumOne More Time...

Critical reception towards "Anthem Part Two" was mixed.Greg Kot of theChicago Tribune identified "Anthem Part Two" as an example of the group's subtle "undercurrent of seriousness and an attention tosongcraft."^[7] Kyle Ryan, writing forThe A.V. Club called it "one ofJacket's best songs, with a massively catchyfour-chord chorus and just the right amount of self-righteous rebellion for teenagers to sing along."^[4]

Darren Ratner, writing forAllmusic, considered it "irresistible," opining that it houses a "indomitable school-kid voice where a surging vapor of knockout speed chords meet wrecking-ball percussion."^[13] Among the more negative reviews, Aaron Scott ofSlant Magazine found the song "rocking and almost musically interesting", but its content "dubious coming from three guys who are nearly 30."^[14] Steven Wells atNME was derisive, bemoaning its "whiny vocals" and "brittle-boned punk-superlite guitar."^[15] Joshua Klein ofThe Washington Post considered it too formulaic, describing its "cookie-cutter" arrangement as too similar to the band's past singles.^[16]

In a 2020 piece forNylon,Jack Barakat ofAll Time Low andRyan Key ofYellowcard—both among the band's descendants—praised the song among their favorites of the genre. Key remarked: "The snare drum sounded like a shotgun. The sparkly clean guitar riff was such a different sound for a punk song. That whole record blew my mind at the time, but I’ve always put a lot of stock in album openers, and that song may be the best of any pop-punk record ever made."^[17]

DirectorRichard Linklater selected "Anthem Part Two" to soundtrack a singular growing-upmontage in his 2014 filmBoyhood.^[18][19] Singer-songwriterJulien Baker in 2020 covered the song forSaveStereogum: An '00s Covers Comp, a digital compilation benefitting the music website. Justin Curto of the blogVulture described it as a "tearjerker performance."^[20]

Adapted from theliner notes forTake Off Your Pants and Jacket.^[21]

• 2001 songs
• Blink-182 songs
• Songs written by Mark Hoppus
• Songs written by Travis Barker
• Songs written by Tom DeLonge

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