Song Stories: The Strokes: Someday

Some songs perfectly encapsulate a time, others a place, and some a person. Other songs define a band, well this song did those things but it also kick started a movement and put the wheels in motion for some of the biggest bands ever. 

"Someday," the third single from "Is This It"T he Strokes' iconic 2001 debut album is more than just a song. It's a gritty, nostalgic anthem that captured the spirit of the early 2000s. With its raw riffs, relatable lyrics, and unique blend of melancholy and optimism, "Someday" quickly became a fan favorite, securing The Strokes' reputation as one of the most influential bands of the indie-rock revival.

The song resonated, and continues to resonate with listeners offering a reminder of life's highs and lows.

The Strokes recorded Is This It in a lo-fi setting with producer Gordon Raphael, aiming to capture a raw sound that would reflect the authenticity of their music. "Someday," like much of the album, was a product of lead singer Julian Casablancas’ reflections on young adulthood and the passing of time. The song's lyrics address universal themes: nostalgia, love, friendship, and the gradual but undeniable pull of time. At the time, this approach to songwriting and recording was not the norm. Indie rock was not the main stream. Pop Punk and Nu Metal were, the band proved that rock music didn't need to be those two things. There was an alternative. 

What makes "Someday" special is its ability to balance melancholy with a certain optimism. Unlike many other nostalgic anthems, which lean heavily into sadness, "Someday" manages to evoke a sense of hope. The lyrics—"In many ways, they’ll miss the good old days" acknowledge that while life changes, there’s beauty in the journey. Musically, the track blends upbeat rhythms with a laid-back delivery, creating a juxtaposition that mirrors the bittersweet nature of the lyrics.

In many ways, "Someday" is a love letter to youth, capturing the essence of those years when everything feels possible, even if we know deep down that it won’t last forever. This sense of fleeting time is relatable, making "Someday" a song that people return to whenever they need to feel grounded or to reflect on their own past.

It's a song that ushered in something new, a song that dragged indie rock to the "Modern Age" excuse the pun. The Strokes' aesthetic—minimalist, gritty, effortlessly cool became the blueprint for indie bands that followed, influencing acts like Arctic Monkeys, The Killers, and Kings of Leon.

The song is still a live favourite, and one of the most important tracks on a groundbreaking albums of recent memory. Alongside songs like "Last Nite" and "Hard to Explain", The Strokes changed music forever. Everything change with that album 

Rolling Stone, NME, and other influential publications hailed it as a masterpiece, with many critics calling it one of the best debut albums ever. This acclaim wasn’t just about the music; it was about what the album represented. The Strokes looked effortlessly cool, dressed in thrift-store chic and delivering their songs with a detached, rebellious vibe.

Moving away from the Nu Metal and Pop Punk sound, instead taking influences from the Velvet Underground and The Ramones, creating a short yet impactful collection of cohesive songs that have aged very very well.

The band became icons almost overnight, with their skinny jeans, leather jackets, and disheveled hair setting a new standard for indie rock style. This look, along with the album’s lo-fi sound, became the hallmark of indie bands in the 2000s. You couldn’t walk into a rock club without seeing bands that looked and sounded like The Strokes, whether they were from the US, UK, or elsewhere.

As Julian Casablancas himself put it, "Is This It was his attempt to create something "simple and beautiful and straightforward." It succeeded in doing just that, and the album continues to resonate, even with listeners who weren’t around for its initial release.

The album and "Someday" have done what he set out to do, and the album continues to resonate and influence nearly 25 years on. Certain records can claim they changed music, this one certainly can.

Thank you for reading

Jack