Say Anything was never just another emo band. At its peak, it was a full-on breakdown set to a guitar riff, chaotic, clever, self-aware, and deeply, almost painfully human. Max Bemis, the band’s brain and bleeding heart, spun absurdity into poetry, panic into melody.
With a sound that swung from pop-punk to theatrical rock to pure noise, Say Anything gave us songs that didn’t just speak, they screamed, sobbed, and sometimes laughed at the void. Here are the 10 best Say Anything songs, linked by madness, honesty, and that one-of-a-kind Bemis bite.
The 10 Best Say Anything Songs
Alive with the Glory of Love
Let’s start with the obvious: “Alive with the Glory of Love” is the crown jewel of …Is a Real Boy. It’s part love song, part biographical Holocaust narrative (written about his grandparents’ experiences), part unfiltered lust. The riff bounces, the vocals snarl and soar, and it’s all anchored by Max’s brutal sincerity. This isn’t just about surviving tragedy, it’s about living through it, loudly and messily. When paired with later tracks like “Wow, I Can Get Sexual Too,” it forms a weirdly compelling picture of longing and obsession. This is Say Anything’s mission statement: over-the-top, overdramatic, and utterly unforgettable.
Wow, I Can Get Sexual Too
While “Alive…” burned with love and pain, “Wow…” rolls around in self-loathing and lust. It’s got one of the catchiest synth lines in the Say Anything catalogue, but lyrically it’s Max at his most exposed and unhinged. A brutally honest take on porn addiction, online relationships, and emotional disconnect. The callbacks to sex as salvation tie it to “Alive with the Glory of Love,” but this one’s nastier, less romantic, more grotesque. The genius is in the contrast: Say Anything can make you dance and cringe at the same time.
The Futile
“The Futile” is short, sharp, and bitter as hell. It’s one of the most quoted Say Anything songs (“You’re what God never gave me!”), and it captures Max’s ability to swing from suicidal ideation to snotty defiance in seconds. Sonically, it’s tightly wound punk fury. Lyrically, it bridges the self-hate of “Wow…” with the ego-fuelled spiral of “Admit It!!!.” This is the sound of someone who’s tried therapy, tried pills, and is now trying noise. As a bridge between the emotional highs and lows of …Is a Real Boy, it’s essential.
Admit It!!!
“Admit It!!!” is basically a spoken word tantrum, but it lands like a hammer. Max unloads on hipsters, faux-punks, and the hollow performance of rebellion. It’s sneering, theatrical, and hilarious. If “The Futile” was Max’s internal war, this is him turning the mic on the world. It closes …Is a Real Boy like a slap in the face, reminding you that under all the chaos, Say Anything still stands for something. And that something is truth, no matter how uncomfortable. Later tracks like “Burn a Miracle” carry the same energy, but this is the original scream into the void.
Do Better
Jumping to Say Anything (2009), “Do Better” shows Max aiming for something cleaner, maybe even hopeful. But of course, it’s still wrapped in manic energy and self-doubt. The chorus is a rally cry and a nervous breakdown rolled into one. There’s a clear connection to “Alive with the Glory of Love”, both songs fight for meaning in the mess. But where “Alive…” was raw passion, “Do Better” is desperation disguised as motivation. A perfect example of how Say Anything matured without mellowing out.
Burn a Miracle
From Anarchy, My Dear, this one brings back the fire of “Admit It!!!” but swaps sarcasm for open defiance. It’s loud, defiant, and anti-authority to its core. The distorted riff feels like it’s chewing through the speakers, and Max’s vocals teeter between snarling and triumphant. If “Admit It!!!” was attacking fake artists, “Burn a Miracle” is about rejecting control altogether. Both songs burn hot, but this one feels more focused, less meltdown, more mission.
Spidersong
“Spidersong” doesn’t get enough love. It’s tucked away on …Is a Real Boy, but it captures the anxiety and intimacy of Say Anything perfectly. Max compares jealousy and fear to spiders crawling under the skin, it’s grotesque, yes, but completely relatable. The off-kilter rhythm and dynamic shifts mirror the panic in the lyrics. It makes a great thematic partner to “Wow…”, both songs are about obsession, but “Spidersong” is the darker, quieter twin. It’s what happens when the high wears off and the self-hate sets in.
An Insult to the Dead
Originally from the …Was a Real Boy bonus disc, this one feels like a forgotten gem. It’s slower, theatrical, and soaked in regret. Lyrically, it’s Max apologising for wasting potential, for taking life for granted. It reads like a follow-up to “The Futile”, the same depression, but years later. The instrumentation is stripped down, letting the lyrics breathe (or suffocate). A must-hear for fans who want the full arc of Say Anything’s emotional journey.
Death for My Birthday
Possibly the most fun Max has ever had writing about death. “Death for My Birthday” is bouncy, weird, and full of existential dread. It’s got that same playful menace as “Admit It!!!” but aimed inward. The absurd lyrics, like wanting to die on his birthday, hide a surprisingly moving message about control and acceptance. Paired with “Do Better,” it shows both sides of Max’s struggle: wanting to improve but also embracing the darkness. Somehow joyful and nihilistic at once.
A Walk Through Hell
Ending on a deep cut that still hits like a sledgehammer. “A Walk Through Hell” (from Menorah/Majora) is early Say Anything, stripped back, awkward, poetic, and full of unfiltered feeling. It’s a song about devotion that veers into mania, and that makes it quintessential Bemis. You can hear the seeds of “Alive with the Glory of Love” in its lyrics and structure. This is where it all started: a boy, a girl, a breakdown, and a song. Raw and unforgettable.
Say Anything – Still Screaming into the Void
Say Anything’s best songs aren’t neat or clean. They’re jagged and overcooked, twitchy with anxiety and bursting with messy hope. That’s the magic of Max Bemis, he takes all the thoughts we’re too afraid to say and turns them into confessions you can shout along to. Whether it’s the manic lust of “Alive with the Glory of Love,” the internal poison of “The Futile,” or the existential smirk of “Death for My Birthday,” every track is stitched together with the same thread: brutal honesty. This list might only scratch the surface, but it captures the chaos and clarity that made Say Anything unforgettable. And if one song doesn’t wreck you, the next one will.
Frequently Asked Questions about Say Anything
Q1: What is Say Anything’s most popular song?
“Alive with the Glory of Love” is widely considered their most iconic and beloved track. It captures everything that defines Say Anything: emotional chaos, lyrical complexity, and a chorus that sticks in your head for years.
Q2: Is Max Bemis still making music?
Yes. Max continues to make music under various projects including solo work and collaborations. Say Anything has gone on hiatus but may return in the future, never say never with Max.
Q3: Which album should I start with if I’m new to Say Anything?
Start with …Is a Real Boy. It’s their most celebrated and complete album, combining punk, emo, theatre, and breakdowns in all the best ways.
Q4: Are all Say Anything songs autobiographical?
Not all, but most are deeply personal. Max Bemis often writes straight from his lived experiences with mental health, relationships, and spirituality.
Q5: What makes Say Anything different from other emo bands?
Their lyrical ambition and emotional volatility. Where others wrote heartbreak anthems, Say Anything wrote existential manifestos with punchlines. It’s emo, but unhinged, in the best possible way.
