In 2005, I had just turned 13 years old and I lived in a conservative Christian household. My parents refused to get cable and instead chose to get Sky Angel Satellite Television which featured a channel called TVU, essentially Christian MTV. My siblings and I spent all day watching music videos from Further Seems Forever, Flyleaf, Eisley, Relient K, and even some bands that were technically not Christian, but had Christian adjacent themes in their music, like Evanescence and Chevelle.
I had seen Paramore’s music video for “Pressure” a few times, and while I do love that song, it didn’t grab me like “Emergency” did. The first time I saw that chicken haired girl, all beaten up in her white dress — which now lives at the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame — 13 year old Crysta was enamored. (A classic Hayley Williams queer awakening, if we’re being so real.) I immediately begged my parents to take me to Walmart to buy Paramore’s debut album All We Know Is Falling and played it on repeat for months. I still have that same disc in my ancient and nostalgic CD binder.
I don’t think anyone believed that this album made by a bunch of teenagers from small town Tennessee would launch Paramore into the career they have today. But their talent was undeniable, and now they are a huge, long-standing staple in the emo and alt rock scene. Singer (and number one Paramore fan) Hayley Williams’ vocal talent has been unmatched since the start of her career, and quite possibly since birth. Signed as a solo artist to Atlantic Records in 2003 at just 14 years old (with a controversially lengthy 20 year contract), Hayley was adamant that she wanted to be part of a band. Atlantic kept Hayley under their umbrella, but agreed to let the band sign with Fueled By Ramen as they wanted to release Paramore albums under a smaller label that aligned more with pop punk.
Just a few days after Paramore hit the studio to record AWKIF, (former) bassist Jeremy Davis left the band. (Davis later rejoined Paramore, but departed for good in 2015.) Davis’ departure shaped the central theme of the album and is reflected in the album’s artwork — an empty couch with a shadow walking away. Davis only played bass on track five, “Here We Go Again,” while Lucio Robino (of StorySide:B) played for the rest of the tracks. Rhythm guitarist Jason Bynum, who can be seen in promotional photos for the album, played rhythm guitar on AWKIF and toured with the band briefly before departing in 2005. Paramore is somewhat infamous for their many changes in lineup, all worth it to get to their current and best lineup now: Hayley Williams, Zac Farro, and Taylor York.
From the moment the album starts, you can tell there’s something special about Paramore. It’s unbelievable that these young teens were able to make such an amazing album, and in only a few weeks. At the time of recording, Hayley was just 16, drummer Zac Farro was the youngest at just 14, and his brother, guitarist Josh Farro was 17. Hayley wrote the majority of the lyrics, describing the album as “the diary of her life at the time,” with Josh writing the majority of the music and current lead guitarist Taylor York co-writing “Conspiracy” (his only contribution to this album).
The album opens with the titular track, “All We Know,” which is themed around Jeremy Davis’ departure from the band. Grappling with understanding why Davis would abandon such a huge opportunity, the song opens with the lyrics, “We tried so hard to understand / But we can’t / We held the world out in our hands / And you ran away.”
The album’s first single, “Pressure,” explores typical teenage stresses like trying to fit in, while the album’s second single, “Emergency” reflects on Hayley’s parents’ divorce and her feelings on love that’s been abused, “I’ve seen love die way too many times / When it deserved to be alive.”
Another standout track from AWKIF (and still one of my favorite Paramore songs) is the seventh track, “Conspiracy.” One of the first Paramore songs ever written, when Hayley was just 13 years old. “Conspiracy” is about Hayley feeling like everyone is against her while trying to figure out the Atlantic deal, stating to Vulture in 2020, “I felt like I’d lost all my power.” The Atlantic/Fueled By Ramen deal continued to be a point of contention over the years, ultimately being a catalyst for the Farro brothers departure in 2010 (Zac later rejoined in 2017).
Another one of my favorites, “Franklin” is about how the band knows things will be different now, returning to their hometown of Franklin, Tennessee after recording their first album and starting to gain notoriety. I also grew up in a small town and while I can’t relate to the getting famous part, I did relate heavily to feeling like you don’t belong in a place that feels so familiar.
All We Know Is Falling’s closing track, “My Heart” is technically about a relationship to God, but you’d be hard pressed to find a teenager in the mid 2000’s who didn’t dedicate it to their significant other at the time. It echos, “This heart / It beats / Beats for only you / My heart is yours.”
While All We Know Is Falling didn’t do especially well on the charts, it was generally well received, though some critics thought it sounded too similar to other bands in the scene at the time. Personally, I couldn’t disagree more. I think one of the best things about Paramore is that it can’t be replicated. For a band that is consistently referencing other bands they grew up listening to, they always put their own spin on things. In my opinion, AWKIF has the perfect balance of upbeat and slower tracks — it’s youthful and dynamic and it’s only gotten better with age.
To celebrate the 20th anniversary of such an iconic debut album, Paramore has released a deluxe edition of the album which includes the four songs from their 2006 EP The Summer Tic, all of which have been unavailable on streaming platforms until now. These songs are cult classics for Paramore fans, especially the Failure cover of “Stuck On You” and “O Star” which was also released as a bonus track on All We Know Is Falling in Japan.
Having been a Paramore fan for the past two decades, I can say I’m so proud of those scared and awkward teenagers in 2005 and I’m so thankful to still be enjoying this and every other Paramore album 20 years later. Hayley is a powerhouse of a vocalist and a beautiful storyteller. Zac’s drumming talent has continued to shock me over the years — I think he is a criminally underrated drummer. Taylor York, angel on earth, not only is he an incredibly talented guitarist, he’s a killer producer, and quite literally the reason Paramore is still a band. (Taylor is the only member who has never quit the band, even Hayley quietly exited for a brief period in 2015, due to her mental health.) This album means just as much to 33 year old Crysta as it did to 13 year old Crysta. It was my gateway to emo music and I can’t say if I would know half of the bands I know and love today without it. We are Paramore.
Keep up with Paramore on Instagram and shop the All We Know Is Falling 20th anniversary collection on their website.