“The Kintsugi Kid (Ten Years)” by Fall Out Boy
Honestly the chorus of “The Kintsugi Kid (Ten Years)”, where the vocalist admits he “spent 10 years in a bit of chemical haze”, reads as if he is referring to drugs. And we do know that at least one member of Fall Out Boy did have a serious issue in that regard some years back. But alcohol is also strongly referenced in the bridge and therefore may be more specifically what the vocalist is referring to.
“I spent ten years
Ten years in a bit of chemical haze
And I miss the way that I felt”
We also know that the “kintsugi” mentioned in the title is a type of Japanese art which centers on the practice of reassembling broken pottery. And we’re aware of that because on 24 March 2023, i.e. the same day that “The Kintsugi Kid” was dropped, Lana Del Rey also came out with a track titled “Kintsugi“.
So by referring to himself as “the Kintsugi Kid”, the vocalist would also be inferring that he went through some type of hardship. The lyrics don’t necessarily tell such a story. In the first verse, Patrick goes about recognizing that he can be an unfavorable ‘human’ as far as interpersonal relationships go.
And reading in between the lines, the second verse appears to be based on the concept or possibility of relapsing. So perhaps by designating himself “the Kintsugi Kid”, i.e. someone who is broken, the point he’s trying to get across is that he is indeed flawed.
And this would not only be, apparently, due to his off-putting character when drunk (and maybe also when relapsing or going through withdrawal) but also as a result of drugs now having a permanent place in his life, in a manner of speaking.
Credits for “The Kintsugi Kid (Ten Years)”
Besides Pete Wentz, the other members of Fall Out Boy – Patrick Stump, Joe Trohman and Andy Hurley – also had a hand in writing this song.
Its producer is Neal Avron, and the labels that backed its release on the aforementioned date, as part of the band’s album “So Much (for) Stardust”, are Decaydance Records and Fueled by Ramen.
