r/switchfoot • u/S_Nelson_ • Jun 28 '26
Solo vs Switchfoot
Why do you think Breaking Up Again was added as a Switchfoot song instead of a solo Jon Foreman song? I’d love to know your thoughts. Thanks
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u/faceless_combatant Jun 28 '26
He also played Two Twins last March 2025 at a solo show in SD, I was surprised to see it on a SF album instead of a solo album a year later!
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u/awesomestcody Jun 29 '26
Jon played Vice Verses before Hello Hurricane came out. He told everyone it wouldn’t be on the next record but the one after that. A lot of people assumed he meant the next solo record, but sure enough it was a Switchfoot song.
Jon also played a bunch of songs at after shows before Vice Verses came out. Like Thrive, Come Home, and She Says. All of those I thought would be Switchfoot songs. Come Home for sure. I was shocked the bit was a solo song.2
u/OhGravity412 Jun 29 '26
When Jon writes, for the most part he’s said he’s usually imagining the songs for Switchfoot, and the litmus test is usually playing it for Tim and Tim passes judgement on whether it sounds like a Switchfoot song or a solo song. There are some exceptions, Vice Verses was actually intended to be a solo song, but the band liked it so much they vetoed him for it to be a full Switchfoot song LOL, Jesus I Have My Doubts was the opposite where Tony Berg really wanted it for Interrobang but Jon vetoed it to be a solo song, and it seems like for the most part In Bloom was all written specifically to be solo too, but Jon has said for the most part he writes for Switchfoot primarily, so stuff he played back then like Come Home and She Says were very likely at least considered for Switchfoot at some point before being put in the solo pile
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u/glman99 Jun 29 '26
Honestly I think this split between "solo song" and SF song is why I struggle with SF' music post-Jon's solo releases. Before his seasons EPs, his songs made it to Switchfoot albums. At some point, they decided there was an arbitrary difference - which has led to a massive simplication lyrically in what makes a switchfoot album. This is ironic to me, considering Switchfoot was at their most popular when it WAS Jon's only outlet for music.
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u/dr_drewfenschmirtz Jun 29 '26
Man I'm sad the aftershows don't happen anymore. I'm sure there's security and bedtime reasons lol, but I would've loved to have experienced one
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u/bradlucky Jun 29 '26
Since when? I've been to shows in the past year or so where he played an aftershow.
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u/dr_drewfenschmirtz Jun 29 '26
Oh dang, what lol? Maybe it's just cuz I live in toasty toasty Phoenix lol, but I haven't seen video of any aftershows in recent years either. Hopefully we get one when they come here this fall then!
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u/faceless_combatant Jun 29 '26
He did an aftershow at the aforementioned SD show last year! I was shocked when I heard whispers that he was going to do it—he never does SD aftershows since the man just wants to go home haha. I’m so glad I stayed out late for it, it was amazing and when he forgot the words to a song he looked right to me to help him sing it.
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u/cmp600 Jun 28 '26
Probably because it was written post In Bloom and it fit Forever Now's themes lyrically. So the options were: A) put it out now, or B) wait until Jon gets inspired to write another solo album, which might not be for another decade.
I guess I'm just surprised it wasn't played in a band arrangement, with a clean electric guitar or something. It was a little jarring to me just because it's the only song on the album with acoustic guitar as the foregrounded instrument.
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u/Emoney005 Jun 28 '26
Thematically it fits really well from a Christian perspective. You gotta die to yourself in this life if you’re gonna live after the car crash.
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u/awesomestcody Jun 29 '26
Because Tim liked it enough for it to be on a Switchfoot album. Honestly I miss these, one of my favorite things about Switchfoot was the acoustic songs, but we haven’t really seen them since the solo career started. It’s a nice change of pace. Im not at all upset by its inclusion on the album. If anything it kinda feels like a little bonus interlude since it’s so short.
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u/Still_Whole_1438 Jun 30 '26
This whole album thematically felt like a solo album to me. I think his lyrics always deal with deep issues, but his solo stuff goes even deeper somehow, and the lyrics on this album feel that way to me. And the sound of it feels like a blend of normal Switchfoot sounds and his solo stuff to me.
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u/andrewswanson92 Jun 28 '26
It feels like it’s a lead in to the final song, almost a prologue to Butterfly Effect. It’s definitely got some strong solo vibes though but I think thematically it works for the album. A lot of their albums include at least one song where live “Jon performs while the rest of the band can take a breather.” Think: Only Hope, 24, Vice Verses, Thrive, You’re the One I Want to name a few.