Don't Throw Out My Legos

"Don't Throw Out My Legos" was the second song written for Neotheater, preceded by "Karma" and followed by "Next Up Forever".{{cite AV media |people=AJR|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XcT_PUmYJXE|title=AJR Breaks Down Their New Album Neotheater|medium=YouTube video|publisher=Zach Sang Show|language=English|time=25:41|date=April 29, 2019|access-date=April 29, 2024}} The song describes the emotional hardships of moving away from one's parents,{{cite web |last=Thompson|first=Ashlee|url=https://www.breezejmu.org/culture/review-ajr-makes-their-most-personal-album-yet-with-the-maybe-man/article_5decf540-8af5-11ee-a615-43ac270dfb09.html|title=Review {{!}} AJR makes their most personal album yet with 'The Maybe Man'|website=The Breeze|language=en|date=November 24, 2023|accessdate=April 29, 2024}} with the band struggling to conform to the social construct of adulthood.{{cite web |last=Tindle|first=Evyn|url=https://www.hercampus.com/school/ucf/4-reasons-you-should-listen-ajrs-neotheater/|title=4 Reasons You Should Listen to AJR's 'Neotheater'|website=Her Campus|language=en|date=September 28, 2019|accessdate=April 29, 2024}} Rolling Stone praised the track's personality as "a saccharine but strangely affecting ode to lost innocence".{{cite magazine |last=Dolan|first=Jon|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-album-reviews/ajr-neotheater-album-review-827903/|title=Review: AJR Dance Through Coming of Age Reality on 'Neotheater'|magazine=Rolling Stone|language=en|date=April 26, 2019|accessdate=April 29, 2024}} "Don't Throw Out My Legos" was the first song showcased of Neotheater, receiving live performances during the AJR's The Click tour in 2018.{{cite web |last=Hudelson|first=Molly|url=https://substreammagazine.com/2018/11/ajr-click-deluxe-edition-interview/|title=Follow 'The Click' In Your Ear: AJR Are Turning Out Fine|website=Substream Magazine|language=en|date=November 9, 2018|accessdate=April 29, 2024}} The lyric "People want shirts with the band name on it" would later inspire a shirt design with plain white color and "The Band Name" as lettering.{{cite web |last=Smith|first=Katy|url=https://anchor.hope.edu/arts/the-mythos-of-ajrs-new-single/|title=The mythos of AJR's new single|website=The Anchor|language=en|date=February 22, 2021|accessdate=April 29, 2024}}

During the Neotheater World Tour, AJR visualized the layers of the chorus for "Don't Throw Out My Legos".{{cite web |last=Dzurillay|first=Julia|url=https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/ajrs-bang-well-known-voice-new-york-city-travelers.html/|title=AJR's 'Bang' Features a Well-Known Voice to New York City Travelers|website=|language=en|date=December 11, 2021|accessdate=April 29, 2024}} The song's production began from sampling the sound of car keys being dropped,{{cite web |last=Appleby|first=Madison|url=https://dailycampus.com/2019/05/01/2019-5-1-ajrs-neotheater-theatrical-and-impactful/|title=AJR's 'Neotheater': Theatrical and impactful|website=The Daily Campus|language=|date=May 1, 2019|accessdate=April 29, 2024}} being pitched up an octave and combined with a drum beat in Time signature and at a tempo of 147 beats per minute. The song's snare drum takes inspiration from the snare of the Beatles' "Penny Lane". This composition was then shifted into {{music|time|4|4}} time signature and included piano in the key of D major. Following the addition of bass and hi-hats, the band incorporated the Neotheater{{'}}s theme of orchestral sampling by creating a melody out of viola and close harmony choirs to complete the chorus.{{cite web |last=Tady|first=Scott|url=https://www.timesonline.com/story/entertainment/local/2020/01/22/ajr-pleases-sold-out-moon/1852179007/|title=AJR pleases sold-out Moon audience|website=The Beaver County Times|language=en|date=January 22, 2020|accessdate=April 29, 2024}} The pre-chorus and bridge of "Don't Throw Out My Legos" are piano-based with an ascending beat that leads into the chorus. Riff Magazine compared these chord progressions to music from Mister Rogers' Neighborhood.{{cite web |last=Westrom|first=Piper|url=https://riffmagazine.com/album-reviews/ajr-neotheater/|title=ALBUM REVIEW: AJR balances familiar and fresh on 'Neotheater'|website=Riff Magazine|language=en|date=April 24, 2019|accessdate=April 29, 2024}}

A music video for "Don't Throw Out My Legos" was released on Vimeo and Spotify, with the former being a widescreen video and the latter being a vertical canvas of the same footage. It features the band and other studio personnel creating and performing the song, interspersed with clips of the band relaxing in-studio with their Bouvier dog Shay.

Credits adapted from Tidal.{{cite web |title=Credits / Neotheater / AJR |url=https://listen.tidal.com/album/107105985/credits |date=April 26, 2019 |publisher=Tidal|access-date=April 29, 2024}}

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• Adam Met – bass, backing vocals
• Jack Met – lead vocals, instruments
• Ryan Met – instruments, backing vocals, production, programming
• Chris Gehringer – mastering engineer
• Joe Zook – mixing engineer
• Drew Allsbrook – mixing engineer
• JJ Kirkpatrick – trumpet
• Chris Berry – drums

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