Don't Throw Out My Legos
{{Short description|2019 song by AJR}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Don't Throw Out My Legos
| cover =
| alt =
| type = song
| artist = AJR
| album = Neotheater
| released = {{start date|2019|4|26}}
| recorded = 2018
| studio =
| genre = Electropop{{cite web |last=Weinzapfel|first=Olivia|url=https://www.ballstatedaily.com/byte/article/2019/05/ajrs-neotheater-provides-songs-for-the-subjective-soul|title=AJR's 'Neotheater' provides songs for the subjective soul|website=Ball State Daily|language=en|date=May 1, 2019|accessdate=April 29, 2024}}
| length = 4:10
| label = * AJR Productions
- S-Curve{{Cite web |url=https://www.bmg.com/us/news/AJR-debut-atop-the-US-charts-with-new-album-Neotheater.html|title=US: AJR debut atop the US charts with new album Neotheater|website=BMG|language=en|date=May 7, 2019|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201201111305/https://www.bmg.com/us/news/AJR-debut-atop-the-US-charts-with-new-album-Neotheater.html|archive-date=December 1, 2020|access-date=April 29, 2024}}
| writer =
- Jack Met
- Ryan Met
| producer = Ryan Met
| misc = {{External music video|header=Audio|type=song|{{YouTube|pdOIHNF2vJc|"Don't Throw Out My Legos"}}}}
{{External music video|type=song|{{Vimeo|335032876/4d035a4ac8|"Don't Throw Out My Legos"}}}}
}}
"Don't Throw Out My Legos" is a song by American pop band AJR, appearing as the fourth track on their third studio album Neotheater. It uses an upbeat keyboard-based instrumental while discussing the difficulty of growing up.
Background
"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}}
Composition and production
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}}
Music video
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.
Personnel
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}}
{{div col}}
- 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
{{div col end}}
Charts
class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+ Weekly chart performance for "Don't Throw Out My Legos" ! scope="col"| Chart (2019) ! scope="col"| Peak |
{{single chart|Billboardrocksongs|26|artist=AJR|rowheader=true|access-date=April 29, 2024}} |