"Youth of the Nation" by P.O.D. from Satellite

"We are, we are [we are] the youth of the nation," may repeat as the chorus, but it's on purpose in this song comparable to Superchic[k]'s "Hero." (It came out about the same time on Satellite, in 2002.)

The verses explore lives of today's commonly depressed youth and what comes of it. The first verse starts with a boy's tale of going to school like he did every day and getting killed in a school shooting, then questions why the shooter might've done it. It makes the song's beginning of children laughing probably in a schoolyard all the creepier.

And the heart-wrenching tales continue from there, reminding the listener of how many of today's youth actually feel. I've never been clinically depressed, but even I've had a point when I realized virtually no one would miss me at school if I never went back.

I can name on one hand the number of actual rap-style songs that I like enough to eagerly listen to them. This is one. The "wet" (resonating) sound of the song and echo meld with children's voices and the rap versus to even haunt hearers who usually dislike rap.

The individual elements of this song are pretty normal, like Sonny Sandoval's vocals and the Nu metal music that might bring Linkin Park's "In the End" to mind if you think about it, but they're different. This Christian song's better than that secular one, in my opinion.

The way P.O.D. put the music and vocals together, though, causes "Youth of the Nation" to rise above average. It's definitely rapcore-ish metal with synthesized elements, but if you're the type who focuses on lyrics, you don't care. Even the overall sound just accents the influence of the song.

Okay, so the song's dark. If you don't like that, you probably shouldn't be listening to the youth band P.O.D. to begin with. With a name that stands for "Payable On Death"—a reference to Christ's death—I don't think they tend to focus on cute fuzzy feelings and bunnies, unless they have sharp, pointy teeth associated with them.

The emotions of today's youth displayed in "Youth of the Nation" are as true now as they were five years ago. These are the youth of the nation—and that leaves the listener wondering, what am I gonna do about this?

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Lyrics: 5/5
Music: 4/5
Vocal(s): 4/5
Overall: 8/10

"Hero (Red Pill Remix)" by Superchic[k] from X 2004: 17 Christian Rock Hits!

"He doesn't know he's a leader with the way he behaves." "He can do what he wants, because it's his right; the choices he makes change a nine-year-old's life."

When "Hero" first came out on Superchick's Last One Picked in 2002, it wasn't the only song bemoaning the state of the nation's youth. P.O.D.'s "Youth of the Nation" similarly spoke of our sad state (or at least it was a "we" for me at the time when I first heard those songs.)

But now, five years after the song first appeared, this remix seems more popular than the original version. (Hey, I liked the first one.) Superchick's standard odd mix of music appears in both with nearly-identical choruses, though overall I'll have to call the "Red Pill Remix" an improvement on the original. It's not nearly as harsh-sounding.

Many people, not necessarily Christians, have been convicted by this song, and it strikes close to home for many. It's a warning that a little bit of kidness from each one of us can make a difference. Each verse tells a different story where that can be true—of a boy who lashes out at his tormentor through suicide or a gun, of a girl who in her loneliness fights "the lie that giving up is the way," and of a boy who doesn't realize he's leading many others down the path for life that he's chosen for himself, including his young brother.

An addition in this remix to the original "Hero" comes with the rap part (that actually has some of the best background vocals and music of the entire song), returning to the first boy and telling of him putting a gun to his head.

Superchick's an interesting breed of music, mixing aspects of pop, punk, R&B, contemporary Christian, and rapcore. It's therefore hard to rank, since it's rather "unique." The layers were designed to flow together as a unit rather than work separately, so sometimes there's a layer in the song that's an assault on the ears. I therefore don't care for Superchic[k] nearly as much as I once did, but their lyrics still rank among my favorites.

Superchic[k] doesn't try to preach theology; the members offer Bible-based advice. The clear… singing… when it is singing… sounds very much like it's geared for teens, as some listeners have complained. The band also dresses like it's trying to reach a teen audience.

Go figure. It is.

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Lyrics: 5/5
Music: 4/5
Vocal(s): 3/5
Overall: 8/10