Swing Life Away

Infobox Single
Name = Swing Life Away


Artist = Rise Against
from Album = Siren Song of the Counter Culture
Released = 2005
Format = CD
Recorded = Vancouver BC
Genre = Acoustic music
Length = 3:20
Label = Geffen
Writers = Rise Against, Neil Hennessy
Producer = GGGarth
[ Certification = ]
Chart position =

• #12 (Modern Rock Tracks)

Last single = "Give It All"
(2004)
This single = "Swing Life Away"
(2005)
Next single = "Life Less Frightening"
(2005)

"Swing Life Away" is a song by hardcore punk and punk revival band Rise Against, from their 2004 album "Siren Song of the Counter Culture". Originally co-written by Tim McIlrath and Neil Hennessy of The Lawrence Arms, the song is notably different from the majority of Rise Against's catalog because it is performed and recorded acoustically. The lyrics are optimistic and speak of contentment with life, contrary to those of stereotypical punk songs, but they maintain the band's characteristic, self-analytical approach to life and so the song is, at its core, a punk song.

The song is an example of Rise Against's tendency to omit the third notes of their acoustic chords, using the resulting fifth chords with four or more strings to generate a raw-sounding guitar piece (as opposed to most other punk and alternative bands, which typically use full chords in their acoustic pieces).

Swing Life Away was released as a single in 2005, and peaked at #12 on the Billboard Modern Rock charts. It is arguably Rise Against's most notable song because of the accessibility of it to most mainstream listeners. The first version was featured in 2003 on Punk Goes Acoustic at 2:26. In 2004, the song was released with an added bridge on Siren Song of the Counter Culture, clocking in at 3:20.