Best Day Of My Life

"Best Day Of My Life" by American Authors is a powerful anthem of optimism, resilience, and the conscious choice to embrace happiness. At its core, the song is about transforming one's perspective, regardless of external circumstances. Lead singer Zac Barnett has explained that the verses often touch on struggles and insecurities, but the chorus provides the optimistic twist. It’s not about having a perfect life, but about believing that things can and will get better. The song's message is proactive; it's not stating "this is the best day of my life," but rather, "this is gonna be the best day of my life," framing happiness as a future to strive for and a choice to be made each day.

The lyrics create a narrative of escaping the mundane or difficult realities of life and entering a dream world where anything is possible. Phrases like "I jumped so high I touched the clouds" and "we danced with monsters through the night" symbolize overcoming limitations and fears. This dream isn't just a fantasy; it's a source of inspiration to bring back into the real world. The band stated they wanted to convey that no matter how bad a day you're having, there's always an escape and a way to create your own best day.

Interestingly, the song was conceived in the shadow of a tragedy. Bassist Dave Rublin revealed that the band was writing in upstate New York when the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting occurred nearby. This event motivated them to create something positive and happy, feeling that such an uplifting and simple message was missing from music at the time. They aimed to write an "earworm" that could carry people and make them feel good in the face of darkness.

The song unfolds like a vibrant, exhilarating dream. The narrator begins by describing a fantastical vision, one so immense and powerful that it felt as though they could leap high enough to touch the clouds. This dream world is not just peaceful; it's an adventurous realm where they dance with monsters through the night, a metaphor for confronting and embracing fears. There's a powerful sense of liberation and boundless potential in these opening moments. The experience is so profound that the narrator expresses a desperate plea not to be woken up, wanting to remain in this state of limitless possibility and courage.

This sentiment carries into a powerful, forward-looking resolution: a vow to never look back or give up. It’s a moment of decision, a commitment to carry the dream's energy into waking life. The chorus then erupts with an infectious declaration of optimism: “This is gonna be the best day of my life.” The repetition of “my li-i-i-i-ife” emphasizes the personal and profound nature of this feeling, stretching the word as if to prolong the ecstatic moment.

The second verse continues the theme of communal joy and seizing the day. The narrator recalls howling at the moon with friends, a wild and carefree act, which is followed by the sun “crashing in.” This isn't a gentle dawn but an explosive arrival of a new day, filled with endless opportunities and “epiphanies.” The dream-like state has fully transitioned into a conscious choice to live with the same wonder and lack of limits. Again, the pre-chorus reinforces the commitment to move forward without regret, clinging to this newfound perspective.

The bridge shifts the focus from an internal dream state to an external calling. The narrator hears something outside their window, a feeling that resonates deep within their soul. The imagery of stars burning brightly and the sun staying out until midnight paints a picture of a world that has aligned with their inner joy, where the ordinary rules of time and nature are suspended in favor of celebration. It’s a call to “lose control,” to fully give in to the moment's happiness and energy. The song culminates in a triumphant, layered chorus, with voices building on the central theme. The line “Everything is looking up, everybody up now” transforms a personal feeling into a collective invitation, urging everyone to join in this celebration of life's potential. It solidifies the song's message that the “best day” is not a past event to be remembered, but a future that is actively being created with hope and a positive outlook.

"Best Day Of My Life" was written by the four members of American Authors—Zac Barnett, James Adam Shelley, Dave Rublin, and Matt Sanchez—along with their producers, Aaron Accetta and Shep Goodman. The song was recorded in 2012 and released on March 19, 2013, as a single from their self-titled EP and later included on their debut studio album, Oh, What a Life (2014).

The creation of the song was a unique process of musical amalgamation. The band revealed that the track is composed of parts from five different songs they had been working on, mashed together. Initially, they were unsure if the combination worked and set it aside for a while. Upon returning to it, they realized they had something special. The bridge of the song, for instance, was originally a verse idea that was repurposed. The band started writing the song in their small apartment in Bushwick, Brooklyn, where they were living as struggling artists working dead-end jobs. The initial idea began on acoustic guitars in Zac Barnett's bedroom before the entire band collaborated to transform it.

A significant inspiration for the song's imagery was the children's book and film Where the Wild Things Are. The band even played the song's demo along with the movie trailer to match the vibe. The joyful, banjo-led tune was also a conscious effort to inject positivity into the world, written in response to the nearby Sandy Hook school shooting in 2012, which deeply affected the band. The song's initial breakthrough came not from radio, but from extensive use in commercials for brands like Lowe's, which snowballed its popularity and led to its formal promotion as a major single.

The rhyme and rhythm of "Best Day Of My Life" are fundamental to its catchy and energetic character.

Rhyme Scheme: The song primarily uses a simple AABB rhyme scheme in its verses, which makes the lyrics easy to follow and remember. For example, "I had a dream so big and loud / I jumped so high I touched the clouds" and "I stretched my hands out to the sky / We danced with monsters through the night." This straightforward structure contributes to the song's accessibility and sing-along quality.

Rhythm and Tempo: The song moves at a brisk tempo of approximately 96 beats per minute (BPM) in a 4/4 time signature, creating a driving and optimistic feel. The rhythmic foundation is built on what has been described as "thumping African-inspired percussion grooves" and a heavy, four-on-the-floor bass drum pattern, which gives the track a powerful, danceable pulse. This strong rhythmic drive is a key component of its anthemic sound. The interplay between the rhythmic banjo riff, the steady percussion, and the vocal phrasing creates a layered and dynamic rhythmic texture. A notable rhythmic detail is the military-style drum count ("two, three, four") shouted before the first chorus, adding a sense of marshalling energy and forward momentum.

"Best Day Of My Life" employs a blend of musical and literary techniques to achieve its infectious, uplifting quality.

• Instrumentation: The song is notable for its distinctive use of a banjo lick in the introduction, which provides a folk-inflected hook that immediately grabs the listener's attention. This is blended with Africa-influenced percussion grooves, a heavy bass drum reminiscent of bands like Imagine Dragons, and standard pop-rock instrumentation, creating a unique sonic tapestry. The band intentionally experimented with banjo, mandolin, and various percussion to craft their sound.
• Vocal Delivery: A key feature is the stuttered vocal hook in the chorus on the word "life" ("li-i-i-i-ife"). This technique, drawing from a rock tradition popularized by artists like Buddy Holly and David Bowie, makes the chorus incredibly memorable and emphatic. The song also features a prominent gang-vocal "Whoa-oh" chant, a staple of anthemic pop and rock that encourages audience participation and creates a sense of communal celebration.
• Musical Structure: The song was famously constructed from the parts of five different song ideas. This collage-like approach contributes to its dynamic and varied texture, moving from folksy verses to a pop-punk-influenced chorus. The song is written in the key of D major with an energetic tempo of around 96 beats per minute, further enhancing its upbeat mood.
• Lyrical Narrative: The lyrics utilize a narrative structure that moves from a dream state (verses) to a conscious, forward-looking resolution (chorus), creating a clear emotional arc of inspiration leading to action.

"Best Day Of My Life" has had a significant and widespread cultural impact since its release, becoming a ubiquitous anthem of positivity. The song was a commercial success, reaching number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 and achieving triple-platinum status in the US. It also topped Billboard's Adult Pop Songs chart for the year 2014.

Its biggest influence has been its pervasive use in media. The track has been featured in over 600 movie trailers, TV shows, and commercials, making it instantly recognizable to a global audience. Its use in high-profile ad campaigns for companies like Lowe's, Toyota, Hyundai, and Shell, as well as in promos for the film The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and Major League Baseball, cemented its status as a go-to soundtrack for feel-good moments. This marketing success was a primary driver of the song's popularity, often preceding its radio airplay. A notable cover version was created by a supergroup of artists including Jennifer Hudson and Pixie Lott for Shell's #makethefuture campaign, which garnered hundreds of millions of views. The song remains American Authors' signature hit and a defining track of the early 2010s' wave of optimistic indie-folk pop.

"Best Day Of My Life" is rich with symbolism and metaphors that elevate its optimistic message beyond simple cheerfulness.

• The Dream World: The opening verses describing a dream where the narrator jumps high enough to "touch the clouds" and dances "with monsters through the night" serve as a powerful metaphor for overcoming personal limitations and fears. The dream isn't an escape from reality, but a training ground for it, a space where the impossible feels attainable.
• Dancing with Monsters: This specific image is particularly symbolic. Instead of fighting or fleeing from "monsters," the narrator dances with them. This represents confronting one's fears, anxieties, and inner demons not with aggression, but with acceptance and even joy, thereby neutralizing their power. This idea was partly inspired by the film Where the Wild Things Are.
• The Sun Crashing In: The line "and then the sun came crashing in" is not a gentle dawn but a sudden, powerful burst of light and energy. It symbolizes an epiphany or a dramatic shift in perspective, the forceful arrival of a new day filled with boundless opportunities and clarity ("no limits, just epiphanies").
• Howling at the Moon: This represents a primal, carefree release of inhibition and a celebration of camaraderie and freedom with friends. It evokes a sense of wild, unburdened joy and living in the moment.

"Best Day Of My Life" is built around several highly effective recurring motifs that are central to its identity and memorability.

• "This is gonna be the best day of my life": This is the song's primary lyrical hook and its central thesis. Its repetition throughout the song drills the message of proactive optimism into the listener's mind. The future tense ("gonna be") is crucial, framing happiness as a goal and a choice rather than a current, fleeting state.
• The Stuttered "Li-i-i-i-ife": This vocal stutter is arguably the song's most distinctive sonic motif. By drawing out the word "life," the band adds a playful, euphoric emphasis to the chorus, making it exceptionally catchy and fun to sing along to. It's a classic rock and roll trope used to great effect.
• The "Woah-oh-oh-oh-oh" Chant: This recurring gang vocal chant serves as an instrumental and vocal hook. It is a quintessential element of stadium-sized anthems, creating a sense of unity and collective joy. It appears in the verses and throughout the track, tying the different sections together and enhancing the song's uplifting, communal feel.
• Banjo Riff: The opening banjo lick is the song's signature instrumental motif. It immediately establishes a folk-pop, feel-good atmosphere and recurs throughout the song, providing a consistent, cheerful thread.