times of my life

At its core, "times of my life" is an honest, bittersweet exploration of heartbreak, emotional survival, and the complex art of letting go. Rather than fueling a narrative of anger or blame, the song focuses on the residual love and regret left in the wake of a failed relationship. Colson Baker (mgk) addresses an unnamed ex, explicitly stating that despite the problems they faced, the period they spent together constituted the greatest moments of his life.

The central thematic struggle is represented by the concept of emotional compartmentalization. When mgk sings about having to "bury them inside to get me through," he highlights a tragic human defense mechanism: we often have to lock away our most cherished and joyful memories because looking at them in the context of loss causes unbearable pain. The song reveals that healing is not a linear path of instantly forgetting, but rather a slow, difficult process of physical and mental purging (such as removing items that carry her scent) while grappling with the realization that the past cannot be recaptured.

Furthermore, because of the song's long journey from its 2018 recording to its 2026 release, the meaning has evolved. For the artist, it acts as a retrospective mirror, reflecting on his younger, more chaotic self. For his dedicated fanbase (known as the EST), the track has transcended its original romantic context to become a nostalgic anthem celebrating the community's shared history and growth over the years.

The song begins with a direct, personal address to a former lover, carrying a tone of quiet maturity and soft remorse. The narrator starts by expressing a simple, heartfelt hope that this person is doing well in their life. Though their relationship was admittedly fractured by various issues, he chooses to brush those conflicts aside, considering them insignificant in retrospect. His primary motivation is to extend a long-overdue apology, realizing that even as time shifts and their paths diverge, the emotional imprint of the relationship remains unshakeable. He confesses that every piece of music he encounters still acts as a conduit for her memory, and that the true weight of agony was only realized on the day he made the agonizing choice to walk away without looking back.

He acknowledges that she probably has no interest in hearing his confessions or his regrets, yet he emphasizes an unspoken, shared understanding. This leads into the core revelation of the song: despite all the dysfunction and eventual fallout, the periods spent with her represent the absolute pinnacle of his existence. These were, without a doubt, the best times of his life. To endure the lingering grief and survive day-to-day, he explains that he was forced to compartmentalize and lock these golden memories deep within his subconscious, burying them as a defense mechanism to keep moving forward.

In the second verse, he checks in on her well-being again, reiterating that past disagreements are irrelevant now. He opens up about his own fragile state, admitting that he has been shattered for a considerable amount of time and is only now starting the slow, arduous process of putting his shattered self back together. Part of this recovery involves a physical and sensory purging of her presence—clearing out every item that carries her scent before the summer season arrives. He does this in a desperate attempt to clear his mind, hoping to create space to think about someone else and fully heal.

The emotional climax of the song reinforces the central theme: the times spent with her were unmatched. In the final, haunting outro, the narrator directly addresses the painful irony of their current situation. He hopes she can find peace in knowing that she holds the ultimate ownership of his happiest memories. Ultimately, he confesses a devastating truth to himself—that without her, he is merely living a falsehood, desperately pretending and clinging to the false hope that she will eventually seek him out and rescue him from his loneliness.

The history behind "times of my life" is legendary within mgk's catalog. The song was originally written and recorded in 2018. It holds massive historical significance as it was the very first song Colson Baker ever collaborated on with iconic Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker. This partnership would eventually go on to redefine mgk's entire career, sparking his highly successful transition into pop-punk with the 2020 album Tickets to My Downfall.

The track was composed and produced alongside a powerhouse team of longtime collaborators, including Nick Long, SlimXX, BazeXX, No Love For The Middle Child, Phil Phever, JKash, Andrew Migliore, and Philip "PHIL" Shaouy. mgk originally intended for the track to serve as the grand finale and closing song of Tickets to My Downfall. He even publicly mentioned the track in a 2019 interview on ALT 92.3 Radio, noting that its nostalgic, anthemic qualities reminded him of Oasis's classic "Wonderwall".

However, the song was abruptly shelved due to legal complications. The estate of the legendary rock musician Tom Petty disputed the release, claiming that the song's original chorus hook bore too close of a resemblance to Petty's hit "Learning to Fly". Denied authorization, the song remained locked in the vaults. Over the years, high-quality demos leaked online—most notably a V5.2 demo on December 23, 2022—making it the single most famous and highly sought-after unreleased track in his discography. Fans championed the leak, turning it into a cult classic.

To build anticipation, mgk added the unreleased song to the pre-show playlist during his lost americana tour, which led to emotional moments of entire arenas singing along to a song that had never officially debuted. After resolving the legal disputes and clearing the track, mgk officially released "times of my life" on January 2, 2026, through EST 19XX and Interscope Records. Reflecting on the release, mgk posted on social media: "I recorded this in 2018... I don't know what made me write those words 8 years ago. It just means something different to me now".

The lyrics of "times of my life" utilize poignant sensory metaphors and symbolic actions to convey the profound weight of a past relationship:

• "I had to bury them inside": This central metaphor equates his happiest memories to bodies or treasures that must be hidden beneath the earth. It symbolizes the act of emotional suppression, suggesting that keeping these memories in the light is too painful, so they must be hidden in the dark to ensure his survival.
• "I didn't look back when I left you": This acts as a symbolic physical gesture of forced finality. Refusing to look back represents a desperate attempt to sever emotional ties and show strength, even when his internal reality was shattered by the realization of "never knowing pain" until that precise second.
• "I got rid of everything that smells like you / Before the summer": Scent is highly symbolic of intimate, sensory memory. Summer is a season of warmth, growth, and rebirth. By purging the physical objects carrying her scent before the season shifts, he is metaphorically trying to clear out the emotional winter of his soul to allow a new season of healing to begin.
• "Every single song still feels like you": Music is framed as an inescapable container of memory. It symbolizes how deeply the ex-partner is woven into his artistic soul, showing that even when he tries to escape, art inevitably draws him back to her.

The predominant emotional tone of "times of my life" is deeply bittersweet, nostalgic, and melancholic, balanced by an underlying sense of triumphant release. The track creates a distinct emotional landscape that feels like looking at old, sun-drenched photographs on a rainy afternoon.

At the beginning of the song, the atmosphere is quiet, intimate, and regretful, built solely on soft acoustic guitar and mgk's hushed vocal delivery. This creates a safe space of vulnerability. However, as the song moves into the chorus, there is a massive emotional shift. The introduction of Travis Barker's powerful drums and soaring electric guitars lifts the melancholia into a state of emotional triumph. It is not a triumph of joy, but a triumph of catharsis—the explosive relief of finally admitting a painful truth out loud.

The song's outro shifts the emotional gears once again, stripping away the heavy production to leave mgk's vocals exposed. This final section dials back the anthemic energy to deliver a raw, fragile, and deeply lonely realization that he is still lying to himself. This final descent into longing leaves the listener with a lingering sense of quiet sadness and beautiful, unresolved yearning.

Despite its delayed official release, "times of my life" has left a unique and powerful footprint on mgk's legacy and the broader alternative music community:

• A Legendary Leak: For nearly eight years, the song existed as a legendary "holy grail" track within the alternative rock scene. Because it was leaked online, it bypassed traditional industry channels to build a massive, organic fanbase. Its enduring popularity on TikTok, YouTube, and fan forums forced its eventual official release, showing the modern power of fan-driven demand.
• The Catalyst for a New Era: Culturally, this song is highly significant as the very first collaboration between mgk and Travis Barker. This single partnership sparked a massive cultural revival of pop-punk in the early 2020s, paving the way for albums like Tickets to My Downfall and Mainstream Sellout, which dominated the Billboard charts and altered the landscape of alternative music.
• A Live Pre-Show Anthem: Long before it was officially streaming, the song was played over the speakers before mgk took the stage on his lost americana tour. Culturally, this created a rare phenomenon where thousands of fans in arenas would passionately sing along to an unreleased, leaked track, turning the pre-show into a communal, emotional experience.
• Discography Milestone: Officially released on January 2, 2026, the song serves as a bridge between mgk's past and present. It was highly praised by critics and fans alike for its emotional vulnerability, cementing its place as one of the most honest and deeply respected tracks in his entire discography.

The song's rhythmic and rhyming structure is built to feel natural, raw, and unstudied, mimicking the speech patterns of someone speaking directly from the heart:

Rhyme Scheme: The song largely utilizes a loose ABCB or free verse rhyming structure, relying heavily on slant rhymes and assonance rather than rigid, perfect rhymes. For example, in the opening lines, "fine," "problems," "mind," and "time" rely on the repeating long 'i' sound (assonance) to establish a melodic flow without feeling overly calculated or artificial. This lack of rigid rhyming keeps the focus entirely on the emotional authenticity of the message.

Rhythm and Tempo: Set in a comfortable mid-tempo, the song establishes a steady, marching pace. Lyrically, the verses feature a syncopated, conversational rhythm that feels like a quiet, late-night confession. However, as the song transitions into the chorus, the rhythm opens up. Travis Barker's drum patterns drive the energy forward with a relentless, heartbeat-like pulse, while mgk's vocal rhythm stretches out, holding long, expressive notes ("life," "had you," "inside," "through"). This interplay between the fast, driving rhythm of the instrumentation and the slow, sweeping vocal melody creates a powerful sense of flying forward while looking backward, perfectly mirroring the theme of nostalgic longing.

Both musically and lyrically, the song utilizes a deliberate blend of raw simplicity and sweeping alternative-rock dynamics to elevate its emotional core:

Literary Techniques:

• Repetition: The urgent repetition in the pre-chorus ("And I know, I know, I know... But you know, you know, you know...") mimics the rapid, anxious rhythm of internal panic and the desperate urge to communicate unspoken truths.
• Conversational Diction: The lyrics employ highly colloquial phrases like "never mind" and "whatever". This unpolished register strips away pretension, making the narrative voice feel incredibly intimate, authentic, and diary-like.
• Juxtaposition: There is a sharp contrast between admitting "we had our problems" and immediately declaring those moments as the "best times of my life". This duality highlights the complicated reality of passionate, yet ultimately unsustainable relationships.

Musical Techniques:

• Acoustic and Electric Guitar Interplay: The song opens with warm, yearning acoustic guitar strums reminiscent of classic 90s alternative rock, eventually building into a lush landscape of soaring electric guitars that add power to the emotional release.
• Travis Barker's Percussion: Barker's performance is stellar, blending driving pop-punk tempos with atmospheric, crash-heavy rhythms that underscore the song's tension and release.
• Piano Keys: Melancholic piano chords run quietly beneath the verses, providing a soft, classical gravity to the song's raw bedroom-pop origins.
• Vocal Delivery: mgk's vocal delivery shifts brilliantly from a quiet, spoken-word-adjacent vulnerability in the verses to an open-chested, soaring, and melodic shout in the chorus, mirroring the transition from silent contemplation to explosive emotional release.

When was 'times of my life' written and recorded?

It was originally written and recorded in 2018 as one of the first tracks mgk ever created alongside Travis Barker.

Why did it take eight years for mgk to release "times of my life"?

The song was originally slated for his 2020 album Tickets to My Downfall. However, the estate of legendary rocker Tom Petty blocked its release due to the chorus hook's similarity to Petty's "Learning to Fly". After resolving the dispute, it was finally released in 2026.

Who is the song "times of my life" about?

The song was written in 2018, which means it predates mgk's relationship with Megan Fox. While fans have speculated it is about past partners from that era, such as Sommer Ray or Chantel Jeffries, mgk has never officially confirmed the identity of the person.

How does "times of my life" relate to Oasis's "Wonderwall"?

In a 2019 interview, mgk noted that "times of my life" reminded him of Oasis's iconic hit "Wonderwall" because of its melancholic acoustic structure, simple yet deeply relatable themes, and its soaring, anthemic quality that makes listeners want to sing along.

Who produced and wrote "times of my life"?

The track features a star-studded list of credits. It was written and produced by Colson Baker (mgk), Travis Barker, Nick Long, SlimXX, BazeXX, No Love For The Middle Child, Phil Phever, JKash, Andrew Migliore, and Philip "PHIL" Shaouy.