100 Years (song)

2003 single by Five for Fighting December 2021 100 Years Fiveforfighting351704.jpg single Five for Fighting The Battle for Everything "Sister Sunshine" "Maybe I" (acoustic) 2003 11 17 Soft rockhttps://www.cincinnati.com/story/entertainment/arts/2018/04/06/cincinnati-pops-gets-five-fighting/492748002/ Cincinnati Pops gets Five for Fighting Varias, Chris April 6, 2018 Cincinnati Enquirer October 24, 2020 But things have changed industry-wide not only since the last decade when Ondrasik was cranking out soft-rock hits like 'Superman (It's Not Easy),' '100 Years' and 'The Riddle' under his stage name Five for Fighting. 4:05 Columbia Aware John Ondrasik Gregg Wattenberg Something About You 2003 The Devil in the Wishing Well 2004 tR-qQcNT_fY "100 Years" single "100 Years" is a song by American singer Five for Fighting. It was released on November 17, 2003, as the first single from his third studio album, The Battle for Everything (2004). A piano-driven soft rock ballad, the song explores life in different ages during a 100-year lifespan. The single reached number one on the US Billboard Adult Contemporary chart and number 28 on the Billboard Hot 100. Critical reception was generally positive. In 2007, the song earned a Platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America for more than 1,000,000 copies sold. It also charted in Australia and New Zealand, peaking at number 32 in both countries. Background and composition Written and composed by John Ondrasik, "100 Years" is in the key of G major, with a time 4 4 time signature and vocal range of D4 to B5.https://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtd.asp?ppn=MN0046540 100 Years March 29, 2004 MusicNotes February 2, 2025 The lyrics tell the perspective of a man recollecting key life moments from ages 15 to 99, including romance, fatherhood, and midlife crisis.http://www.metrolyrics.com/100-years-lyrics-five-for-fighting.html 100 Years Lyrics MetroLyrics https://web.archive.org/web/20120616213807/http://www.metrolyrics.com/100-years-lyrics-five-for-fighting.html June 16, 2012 February 2, 2025 dead In a 2004 interview with VH1, Ondrasik summarized the message he wanted to convey in "100 Years": "You can't enjoy every moment. Obviously, life is not good all the time, but it's all we have."Stas Heather Bottomley C Five for Fighting: Put 'Em Up http://www.vh1.com/artists/interview/1485683/03112004/five_for_fighting.jhtml VH1 March 11, 2004 February 1, 2025 https://web.archive.org/web/20040415204818/http://www.vh1.com/artists/interview/1485683/03112004/five_for_fighting.jhtml April 15, 2004 dead In 2021, Ondrasik reflected on the songwriting of "100 Years" to American Songwriter: ..."100 Years" was a little post-it note saying, "Dude, just chill and appreciate the moment, recognize the moment." Once I had the lyric, "There's never a wish better than this," and I had the piano theme, I had this concept of let's let this song be a lifetime. Let's have each verse be the stages of our lives, let's move through the song.https://americansongwriter.com/one-hundred-years-five-for-fighting-song-interview/ Behind the Song: "100 Years" by Five for Fighting Uitti Jacob American Songwriter October 18, 2021 October 24, 2024 Critical reception People praised "100 Years" as a "poignant piano-based tune" with a "well-crafted message", in a review rating The Battle for Everything 3.5 out of four stars.Arnold Chuck Novak Ralph Picks and Pans: Music http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20149311,00.html People February 16, 2004 61 6 https://web.archive.org/web/20090206024440/http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20149311,00.html February 6, 2009 February 1, 2025 dead For Billboard, Chuck Taylor commented: "The innate vulnerability of Ondrasik's voice ideally suits the message, making this among the most intelligent, poignant songs of the year."Taylor Chuck Five For Fighting, 100 Years http://www.billboard.com/bb/reviews/single_article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=2042235 Billboard December 6, 2003 115 49 36 https://web.archive.org/web/20031206053257/http://www.billboard.com:80/bb/reviews/single_article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=2042235 December 6, 2003 February 1, 2025 dead Elysa Gardner of USA Today noticed "self-conscious sensitivity and bleating tenor" by Five for Fighting in "100 Years" and some other tracks on The Battle for Everything.http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/life/music/2004-02-02-listen-up_x.htm Twista resonates, Connick impersonates USA Today February 2, 2004 February 3, 2025 https://web.archive.org/web/20151019153409/http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/life/music/2004-02-02-listen-up_x.htm October 19, 2015 dead Todd Goldstein of PopMatters had a more mixed review, calling the song "catchy" but criticizing the lyrical themes as "obvious, painfully overdone".https://web.archive.org/web/20040816035201/http://popmatters.com/music/reviews/f/fiveforfighting-battle.shtml August 16, 2004 Five for Fighting: The Battle for Everything http://popmatters.com/music/reviews/f/fiveforfighting-battle.shtml PopMatters June 24, 2004 February 3, 2025 dead Chart performance "100 Years" peaked on the US Billboard Hot 100 singles charts at number 28, for the week ending May 24, 2004. In December 2004, on the Billboard Year-End Hot 100 singles of 2004 chart, "100 Years" was ranked at number 77 overall for the year. "100 Years" peaked at number one on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart for the week ending May 7, 2004. It went on to be the longest-running number-one single of 2004 on the Adult Contemporary chart, staying at number one for 12 non-consecutive weeks.Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks chart info Billboard.com. Retrieved August 29, 2010. The song spent a total of 52 weeks on the Adult Contemporary chart. Music video The music video was directed by Trey Fanjoy.https://www.treyfanjoy.com/videos/100-years/ 100 Years, Five For Fighting TreyFanjoy.com February 2, 2025 VH1 began playing the "100 Years" video around January 12, 2004.https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/00s/2004/BB-2004-01-31.pdf Billboard Video Monitor Billboard January 31, 2004 116 5 57 World Radio History February 2, 2025 For the week ending January 25, 2004, "100 Years" ranked ninth among VH1's 40 most played music videos.Billboard Video Monitor https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/00s/2004/BB-2004-02-07.pdf Billboard February 7, 2004 116 6 56 February 2, 2025 World Radio History In the video, images of Ondrasik singing and playing the song at the piano are intercut with fictional versions of himself as a 15-year-old boy, a 22-year-old, a 33-year-old, a man in his middle 40s, and finally a 99-year-old version of himself, reflecting the song's lyrics. At the end of the song, Ondrasik meets his older self. Los Angeles singer-songwriter Matthew Jordan appeared in the video as 15-year-old Ondrasik.Congratulations Burbank Leader https://www.latimes.com/socal/burbank-leader/news/tn-blr-xpm-2007-06-02-blr-congrats02-story.html June 2, 2007 February 2, 2025 limited Track listing Australian CD single100 Years Five for Fighting 2004 Australian CD single liner notes Columbia Records, Aware Records 674575 2 "100 Years" "Sister Sunshine" "Maybe I" (acoustic version) "100 Years" (acoustic version) Charts Weekly charts Chart (2003–2004)PeakpositionAustralia 32 Five for Fighting 100 Years trueNew Zealand 32 Five for Fighting 100 Years trueBillboardhot100 28 Five for Fighting November 16, 2018 true "hot100"Billboardadultalternativesongs 12 Five for Fighting true January 22, 2020Billboardadultcontemporary 1 Five for Fighting November 16, 2018 true "usac"Billboardadultpopsongs 3 Five for Fighting November 16, 2018 trueBillboardpopsongs 40 Five for Fighting November 16, 2018 true Year-end charts Chart (2004)PositionUS Billboard Hot 100http://billboardtop100of.com/2004-2/ Billboard Top 100 – 2004 Billboardtop100of.com May 18, 2021 February 24, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210224134338/http://billboardtop100of.com/2004-2/ dead77US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)https://books.google.com/books?id=1BMEAAAAMBAJ&pg=RA1-PA34 Year in Music & Touring Billboard 116 52 YE-74 December 25, 2004 December 20, 20233US Adult Top 40 (Billboard)8US Triple-A (Billboard)2004 The Year in Charts: Most-Played Triple-A Songs Billboard Radio Monitor 12 51 54 December 17, 200443 Certifications New Zealand 100 Years Five for Fighting single Gold 2003 2025 radioscope March 1, 2026 United States 100 Years Five for Fighting single Platinum 2003 2007 true September 7, 2018 true true Release history RegionDateFormat(s)Label(s)Ref. ReferenceUnited StatesNovember 17, 2003Hot adult contemporary triple A radioColumbia Awarehttps://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/2000s/2003/RR-2003-11-14.pdf Going for Adds Radio & Records 1530 27 November 14, 2003 May 18, 2021January 12, 2004Adult contemporary radiohttps://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/2000s/2004/RR-2004-01-09.pdf Going for Adds Radio & Records 1537 24 January 9, 2004 May 18, 2021February 2, 2004Contemporary hit radiohttps://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/2000s/2004/RR-2004-01-30.pdf Going for Adds Radio & Records 1540 23 January 30, 2004 May 18, 2021AustraliaMay 10, 2004CDhttp://www.aria.com.au/ISSUE741.pdf The ARIA Report: New Releases Singles – Week Commencing 10th May 2004 ARIA 26 May 10, 2004 dead https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20040606140000/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/23790/20040607-0000/ISSUE741.pdf June 6, 2004 May 18, 2021medic See also List of Billboard Adult Contemporary number ones of 2004 References External links "100 Years" lyrics on MetroLyrics (archived June 16, 2012) Category:2003 singles Category:2003 songs Category:American soft rock songs Category:Five for Fighting songs Category:Music videos directed by Trey Fanjoy Category:Songs written by John Ondrasik Category:Songs about old age