Fangs Up, Cobra Style!
Hello I am here to share my love for Cobra Starship. You probably know a few of their songs already: “You Make Me Feel… (feat. Sabi)”) and the iconic “Good Girls Go Bad (feat. Leighton Meester)” !!! Aside from those, I wanted to talk about my own personal favorite tracks and recommendations.
Thanks to my deep love for Panic! and Ryan Ross, I actually rediscovered Cobra Starship through a Ryan Ross edit which is maybe a little embarrassing to some but it's the truth… The edit was to “You’re Not in on the Joke” off of the album Hot Mess and I instantly went down a rabbit hole because I fell in love with that song and album. Within an hour of looking into them I knew I was going to be obsessed. It definitely helped that I already had an obsession with the 2000s and early internet culture, so getting into them was super fun for me.
Cobra Starship was originally formed in 2005 by Gabe Saporta, who is also the lead vocalist. Alongside him, the band included Alex Suarez (bass), Nate Novarro (drums), and Ryland Blackinton (guitar). Shortly after, Victoria Asher (Vicky T) joined on keytar. Cobra Starship has a very distinct sound, a combination of electronic and pop-punk (two of my favorite things? wow), and later on became known for their iconic dance-pop sound, which really drew me in to start. I would say that Cobra Starship is heavily associated with “scene pop” as well, and while I think they didn’t always lean toward that in their later albums, it still fit. You’ll find that some of their songs have emotional and meaningful lyrics, usually covered by irony and mixed with a dance-pop, electronic instrumental, which also leans into that category.
Saporta formed Cobra Starship himself and actually recorded the first album, While the City Sleeps, We Rule the Streets, mostly on his own. When I was learning about how the band was formed, I discovered that if you asked him how he came up with Cobra Starship, he’d say that he went on a vision trip back in 2005 to Arizona, where he wandered in the desert and got bitten by a snake after consuming peyote. Also, the snake supposedly spoke to him and told him to teach hipsters and emo kids to stop taking themselves so seriously. I like to believe he’s telling the entire honest and 100% truth. Sounds super legit. After learning this, the beginning of this music video is always funny to watch (and makes more sense).
When I started listening more, I realized part of the reason I loved their music so much was genuinely just Gabe Saporta’s voice and the way he sings certain words. Idk guys… I have tried explaining this so many times to multiple people, but it’s like something about his voice scratches my brain differently than any other artist. Hoping someone gets me here!
So naturally, I immediately made the band my entire personality and made it everyone else’s problem! While I was spending time watching their music videos, I eventually stumbled upon CobraCam.TV. This was a web series they did with two seasons, uploading new episodes each week. The first season included episodes leading up to the release of Hot Mess, while the second followed the release of the album. This was one of the first things I watched, and it also helped me learn more about the band and each member (and these made me looooove Vicky T). You can definitely tell they had fun, and here is one of my favorite episodes if you are interested. The early 2000s were full of different web series, especially as YouTube started to really take off, so I was super excited when I saw that Cobra Starship had their own.
Cobra Starship officially announced their disbandment back in 2015. BUT in 2024, they came back and announced a reunion show, and have made many appearances at different shows and festivals since then. (Impatiently waiting for a tour announcement… can I say that)
(Fangs Up! hand symbol of course)
Now, getting into each album, I want to talk about my own personal favorite tracks from each album and give recommendations if you’re interested in listening to more. Even though my favorite songs never stop changing, these have consistently been my favorites since I first listened. x
While the City Sleeps, We Rule the Streets (2006)
The first album!!! Starting off strong with some favorites of mine from this album (out of album order): “Pop-Punk Is Sooooo ‘05” and “Bring It (Snakes on a Plane).” Both of these are super fun songs, and on “Bring It,” there are some super cool features on vocals! William Beckett of The Academy Is…, Travis McCoy of Gym Class Heroes, and Maja Iversson of The Sound.
Another song from this album that I love is “Send My Love to the Dance Floor I’ll See You in Hell (Hey Mister DJ).” And I know you already know when it’s got a crazy long title and is from 2006, it’s gonna be good. come on now. Anyways, the reason I wanted to highlight this one on its own is because one day, when I was forcing my mom to sit and watch music videos with me, as I do, she pointed out that she liked this one, and her feet were tapping. (Whenever this happens I get so excited). So basically, what I’m trying to say is this one is my mom’s favorite Cobra Starship song.
Another song I love off of this album is “Keep It Simple.” I really enjoy the chorus of this song. Similarly, “The Kids Are All Fucked Up” has a really good bridge.
Finally, the last track on this album is titled “You Can’t Be Missed If You Never Go Away,” and it’s a great close to the album. It is one of my favorite Cobra Starship songs, and it has a moodier feel compared to their newer releases, being that it came out before the band really leaned into the dance-pop style that they are known for.
¡Viva La Cobra! (2007)
This album is probably my favorite right after Hot Mess. I am obsessed with everything about it, including that purple zip up.. One of my favorite things to come from this album is “Guilty Pleasure”, and the music videos that come with it. Yes, plural because there is an official music video and a home video, and I recommend watching both because they are such a great time (start with the home video).
I also love “The City Is at War”. I think the song is so unique. The instrumentals are super cool throughout the whole song, keeping it super upbeat and catchy. (A Cobra Starship song is always gonna have some crazy instrumentals but shoutout to this one). This is one that I personally feel helped capture Cobra Starship’s identity.
Another favorite song of mine off of this album is “Prostitution Is the World's Oldest Profession (And I, Dear Madame, Am a Professional)”. Okay so yes that's the title. This is actually another that is probably one of my favorites out of their entire discography. This song does really well capturing the whole vibe of this album, with an emphasis on the spectacle of performance and nightlife.
Finally, I wanted to mention “One Day Robots Will Cry”. This song is one of the songs that I have had on repeat lately as I am writing this, so I wanted to include it here. It doesn't have the super dance-pop-y sound, but it is still upbeat and has steady instrumentals with cool synths.
Hot Mess (2009)
Best album ever alertttt. Tbh I could go on about each track on this album but I’ll try not to... Aside from the ones I mentioned earlier, I wanted to start with my favorite track, “Fold Your Hands Child”. This is my favorite Cobra Starship song ever ever ever (which may change, but as I am writing this, it’s my favorite). The song is slower, and is a bit different than the sound of the others on this album since the majority of tracks are more chaotic. I think it is most similar to another track titled “Living in the Sky with Diamonds”, which is another favorite of mine.
Next, I wanted to highlight “Nice Guys Finish Last”. I think this song is so fun, and not only through their online presence and web series but through their music you can tell that they didn’t take anything too seriously, and I feel like this adds to the charm of Cobra Starship. It was a great track to use as an opener for Hot Mess because I feel like it really gives off the playful, confident mood of the rest of the album.
Even though I already mentioned this song earlier, I love “You’re Not in on the Joke” !!! This song is what made me get super into Cobra Starship in the first place, so I am thankful for her (if you are interested in understanding why Gabe Saporta’s voice scratches my brain, I think this is a good one to listen to. Maybe you’ll get it idk).
Finally, I wanted to mention “The Scene Is Dead; Long Live the Scene”. This song gets stuck in my head more than anything, and I find myself singing the chorus on repeat all the time. The song is upbeat and catchy, but I would say is a nod to their more scene roots in their early music.
Even though I just mentioned a good chunk of songs from this album, I truly recommend listening to the whole thing. ;)
Night Shades (2011)
In my opinion, this album is full of underrated tracks. This may be because they are overshadowed by the amazing “You Make Me Feel… (feat. Sabi)”, which is a hit of course, but also the album has so many great songs.
I want to start with “Fool Like Me (feat. Plastiscines)” because this is another current favorite of mine. I think the song is super funny and catchy, which calls back to the “unserious and careless” feeling that Cobra Starship exudes.
Another track I love is “Fucked in Love”. This one definitely has the electropop sound to it, which may be why it's a favorite of mine. It’s definitely got more serious, deeper lyrics and emotional feeling, but still has that good mix with an upbeat instrumental.
This album also has the same fun energy that their previous ones did, and I really appreciate the consistency they had with their sound and albums. Although you can find songs that feel more moody, it still feels true to their sound overall when looking back at their earlier music. I do feel that Night Shades leans slightly more into what I would consider more “radio” pop, but it still has the same flair that their other albums have.
I also wanted to mention their track on the Jennifer’s Body soundtrack, “Chew Me Up and Spit Me Out”. I LOVE this song, and after I heard it, I went to rewatch the movie just so I could hear it in the credits. Can't even lie.
All in all, I think Cobra Starship is one of the best bands of their time. Their sound and personality a time capsule of the 2000s. I think that they have so many interesting and great songs that anyone interested in the 2000s and early internet could really get into and find something they like. Not even being biased….
Thank you if you made it this far into me rambling about another one of my favorite bands :p and I am linking a playlist here with all of my favorite tracks, if you are interested!
Gracie x
P.S. If you like their music please listen to the Glee Cast version of “I’m Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How To Dance With You” and tell me that it doesn't sound like a Cobra Starship song (so I included it in the playlist)
my sources
i do not own any of the photos
