Sink or Swim (The Gaslight Anthem album)

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Sink or Swim is the debut studio album by The Gaslight Anthem, released May 29, 2007 through XOXO Records. It received very positive reviews from numerous critics.

Track listing

1. "Boomboxes and Dictionaries" – 3:11
2. "I Coulda Been a Contender" – 3:22
   • The title is an allusion to a famous line from Marlon Brando from the classic film On the Waterfront.
3. "Wooderson" – 2:11
4. "We Came to Dance" – 3:34
   • Contains a reference to Bringing It All Back Home, the album by Bob Dylan
   • Contains a reference to the Lifetime album Jersey's Best Dancers.
   • Contains a reference to "Thundercrack" by Bruce Springsteen.
5. "1930" – 3:48
6. "The Navesink Banks" – 2:48
7. "Red in the Morning" – 2:51
8. "I'da Called You Woody, Joe" – 3:21
   • Title is a reference to Joe Strummer, who was known as "Woody" in his early 20's. The first 30 seconds is extremely similar, both musically and lyrically, to the song "Coma Girl" by Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros on the album Streetcore.
   • Additionally, the line "and this was the sound of the very last gang in town" is a reference to The Clash song "The Last Gang in Town."
   • The line "tellin' me he's only lookin for fun" refers to the Clash song "(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais"
   • The line "That soul is hard to find" is from Joe Strummer's "Johnny Appleseed."
9. "Angry Johnny and the Radio" – 3:00
   • Contains references to "Don't Think Twice" and "Subterranean Homesick Blues" by Bob Dylan
10. "Drive" – 2:55
11. "We're Getting a Divorce, You Keep the Diner" – 3:11
    • Contains reference to "It's Alright, Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)" by Bob Dylan
    • Opening line, "Ready or not here they come; it's Zombie time." is a line from the movie Vampire Hunter D:Bloodlust
    • The "whoa-oh" part towards the end of the song is influenced by the Against Me! song "Sink, Florida, Sink."
12. "Red at Night" – 3:07
    • This song is heavily influenced by the song "Way Over Yonder In The Minor Key" sung by Billy Bragg from Mermaid Avenue, where he, together with Wilco interpret Woody Guthrie lyrics.