More than 20 years after first storming stages together, Avril Lavigne and Simple Plan are bringing their signature blend of angst, attitude, and anthemic hooks back into the spotlight with “Young & Dumb.” It’s a full-circle celebration of friendship, youth, and the lasting fire of the early 2000s pop-punk explosion, serving as a poignant and punchy reminder: Some things, like great hooks and tight bonds, never go out of style.
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“Young & Dumb” – Avril Lavigne ft. Simple Plan
“Young & Dumb” is a three-minute time machine fueled by spiked hair, Vans sneakers, and emotional honesty.
Avril Lavigne and Simple Plan, two cornerstones of the pop-punk scene, reunite not only in music but in spirit, delivering a track that’s dripping with nostalgic warmth without sounding dated. It’s the rare kind of collaboration that doesn’t feel manufactured for clout or clicks, instead, it’s rooted in shared history and genuine affection.
2002, and I’m hangin’ on a tour bus
Leaving my hometown, Napanee (Bye)
Rockin’ a necktie, black eyeliner
White tank top and I’m chasin’ my dreams
Livin’ like a rockstar
Trashin’ hotel rooms (Oops)
Let’s get stupid tattoos (Okay)
‘Cause we’ve got nothin’ to lose (Ha)
Early on in the song, Lavigne sets the tone with a bittersweet reflection on the early days of her career: “livin’ like a rockstar,” riding the high of youth and chasing fame with reckless joy. Her voice, though more seasoned now, retains the raw, emotionally-charged quality that made Let Go such a generational touchstone. There’s no forced reinvention here, just a confident evolution that feels authentic and earned.
I’ve been thinkin’ ’bout that summer
when we had each other
Back when we were young and dumb
and we knew everything
We said this would last forеver,
can’t get any better
Like when we were young and dumb
and we had everything
(Woah) These are the best nights
(Woah) Livin’ our best life
(Woah) Like when we were
young and dumb and we knew everything
Enter Simple Plan in verse two, and the mood shifts slightly. “Twenty years later,” they sing, “somehow it feels like nothing’s changed.” And that line hits harder than it should. The juxtaposition of decades passing against the unchanged passion they have for their craft is what gives “Young & Dumb” its emotional heft. It’s a punk rock Peter Pan story, one where growing up doesn’t have to mean growing apart from the things that shaped you.
We’re back again,
now it’s twenty years later (Hey, boys)
Somehow it feels like nothing’s changed (Haha)
I’m just a kid, still a pop-punk skater
They told me, “Get a job,” but I said, “No way”
Livin’ like a rockstar
Trashing dressing rooms (My bad)
Smashing Fender guitars (Woo)
‘Cause we got nothin’ to lose
The production, handled by the crew at Big Noise Music Group, keeps things clean but crunchy. There’s enough grit in the guitars and punch in the drums to keep it firmly in punk territory, but it’s polished enough for radio play. The chorus explodes with the kind of fist-pumping, scream-along energy tailor-made for summer festival stages precisely where this track is destined to live out its best life.
The accompanying music video is a joyful scrapbook of chaos and camaraderie. From thrashing hotel rooms to impromptu poolside performances, it’s a love letter to the road, both the one they’ve travelled and the one ahead. It’s packed with nods to tour life, friendship, and the unfiltered fun that defined a generation of punk kids turned grown-up dreamers.
But perhaps the most striking thing about “Young & Dumb” is its sincerity. In an era of reboots and nostalgia plays, this one doesn’t feel like a marketing ploy. It feels like a reunion between old friends who genuinely missed making noise together. That’s echoed in the heartfelt statements both Lavigne and Simple Plan shared online, reflecting on their history and dedicating the song to the fans who’ve grown up right alongside a heartfelt time capsule that balances the weight of memory with the thrill of the present.
I’ve been thinkin’ ’bout that summer
when we had each other
Back when we were young and dumb
and we knew everything
We said this would last forever,
can’t get any better
Like when we were young and dumb
and we had everything
(Woah) These are the best nights
(Woah) Livin’ our best life
(Woah) Like when we were
young and dumb and we knew everything
(Woah) These are the best nights
(Woah) Livin’ our best life
(Woah) Like when we were
young and dumb and we knew everything
Lavigne’s momentum is undeniable off the back of a sold-out Greatest Hits tour, a career-spanning compilation album, and appearances at Glastonbury and Bonnaroo.
She’s as culturally relevant now as she was in 2002. And Simple Plan, preparing for their 25th anniversary, are proving that punk isn’t a phase, it’s a lifestyle with real staying power.
As they prepare to hit the road again this summer, Lavigne is headlining massive venues and Simple Plan is joining the bill on U.S. dates. “Young & Dumb” is bound to be a standout moment in every setlist. It’s more than a throwback. It’s a living testament to what happens when a youthful spirit grows up but refuses to grow old.
“Young & Dumb” is a heartfelt time capsule that balances the weight of memory with the thrill of the present, not just a pop-punk revival. Avril Lavigne and Simple Plan didn’t just make a song. They made a statement: punk’s not dead, and neither are they.
I’ve been thinkin’ ’bout that summer
when we had each other
Back when we were young and dumb
and we knew everything
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“Young & Dumb” – Avril Lavigne ft. Simple Plan
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© Skyler Barberio
© Skyler Barberio
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