Song of the Week, 5/23: Brand New- "You Won't Know"

What is it?: In simplest terms, "You Won't Know" is the definitive Brand New track. But saying that doesn't even do the song justice. The sixth track on the band's mind-blowing 2006 effort The Devil and God are Raging Inside of Me, the song has been a staple in the band's set no matter what kind of show they play, and with good reason.

Why is it Song of the Week?: Because "You Won't Know" is a rare treat in that as good as it is on record, mp3, CD, etc., the only way to truly appreciate the song is to watch the band perform it in a live setting. Always known for his personal, dark lyrics, Jesse Lacey seems to put forth more emotion and energy during "You Won't Know" than any other Brand New track, and when the band ended their set with it at this year's Bamboozle, they left a crowd of thousands in awe with a set that included broken drums, thrown guitars, and the stirring image of Jesse Lacey shedding tears during the end of the song on the Bamboozle Main Stage's giant screens. It's a performance that you had to be there to understand the power of, but if you weren't able to make it, here's a video of the performance:

It wasn't just Bamboozle 2012 where "You Won't Know" made headlines, however. In addition, the band ended their set at Lollapalooza (in 2008) with the song, 15 minutes before the set was supposed to end, when they became fed up with the fact that the crowd kept chanting for Rage Against the Machine to get on stage. Chaos ensued. Here's the video.

Whether or not you agree with me when I say that "You Won't Know" is the best song Brand New (and maybe any other band, for that matter) has ever written, there's no denying the significance the song holds with the band, and given the emotion they pour forth in the song, it'll likely be a song you're guaranteed to hear if you see the band play live.