In my previous Listen post, I wrote a love letter to my third-favorite Foo Fighters song, “Walk” (the third single and last song from the band’s seventh studio album Wasting Light). I shared how the song gave me light in a truly dark period in 2011. I also shared that during my sing-along to “Walk” at my second (and best) Foos show last October 4, 2025, it started with a few seconds of tears and ended up singing along angrily. That was a cathartic moment for me.
Then, on the night of October 23, 2025, after having a lovely birthday dinner with my family (it was my Mother’s birthday), the Foo Fighters released their newest song, “Asking for a Friend”. Little did I know that, once again, I would feel multiple emotions all at once because of a song from my all-time favorite band.
According to a Substack post from Dave Grohl himself, “‘Asking for a Friend’ is a song for those who have waited patiently in the cold, relying on hope and faith for their horizon to appear. Searching for ‘proof’ when hanging by a wish until the sun shines again.” After hearing the entire song, I realized that he was right. “Asking for a Friend” arrived at a time in my life when I was still waiting patiently in the figurative cold, and I was hanging by a wish that I knew that would never happen… but I kept hoping anyway. I keep on hoping. And at least I have a great support system and great rock music like “Asking for a Friend” to get me by.
“Asking for a Friend” begins with a melancholic melody that reminds me of “The Pretender” (my favorite song of all time). As it progresses, it becomes heavier and more sinister-sounding second by second. By the instrumentals alone, the song becomes an acknowledgment of sadness and confusion, plus an angry release. And I clap at the magnificent guitar solo from Chris Shiflett because it sounds like his guitar was crying with anger, and that reminds me of that moment at the Foo Fighters’ Singapore GP show where I sang angrily with residual tears at the bridge of “Walk”. The instrumentals alone already moved me.
Side note: After the Singapore GP show, and then hearing the drum parts of “Asking for a Friend”, I totally get why Ilan Rubin (formerly of Nine Inch Nails) is the newest drummer of the Foo Fighters. He’s such a beast on the drums!
And the lyrics, especially the chorus? Dave Grohl is a master when it comes to writing the simplest yet most powerful lyrics, and the chorus of “Asking for a Friend” captures the song’s themes of sadness, confusion, and anger all at once:
Save your promises until we meet again
You can save all your promises until the bitter end
What is real? I’m asking for a friend
What is real? I’m asking for a friend
Or is this the end?
And like “Walk”, my favorite lines from “Asking for a Friend” are also from the bridge. Since hearing the song last October 23, I don’t think I’ve ended a day without singing, whispering, and even praying the bridge. They symbolize my hope for that wish to come true, even if I know that’s impossible, and I need to keep going no matter what happens.
Give me a reason, show me a sign
Ugliest truth or your prettiest lie
Free you from burden, take what I give
Take it away now, permission to live
I mentioned that “Rescued” (a song I wrote on my second Listen post) would end up being in my top 30 favorite Foo Fighters songs of all time. That was in 2023. Since then, after hearing the entire But Here We Are album and “Today’s Song” (released last July 2), I admit that, as much as they are all great songs, I don’t think they have moved me as much as “Asking for a Friend” did. I don’t think I have ever been this moved since I heard “Walk”. And according to my Last.fm, I already listened to it 300+ times, and I believe that statistic will grow as days, months, and years go by.
To Dave Grohl and the Foo Fighters, thank you once again for moving me with your music. “Asking for a Friend” is definitely reaching my top ten favorite Foos songs of all time.
Rating: ⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️
A part of 14 Days of The Deranged Writer (2025).
Header image: Mo Eid of Pexels. Edited in Adobe Photoshop 2025.
Updated on November 25, 2025.
The Diary of The Deranged Writer 