Gin Blossoms – “Hey Jealousy” (1992)

“If you don’t expect too much from me, you might not be let down…”

In 1992, “Hey Jealousy” became the breakout hit that vaulted the Gin Blossoms from Tempe bar-band status to national recognition — and helped define the sound of early ’90s alt-rock.
A blend of jangly guitars, melodic drive, and wounded lyrics, it’s a track that hits the sweet spot between regret and redemption.

There’s a kind of desperate optimism in the song — a late-night car ride feeling where you’re chasing something already lost, still hoping a little bit of magic might return. The chorus is pure catharsis, the verses filled with confessions too honest for daylight.

Written by founding guitarist Doug Hopkins, “Hey Jealousy” isn’t just a song — it’s a legacy. Tragically, Hopkins was forced out of the band before the song’s success and died by suicide not long after. That shadow hangs over the track like a ghost in the rearview mirror — a reminder that sometimes, the deepest wounds create the most lasting art.

 It’s a song about second chances that never quite come, delivered with just enough sparkle and propulsion to make you roll the windows down and sing along anyway — as if doing so might rewrite the ending.

A radio anthem. A personal reckoning.
“Hey Jealousy” still cuts deep, decades later.