I want you to know I have never felt like this way before so indifferent.
I want you to see how it makes me happy when you start falling back to me… back to me.
All of the things you said that you are Oh my love Every time you said you will try Oh my love Everything’s gone and I don’t want it back Oh my love Can you see what have you done?
I want you to feel everything I have been through stalk my every move but I escape you
I don’t want it I don’t need it anymore… Please just leave me and move on
All of the things you said that you are Oh my love Every time you said you will try Oh my love Everything’s gone and I don’t want it back Oh my love Can you see what have you done?
You think that I want you back I don’t I feel so lucky now after you’re gone
All of the things you said that you are Oh my love Every time you said you will change Oh my love Everything’s gone and I don’t want it back Oh my love Can you see what have you done? Can you see what have you done?
The smile of dawn arrived early May She carried a gift from her home The night shed a tear to tell her of fear and of sorrow and pain she’ll never outgrow
Death is the first dance, eternal
There’s no more freedom The both of you will be confined to this mind
I was told there’s a miracle for each day that I try I was told there’s a new love that’s born for each one that has died I was told there’d be no one to call on when I feel alone and afraid I was told if you dream of the next world you’ll find yourself swimming in a lake of fire
As a child, I thought I could live without pain, without sorrow As a man, I’ve found it’s all caught up with me I’m asleep yet I’m so afraid
Somewhere like a scene from a memory there’s a picture worth a thousand words Eluding stares from faces before me it hides away and will never be heard of again
Deceit is the second without end
The city’s cold blood teaches us to survive Just keep my heart in your eyes and we’ll stay alive
The third arrives…
Before the leaves have fallen before we lock the doors There must be the third and last dance This one will last forever Metropolis watches and thoughtfully smiles She’s taken you to your home
It can only take place when the struggle between our children has ended Now the Miracle and the Sleeper know that the third is love
The Offspring to me, as funny it may sound, was my introduction to metal. Hence, I thought to give them a well-deserved place in the Anthology. Music as any art takes influences from many sources (genres). One of those was metal. Punk has never come into communion with my music tastes and appreciations. If it wouldn’t be for the rock and metal influences, the band probably would pass unnoticed to me. I was introduced by friends who surprisingly were into the punk big time. I am saying surprisingly because many The Offspring fandom don’t come from punk culture. They sound too mainstream, too light compared to for example Sex Pistols. However, as with punk, words do matter and maybe not political, they have a number of protest songs.
One of those is a love protest song. Yes, that’s right. We all too well hear and see females with broken hearts. Like probably the vast majority of things, same for love, it is not gender-specific. Men don’t talk too much about it, simply not to be made subject of laughter or being called a ‘pussy’. Yet, it happens and I would think it happens a fair amount of time. Nevertheless, it’s how I felt and I still can relate to this song more than 20 years later. Things do change, but one thing is certain. Some men, especially the one who do care, are being abused. Still, we all feel the desire for the prettier sex and that makes us suckers. Especially us, suckers with no self-esteem.
If you don’t know what I am talking about then watch this clip:
The song is about this guy, really gagging for this girl. Whether he is in love or simply blindly physically attracted to her we don’t know. We do know, however, he wants to have a proper relationship with her and goes far and beyond to make it happen. He is at this point though, someone has called it a narcissistic relationship, where he realises he is being used and is committed to end this relationship. That is until he sees her again.
The lack of confidence but also the lack of belief in himself, and probably a thought that he is punching above his weight places him in this emotional prison. For him, the grass is not greener next door. He truly wants this girl but she turns up to him only when there’s no alternative. I don’t need to be a psychologist to tell you how much it sucks. And hey! I have been there too so I am not judging. I do feel for the chap.
He said they’ve made plans to spend a night together, but by the tone of how it sounds, it’s likely he made plans and got stood up. I don’t believe they live together but it is kind of serious. For him for sure, for her… she wants to keep him. I reckon she is the femme fatale type of a woman and because of this, his insecurity is very high. He also is playing someone he is not. He is trying to make a statement and win her over by buying shit. Man o man, how many times, how many men lost their fortunes to win the hand of a lady. He really is sinking to the bottom for that girl. And then he actually does.
The more you suffer, the more it shows you really care. Right? Yeah, yeah, yeah
This is the low in my opinion that he hits. It doesn’t go worse than this. This was my low, and I bet many other guys can relate. It wouldn’t be such a popular song in the end, right? Yeah, yeah, yeah! Thought so!
Somehow the acceptance of suffering, as a way to win her over, is the most tragic in the entire song. The fact he answers himself to his rhetorical question shows he doesn’t seek help, he seeks reassurance and approval in his conquest to win his girlfriend’s heart. He understands it’s not just suffering, he has to show her he really cares. So he suffers, and so he waits, while she continues to sleep with his friends.
To lift the mood a little here’s an acoustic version of the song performed live! It’s very good. Enjoy ?
I wrote her off for the tenth time today and practised all the things I would say but she came over, I lost my nerve I took her back and made her dessert
Now I know I’m being used That’s okay man, ’cause I like the abuse I know she’s playing with me That’s okay ’cause I got no self-esteem
We make plans to go out at night I wait ’til 2 then I turn out the light This rejection’s got me so low If she keeps it up I just might tell her so
When she’s saying, oh, that she wants only me then I wonder why she sleeps with my friends When she’s saying, oh, that I’m like a disease then I wonder how much more I can spend Well, I guess I should stick up for myself but I really think it’s better this way The more you suffer the more it shows you really care Right? Yeah, yeah, yeah
Now I’ll relate this little bit that happens more than I’d like to admit Late at night, she knocks on my door She’s drunk again and looking to score
Now I know I should say “No” but it’s kind of hard when she’s ready to go I may be dumb but I’m not a dweeb I’m just a sucker with no self-esteem
When she’s saying, oh, that she wants only me then I wonder why she sleeps with my friends When she’s saying, oh, that I’m like a disease then I wonder how much more I can spend Well, I guess I should stick up for myself but I really think it’s better this way The more you suffer the more it shows you really care Right? Yeah, yeah, yeah
Limp footsteps stump to my door
He’s coming down the corridor
Tears wash my face, I cannot stand
These lessons taught by father’s wreakful hand
Dreadful moments always last too long
This pain and woe just can’t be gone
Dreadful moments always last too long
This pain and woe just can’t be gone
Mother, would you come and save me from this hell
Oh, mother, I can’t take this anymore
Please, oh please, let me feel your hand on me forevermore
I beg you crying out, cease reign of horror
Piercing silence is the only to reply
No one gives their aid no matter how I cry
Being fed to lions I’m left high and dry
Atrocity makes only of its own kind
Those never felt a gentle touch
Can solely clench their fists to grind
And bring this world so much of grief
Dreadful moments always last too long
This pain and woe just can’t be gone
Dreadful moments always last too long
This pain and woe just can’t be gone
Childhood of misery
Is lifelong injury
A burden hidden by the curtain of years
A trauma that could not be healed
Childhood of misery
Is lifelong injury
A burden hidden by the curtain of years
A trauma that could never be healed
The beginning of all beginnings
The era of nonexistence
When the Earth wasn’t the Earth
When our planet was a fireball
It was raining heavily for a thousand years
And the fireball became an ocean
That cooking water, the primal soup
A natural life-giving potion
This substance strove to find a way
To create another form of miracle
I brought a myriad atoms and turn them into your flesh
Regenerated through destruction and chaos
While the young world was sculpting itself
No one could notice how you stroke a different pose
Voracious ape who walks upright
Who deserts life to satisfy his appetite
Don’t you remember you were the size of a bean?
Now what a shame to wear the name of a ‘human being’
Oh, here you are! Vertically standing!
He, who calls himself intelligent
But has not much for understanding
Oh, here you go, Mr. Know-it-all!
I made a mistake when I created you long time ago
Oh, here you go (Mr. Know-it-all)
Oh, here you go (Mr. Know-it-all)
Oh, here you go
Just the mention of your name
Would make the whole world start to shake
Who gave you right to save your life
By taking life from others?
By taking life away!
By taking life away!
By taking life away!
Bloodthirsty ape who walks upright
What shall I do to humble your appetite?
Bloodthirsty ape who walks upright
What shall I do to humble your appetite?