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SONGSPEAKthe only way to beat it is to bat it down |
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One of the catchier songs I’ve been hearing on Lazer 99.3 lately is Hate My Life by Theory of a Deadman. You may not know the band, but they’re one of those stereotypical rock radio bands. You might confuse them with Nickelback, or Shinedown, or Three Days Grace, or Breaking Benjamin, or…well, you get the idea.
I like this song, even though there’s something annoying about someone from a relatively successful rock band complaining about how much their life sucks. Let’s look at the video, shall we?
I’ll tell ya, when I first watched the video, the singer looked nothing like I pictured him. And you can tell he must not be used to making videos. He sure comes across lifeless and devoid of emotion for a song filled with such bitter rage.
The novelty of this song will likely fade, and as far as songs about hatred go, I still think Ugly Kid Joe did it best.
Tags: 00s music, breaking benjamin, hate my life, lazer 99.3, nickelback, shinedown, theory of a deadman, three days grace, ugly kid joe
I heard Green Day’s first single off their new CD, 21st Century Breakdown, for the first time on Lazer 99.3 yesterday afternoon on the way home from work. I like it. I was a big fan of American Idiot, and wasn’t sure they’d be consistent with their quality on their future albums, but I must say, this rocks. Usually it takes a few listens for news songs to grow on me, but I liked this one right away. Lyrics follow the video:
Do you know the enemy?
Do you know your enemy?
Well, gotta know the enemy
Do you know the enemy?
Do you know your enemy?
Well, gotta know the enemy
Do you know the enemy?
Do you know your enemy?
Well, gotta know the enemy
Violence is an enemy
Against the enemy
Violence is an energy
Bringing on the fury
The choir infantry
Revolt against the honor to obey
Overthrow the effigy
The vast majority
Burning down the foreman of control
Silence is the enemy
Against your urgency
So rally up the demons of your soul
Do you know the enemy?
Do you know your enemy?
Well, gotta know the enemy
Do you know the enemy?
Do you know your enemy?
Well, gotta know the enemy
The insurgency will rise
When the bloods been sacrificed
Don’t be blinded by the lies
In your eyes
Violence is an energy
From here to eternity
Violence is an energy
Silence is the enemy
So gimme gimme revolution
Do you know the enemy?
Do you know your enemy?
Well, gotta know the enemy
Do you know the enemy?
Do you know your enemy?
Well, gotta know the enemy
Overthrow the effigy
The vast majority
Burning down the foreman of control
Silence is the enemy
Against your urgency
So rally up the demons of your soul
Tags: 00s music, 21st century breakdown, american idiot, green day, know your enemy, know your enemy lyrics, lazer 99.3
This misheard lyric goes back about 14 years ago, when Smashing Pumpkins released Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness. Bullet with Butterfly Wings was the first single released from that album, and it was getting heavy airplay at the time. Back when we would make the songspeak mixtapes on cassette, we decided we were going to put this song on one of them. Volume 8 or 9, I believe.
One of the ones we made at Matt’s cousin Eric’s apartment, I remember that much. Anyway, I was belting the tune out, and I sang with such conviction, “Despite all my rage, I’m still just ready to cave!” Matt admonished me and informed me that the actual lyrics were “Despite all my rage, I’m still just a rat in a cage”. I maintain that my lyrics make more sense (being so full of anger, yet ready to crumble under the pressure). And when I hear this song on Pure Rock Lazer 99.3 these days, I still maintain that it sounds like he’s saying my alternate lyrics. So Billy Corgan and his bald head can go suck it.
Tags: 90s music, billy corgan, bullet with butterfly wings, cassette, despite all my rage I'm still just a rat in a cage, eric's apartment, lazer 99.3, mellon collie and the infinite sadness, mixtapes, pure rock, smashing pumpkins
Remember about 15 years ago or so when Pearl Jam was mega-popular? Flannel and grunge were in, and Kurt Cobain was still alive. As a matter of fact, Matt’s and my friendship blossomed in high school while riding the bus home together, talking about music. Mainly Queen, and this cool new band Pearl Jam.

That's right, bitches. I can hold 25 pounds of fish in my beak. Jealous?
Their debut album, Ten, was huge, and we would dissect every song. I remember being in college at WPI and how anticipated their sophomore release was. Both Matt and I purchased Vs. on CD (remember those?) when it was released, and though the general opinion seemed to be lukewarm, I thought it was a great album. I still hear many songs from it on the radio to this very day.
One of my favorite tracks from that album is Glorified G, where Eddie Vedder incessantly repeats, “Glorified version of a pellet gun”, except it really sounds like he’s singing “Glorified version of a pelican”. The song would be infinitely better if those were the actual lyrics, though, because the song itself is kind of a downer, being that it’s all about the testosterone-driven, paranoid, gun nut culture that we live in.
Anyway, I guess what I’m saying is: Pelicans are the shit.
Tags: 90s music, eddie vedder, flannel, glorified g, glorified version of a pellet gun, grunge, guns, kurt cobain, lazer 99.3, pearl jam, pelican, queen, ten, vs., wpi
Another odd morning of me listening to Pure Rock Lazer 99.3 in the car on the way to work. But I should listen more often, because I always hear songs that remind me of songstories from the days of yore. Today, it was Jane Says by Jane’s Addiction.
This goes back to when Matt and I used to work together and carpool just about every day. It was before iPods, and even before either of us had a
CD player in our cars, if I remember correctly. So we listened to the radio during our commute. And if you haven’t figured it out by now, Matt and I liked to change various lyrics to songs, often in the heat of the moment (telling us what our hearts meant). It is, after all, the basis of this site.
But anyway, Matt belted out some of the more memorable lyrics when Jane Says was playing. Now, the actual lyrics that it begins with are, “Jane says, I’m done with Sergio, he treats me like a ragdoll“.

"That's it...just a little closer to my mouth...yeeeesssss"
But out of nowhere, Matt sings with all his heart, “Jane says, would you poop into my mouth…’cause I would like to eat it!” I think I may have even lol’ed, but now those words are ingrained in my mind whenever I hear that song. Kind of like “once upon a box is hot“.
Is it gross? Sure. But so were most of our alternate lyrics when we were just riffing. Shit eating, ball licking, jizz mopping, buttfucking…it was all fair game. Ah, the days of our youth. We’re both grown up and married now, but every now and then, we’ll catch ourselves changing the lyrics of a popular tune into something less than savory. Because you can’t stop what you feel in your heart.
So a little lesson from us here at Songspeak: Be true to yourself. And never let the man get you down.
Tags: 80 music, aerosmith, alternate lyrics, asia, ball licking, blues traveler, but anyway, buttfucking, CD player, days of our youth, ipod, jane says, jane's addiction, jizz mopping, lazer 99.3, mr. hankey, mr. hanky, once upon a box is hot, perry farrell, pure rock, ragdoll, shit eating, telling us what our hearts meant, the cars, the heat of the moment
It’s a rare occasion that I listen to the radio on the way to work, but this morning I had Pure Rock Lazer 99.3 on. I heard a song I haven’t heard in a long time: Buddy Holly by Weezer. I’ve always liked this song, and it reminded me of my sophomore year at WPI when the song was first released. We used to see it on MTV all the time (you know, back when they actually used to show videos sometimes), and for the longest time, I thought the chorus was, “Ooo eee ooo, I don’t trust that Buddy Holly”. I was like, “What the hell did Buddy Holly ever to do Weezer?” But after repeated listenings, I realized the actual lyrics were, “Ooo eee ooo, I look just like Buddy Holly”, and it made so much more sense when he then mentions Mary Tyler Moore.
It’s such a great video. I love the whole Happy Days theme, and the appearances of Potsie, Ralph Malph, Al, Richie Cunningham, Mr. & Mrs. Cunningham, Joanie, and, of course, The Fonz.
Spike Jonze makes the best videos.
Tags: 70s tv, 80s tv, 90s music, al, Al Delvecchio, al molinaro, anson williams, arthur fonzarelli, buddy holly, don most, erin moran, fonzie, happy days, henry winkler, joanie cunningham, lazer 99.3, marion ross, mary tyler moore, mr. & mrs. cunningham, mtv, potsie, pure rock, ralph malph, richie cunningham, ron howard, spike jonze, the fonz, tom bosley, weezer, wpi
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