Look What I Did are a self-described info punk band formed in 2001 in Nashville, Tennessee by singer, Barry Donegan and guitarist, Colby Shea. Miles McPherson (drums, currently playing with Kelly Clarkson) and Chris Bradley (bass) were added before the bands first public live performance in January 2002. The band live performances during that era often ended in animal thongs, a fistfight between members, and in some cases, a hospital trip for its vocalist.
In 2003, the band added a second guitar player, Aaron "Skeet" Childress, formerly of National Green, and relocated to Los Angeles, California. At this time they also released their first recording, an independently recorded, financed, and released LP, My First Time, on their own Clockrock Recordings. Despite its limited pressing, the record received many features from ezines such as theprp.com, loudside.com, Opuszine.com. Miles McPherson was not able to join the band in L.A., and Eli Green, now of HORSE the band filled in for some time. McPherson returned to the group in 2004.
In 2005, newly reformed Combat Records and producer, Brian Virtue (Jane's Addiction, theSTART) worked with the band to release Minuteman for the Moment on October 4, 2005. The band then relocated to Nashville, TN, and began heavy national touring with bands such as Ion Dissonance, Animosity, At All Cost, Dog Fashion Disco, Tub Ring and The Classic Struggle, Drop Dead, Gorgeous, Folly, and The Human Abstract.
In October of 2006, Jake Omen(drums, ex Year of Desolation) and Ty Coughlin(bass) joined the band, replacing McPherson and Shea. Chris Bradley took over the duties on guitar.
In early 2008 the band signed a deal with new label Modernist Movement. The album Atlas Drugged was released on February 9, 2010 via Modernist Movement Recordings. Atlas Drugged was also produced by Brian Virtue.
The band released Zanzibar III: Analog Prison in 2014 and Sympathy Porn in 2019 on So Say We All Records.
Minuteman for the Moment
Look What I Did Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But he understands us perfectly
Our fears, our hopes, our faults, our dreams
This is what I do for him
And this is what he does for me
When your time does
Whatever it is that time does
When it doesn't
At least as far as your concerned
The periphery dissipates
Which is in essence what you might believe was your life
Was never even a part of it
Check mate... hey!
The rusted screws
Serve a purpose
Bend at the elbows
The arms are not just for melting off
I can be your
Action figure
Pose me in your favorite military taunt
I will do backbends for anyone
Consciousness fading
Does not leave room for the companionship of another blinking light
That shared experiences
Can be calculated as percentages of time spent
Waiting in line or taking out the trash
Is the scariest fucking thing
Checkmate... hey
I will do backbends for anyone
Warning! (narrator)
A mob's an angry sea
That swallows everything
Let's band together to protect the weak
The weak they need a banner to fly
And mine is the one that they'll hold up
Fasces... hey!
Our commodity is your dissent
Your angst, my wallet
Get in my wallet
Counterculture sure is big business!
And this is what I do for it
And this is what it does for me!
The song "Minuteman for the Moment" by Look What I Did sheds light on the theme of communication, or rather the lack of it. The lyrics suggest that the orator, who could be anyone, may not be listening, yet he perfectly understands people's fears, hopes, faults, and dreams. This implies that people often express themselves without being listened to, which can be frustrating. It is evident in the line "Our commodity is your dissent, your angst, my wallet, get in my wallet," that there is a sense of exploitation or manipulation by those in power, who exploit people's dissent and use it for personal gain. The song intensifies as it progresses and ends with a call for people to unite and protect the weak, as they need a banner to fly.
The song weaves together complex ideas that resonate with the listener on multiple levels. The line, "When your time does, whatever it is that time does, when it doesn't, at least as far as your concerned, the periphery dissipates," suggests that as people near the end of their time, they come to realize that the things they thought mattered did not truly matter. Furthermore, the line, "Waiting in line or taking out the trash, is the scariest fucking thing," evaluates the mundane daily tasks that make people feel like they're wasting their precious time.
Line by Line Meaning
The orator's never listening
Despite the orator's feigned attention, he never actually hears us out
But he understands us perfectly
Regardless, he can empathize with our emotions and struggles
Our fears, our hopes, our faults, our dreams
He comprehends our deepest desires, vulnerabilities, and aspirations
This is what I do for him
We offer him this emotional release and catharsis
And this is what he does for me
In turn, he provides us a sense of understanding and validation
When your time does
When your allotted time ebbs away
Whatever it is that time does
Whatever its final actions may be
When it doesn't
If it eludes or fails you
At least as far as your concerned
From your limited perspective
The periphery dissipates
All peripheral concerns fade into insignificance
Which is in essence what you might believe was your life
You may realize that your life was not what you expected
Was never even a part of it
And most of it was irrelevant to the core of your existence
Check mate... hey!
This realization can be sobering, like a sudden chess defeat
The rusted screws
The archaic and decrepit joints
Serve a purpose
Are still useful in a certain capacity
Bend at the elbows
Flex to create a deliberate, mechanical movement
The arms are not just for melting off
They are not solely expendable resources
I can be your
I am the embodiment of
Action figure
A physical representation of superhero-like abilities
Pose me in your favorite military taunt
Utilize me as a war toy, embodying your preferred combat expression
I will do backbends for anyone
I will bend over backwards to please or satisfy anyone
Consciousness fading
As our consciousness gradually fades
Does not leave room for the companionship of another blinking light
Our own decline and eventual death renders us incapable of conversing with another being
That shared experiences
The interconnected moments we accrue with others
Can be calculated as percentages of time spent
Can be quantified from the sheer amount of time spent together
Waiting in line or taking out the trash
Even the most mundane, tedious activities
Is the scariest fucking thing
Can be the most terrifying aspect of our existence
Checkmate... hey
This sudden realization can feel like a crushing defeat
Warning! (narrator)
Listen carefully, a warning is being issued
A mob's an angry sea
A tumultuous crowd is like a roiling ocean
That swallows everything
It can consume all in its path
Let's band together to protect the weak
We should unite to safeguard those who are vulnerable
The weak they need a banner to fly
The vulnerable require a symbol of fortitude to display
And mine is the one that they'll hold up
They will choose mine as their emblem of resilience
Fasces... hey!
An invocation of the strength and unity of Rome
Our commodity is your dissent
Your dissatisfaction is our product
Your angst, my wallet
I gain monetarily from your distress
Get in my wallet
Come contribute to my profit margin
Counterculture sure is big business!
The business of going against the norm is extremely lucrative
And this is what I do for it
I gratefully offer my support to this profiting counterculture
And this is what it does for me!
In return, it provides me with ample gains
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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