Starting as a hardcore punk band in the late 1970s to the early 1980s, Social Distortion would go on a temporary hiatus in the mid-1980s, due to Ness's drug addiction and troubles with the law which resulted in extended stints in various rehabilitation centers that lasted for two years. Following their reformation, the band has shifted its style to a country, blues and early rock and roll-influenced style of punk. Since its inception, the band's lineup has seen significant turnover, with Ness as the only constant member. After 44 years of performing, Social Distortion continues to tour and record music.
To date, Social Distortion has released seven full-length studio albums, two compilations, one live album, and two DVDs. They released two albums — Mommy's Little Monster (1983) and Prison Bound (1988) — before signing a three-album contract with Epic Records in 1989. Social Distortion rose to fame with their 1990 self-titled third album, which produced their well-known hit singles "Ball and Chain", "Story of My Life", and the cover of Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire", and was certified gold by RIAA. Many of their later albums, including their second gold record Somewhere Between Heaven and Hell (1992), were also well received. Dubbed by Steven Blush as "the Rolling Stones of hardcore," Social Distortion is considered one of the best-selling and most influential punk rock bands, with more than three million albums sold worldwide. The band's most recent studio album is Hard Times and Nursery Rhymes (2011), and they have spent about more than a decade working on new material their forthcoming eighth studio album.
Social Distortion was formed in 1978 by Mike Ness, inspired by the Sex Pistols and many other British punk bands as well as rock acts such as the Rolling Stones. Aside from Ness on guitar and Casey Royer on drums, early members included Mark Garrett on bass and former Cal State Fullerton basketball player Tom Corvin on vocals. Garrett was succeeded by Rikk Agnew in late 1978. On the origins of the band's name, Royer recalled "Mike was like 15, trying to play guitar but he couldn't. Social Distortion was named for my distortion pedal, which I gave to Mike to play 'cause back then he was no good."
Their early music was composed by Ness with lyrics by Royer and sometimes Corvin, and many songs were retired after only a few performances. After Corvin left in the fall of 1979 to attend graduate school at Bob Jones University, Ness recruited his high school friend Dennis Danell to join the band on guitar even though Danell had never played an instrument before. When Danell was brought in, the other members left as they did not want to wait for him to learn. Before joining the Adolescents in 1980, Royer and Agnew played with Garrett in a separate band named Social Distortion consisting of Royer on vocals, Garrett on bass, Rikk Agnew on drums, and Frank Agnew and Tim Maag on guitars. The band's first real show was in early 1979 at the Cuckoo's Nest nightclub on Placentia Avenue in Costa Mesa, California. Mike and Dennis remained the only constant members for the next two decades with bass and drum members changing every few years. The Adolescents song "Kids of the Black Hole" and Social Distortion song "The Playpen" chronicled this period of the band's history.
Its first single, Mainliner/Playpen featuring Ness on guitar and vocals, Dennis on bass, and Carrot on drums was released in 1981 on Posh Boy, the label responsible for releasing the first singles and albums of many of the local O.C. punk bands. Rodney Bingenheimer of KROQ-FM was responsible for much of the radio play in Orange County, California, that punk received in the early 80s, and took a liking to Social Distortion, releasing the single "1945" on his 1981 compilation album, Rodney on the ROQ, Blood on the ROQ in 1983, and The Best Of Rodney on the ROQ in 1989.
In 1982, the band—now consisting of Ness, Danell (who now played rhythm guitar), Brent Liles on bass, and Derek O'Brien on drums—embarked on their first international tour (US and Canada) with fellow punk band Youth Brigade, a trip chronicled in the punk rockumentary 'Another State of Mind', which was not released until 1984.
The band has consistently used as their logo a skeleton holding a cigarette and a martini glass. It was designed by Mackie Osborne, wife of Melvins frontman Buzz Osborne. It is frequently featured in live performances as well as album covers. The logo came from an invitation to a New Year's Eve party that a friend of Ness' had designed. Said Ness in an April 2011 interview with Rolling Stone: "At the time, I saw that, and it just felt like, 'That's it right there. It's life and death, it's celebration.' It just felt powerful."
Story of My Life
Social Distortion Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Well, high school seemed like such a blur
I didn't have much interest in sports or school elections
And in class I dreamed all day
About a rock 'n' roll weekend
And the girl in the front of the room
So close yet so far, you know she never seemed to notice
That this silly school-boy crush wasn't just pretend
Life goes by so fast
You only want to do what you think is right
Close your eyes and then it's past
Story of my life
Story of my life
Story of my life
The story of my life
And I went down to my old neighborhood
The faces have all changed, there's no one there left to talk to
And the pool hall I loved as a kid
Is now a Seven Eleven
And I went downtown to look for a job
I had no training, no experience to speak of
And I looked at the holes in my jeans
And turned and headed back
Life goes by so fast
You only wanna do what you think is right
Close your eyes and it's past
Story of my life
Story of my life
Story of my life
Story of my life
And good times come and good times go
I only wish the good times would last a little longer
And I think about the good times we had
And why they had to end
So I sit at the edge of my bed
I strum my guitar and I sing an outlaw love song
Thinkin' 'bout what you're doin' now
And when you're comin' back
Life goes by so fast
You only wanna do what you think is right
Close your eyes and it's past
Story of my life
Story of my life
Story of my life
Story of my life
Story of my life
The story of my life
"Story of My Life" is a poignant song by Social Distortion that has remained one of their most popular tracks. The song details the memories and experiences of the singer, as he reflects on his life at different stages. In the first verse, he describes his experience in high school, where he was more interested in music than academics or sports. He daydreams about a girl in his class but never tries to make a move. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of teenage angst and unfulfilled longing. The song's chorus continues with a melancholic tone, highlighting how quickly life passes by and how we often fail to do what we think is right.
In the second verse, the singer reflects on his past and how things have changed. He visits his old neighborhood and finds that it is unrecognizable, with no one left to talk to. The pool hall he used to frequent is now a convenience store. He then tries to find a job, but his lack of experience makes it harder for him to find work. He reflects on how his past has led him to where he is now and continues to strum his guitar.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, high school seemed like such a blur
High school went by so quickly that it felt like a blur.
I didn't have much interest in sports or school elections
The singer was not interested in common high school activities like sports or school elections.
And in class I dreamed all day
In class, the singer daydreamed instead of paying attention.
About a rock 'n' roll weekend
The artist dreamed of a fun, exciting weekend centered around rock music.
And the girl in the front of the room
The artist had a crush on a girl who sat in the front of the classroom.
So close yet so far, you know she never seemed to notice
Despite being close to the girl the singer had a crush on, she never seemed to notice him.
That this silly school-boy crush wasn't just pretend
The singer's crush on the girl was not fake or just a passing phase.
And I went down to my old neighborhood
The artist went back to visit their old neighborhood.
The faces have all changed, there's no one there left to talk to
The people who used to live in the artist's neighborhood have all moved away, and there is no one left to talk to.
And the pool hall I loved as a kid
The artist used to love going to a pool hall as a child.
Is now a Seven Eleven
The pool hall the singer used to love is now a convenience store called Seven Eleven.
And I went downtown to look for a job
The artist went downtown to look for a job.
I had no training, no experience to speak of
The singer had no qualifications or experience that would make them stand out to potential employers.
And I looked at the holes in my jeans
The singer had holes in their jeans, which may have made them feel self-conscious or less confident in their job search.
And turned and headed back
The singer gave up on their job search and left downtown.
And good times come and good times go
Good times come and go, and nothing lasts forever.
I only wish the good times would last a little longer
The artist wishes that they could enjoy good times for a longer period of time before they end.
And I think about the good times we had
The singer thinks about good times they have had in the past.
And why they had to end
The singer wonders why the good times had to come to an end.
So I sit at the edge of my bed
The artist sits at the edge of their bed.
I strum my guitar and I sing an outlaw love song
The artist plays their guitar and sings a song about outlaws and love.
Thinkin' 'bout what you're doin' now
The artist thinks about what someone they know is doing right now.
And when you're comin' back
The singer wonders when the person they are thinking about will return.
Life goes by so fast
Life passes by quickly.
You only wanna do what you think is right
People want to do what they feel is right for them.
Close your eyes and it's past
Time goes by so quickly that if you close your eyes, it will be over before you know it.
Story of my life
This is the story of the singer's life.
The story of my life
This is the story of the artist's life.
Story of my life
This is the story of the artist's life.
Story of my life
This is the story of the singer's life.
The story of my life
This is the story of the singer's life.
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: MICHAEL JAMES NESS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind