The group is best known for its song "96 Tears," a garage rock classic recorded in 1966 that reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and would go on to sell over one million copies and receive a BMI award for over three million airplays. Rudy Martinez, the lead singer, legally changed his name to Question Mark (?). Question Mark and the Mysterians was perhaps the first band to be described as punk rock[1], and also may be the first Latino rock group to have a general audience hit record in the United States. The group named itself after the 1957 Japanese science fiction film The Mysterians, in which aliens from the destroyed planet Mysteroid arrive to conquer Earth.
The band's frontman and primary songwriter was Question Mark. Though the singer has never confirmed it, Library of Congress copyright registrations indicate that his birth name is Rudy Martinez. His eccentric behavior helped to briefly establish the group in the national consciousness. He claimed (and still claims) to be a Martian who lived with dinosaurs in a past life, and he never appears in public without sunglasses.
Shout
? & The Mysterians Lyrics
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Shout
Let it all out
These are the things I can do without
Come on
I'm talking to you
Come on
Shout
Let it all out
These are the things I can do without
Come on
I'm talking to you
Come on
In violent times
You shouldn't have to sell your soul
In black and white
They really really ought to know
Those one track minds
That took you for a working boy
Kiss them goodbye
You shouldn't have to jump for joy
You shouldn't have to shout for joy
Shout
Shout
Let it all out
These are the things I can do without
Come on
I'm talking to you
Come on
They gave you life
And in return you gave them hell
As cold as ice
I hope we live to tell the tale
I hope we live to tell the tale
Shout
Shout
Let it all out
These are the things I can do without
Come on
I'm talking to you
Come on
Shout
Shout
Let it all out
These are the things I can do without
Come on
I'm talking to you
Come on
And when you've taken down your guard
If I could change your mind
I'd really love to break your heart
I'd really love to break your heart
Shout
Shout
Let it all out
These are the things I can do without
Come on
I'm talking to you
Come on
"Shout" by ? & The Mysterians is a powerful song that has a message of rebellion and standing up for oneself in the face of oppression. The song opens with the chorus "Shout, shout, let it all out, these are the things I can do without, come on, I'm talking to you, come on." This is a call for action, for people to voice their opinions and to not keep quiet in times of injustice.
The following verses describe the struggle of working-class people who are constantly taken advantage of by those in power. The lyrics "In violent times, you shouldn't have to sell your soul" and "those one-track minds that took you for a working boy, kiss them goodbye" are particularly powerful in describing the exploitation of workers. The lines "they gave you life and in return, you gave them hell, as cold as ice, I hope we live to tell the tale" are a reference to the struggles faced by working-class people and their desire to see change.
The song ends on a somewhat bitter note, with the lyrics "and when you've taken down your guard, if I could change your mind, I'd really love to break your heart." This can be interpreted as a desire to change the minds of those who have power, to show them the struggles faced by the working class and to make them understand the need for change.
Line by Line Meaning
Shout
Express yourself loudly
Shout
Express yourself loudly
Let it all out
Don't hold back, speak your mind freely
These are the things I can do without
These are the things that are of no importance or value to me
Come on
Encouragement to the listener to join in and participate
I'm talking to you
Direct address to the listener
In violent times
During times of unrest and upheaval
You shouldn't have to sell your soul
You shouldn't have to compromise your values or beliefs to get ahead
In black and white
Clearly and obviously
They really really ought to know
They should be aware of the consequences of their actions
Those one track minds
Narrow-minded individuals
That took you for a working boy
That took advantage of you because you were a hard worker
Kiss them goodbye
Leave them behind and move on
You shouldn't have to jump for joy
You shouldn't have to work excessively hard for something that should be basic and expected
They gave you life
Your creators/makers gave you existence
And in return you gave them hell
You made their life difficult and caused them trouble
As cold as ice
As unfeeling and uncaring
I hope we live to tell the tale
I hope we survive and can share the story of our experiences
And when you've taken down your guard
When you have let your guard down and become vulnerable
If I could change your mind
If I could alter your opinion or perspective
I'd really love to break your heart
I would enjoy challenging your beliefs or causing you emotional distress
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: O'KELLY ISLEY, RONALD ISLEY, RUDOLPH ISLEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind