7 Seconds is one of the longest standing bands in Punk Music they have been touring and recording for three decades.
Because of the positive message in their music they are constantly being categorized as a Straight Edge Band. The band has continually rejected this label.
The band started by releasing some poorly-recorded, but highly energetic, EPs, most of which were later re-released as "alt.music.hardcore" and "Old School" compilation CDs. They also appeared on the 1985 hardcore compilation "Cleanse the Bacteria", in addition to numerous other compilations, such as "Not So Quiet On the Western Front," "Something to Believe In," and "Another Shot from Bracken."
7 Seconds has floated across several genres of rock. Their first full-length LP "The Crew" was recorded in 1983 and released by BYO Records, as was its successor - the classic hardcore EP "Walk Together Rock Together". With the "New Wind" LP, the band dramatically expanded its sound and style with audible elements of a sometimes quieter, more melodic and accessible sound. Many writers have credited this particular period of 7 Seconds' career as being highly influential on many pop punk, emocore and indie rock bands that came along much later. Subsequent LPs moved deeper into mainstream territory with proto-emo and U2-like sounds. The "7 Seconds" LP continued their musical experimentation. However, the band returned to an old-school hardcore sound in 1999 with the "Good to Go" album.
They are currently touring and plan to re-record their first three tapes Drastic Measures, Socially Fucked Up, Three Chord Politics, onto CD.
In the February, 2005 issue of AMP magazine, in an article titled, "7 Seconds: 25 Years of Our Core," Kevin Seconds explained how the band's name originated:
“We were big fans of The Dils, they had this EP, 198 Seconds of The Dils and I was so in love with punk rock that I would just write album titles on my clothes. This was still when Steve and I lived with my mom. We had this desk in this room we shared and I wrote ‘197 seconds of The Dils’, I miswrote the title. Over time, everything else faded, but the 7 Seconds part was there, and I circled it, I thought it looked cool.”
In 1982 7 Seconds is believed to be the first band to refer to themselves as Hardcore. For their first show on March 2 in Newsletter NWIN/SPUNK #1 they described their band as hardcore new wave [1]
Dim Menace's fist-brandishing scowl on the cover of the Skins, Brains, & Guts EP is one of the most iconic images in punk rock.[2]
Sacramento News & Review [3] speaks at length of their influence in the positive hardcore movement and their positive effect on the Punk Culture.
Panic Attack
7 Seconds Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
i told myself i could get past the depression
there was no water yet i was still drowning
head full of cotton, no, nothing was working
a part of me that never goes away
i feel it's presence every single day
someday i'll find a way to break free from anxiety
i've had this on my back for years
the dread i'm feeling, dread i fear
i'll figure out a way to break free from anxiety
so dizzy, unfocused, i have trouble breathing
afraid all alone and to be around others
the pain seemed so real but it's hard to fathom
it's not in my body, its all fucking mental
a part of me that never goes away
i feel it's presence every single day
someday i'll find a way to break free from anxiety
i've had this on my back for years
the dread i'm feeling, dread i fear
i'll figure out a way to break free from anxiety
no time for the mind to wander
won't cave into the weight i'm under
small steps but i'm moving forward
a part of me that never goes away
i feel it's presence every single day
someday i'll find a way to break free from anxiety
i've had this on my back for years
the dread i'm feeling, dread i fear
i'll figure out a way to break free from anxiety
The lyrics of Panic Attack by 7 Seconds poignantly captures the experience of anxiety, a mental condition that can be both debilitating and terrifying. The song depicts the feeling of being trapped, drowning even though there is no water, and feeling pain that seems so real but is actually all in the mind. The first stanza sets up the scene of someone going through a panic attack, believing that it's over but feeling like they are dying. They try to reassure themselves that they can overcome depression, but their head feels fuzzy, and nothing seems to be working. The recurring line "a part of me that never goes away" highlights the incessant nature of anxiety, the feeling of it always lurking in the background, waiting to strike at any moment.
The second stanza continues to describe the physical and emotional symptoms of anxiety - feeling dizzy, unfocused, having trouble breathing, being afraid to be around others. The singer recognizes that the pain is all mental and not in their body, which is a common feature of anxiety. Despite the fear and dread, the singer vows to find a way to break free from the grip of anxiety. The final stanza offers hope that even though it's a long and challenging process, small steps can help one move forward and eventually find a way to break free.
Overall, Panic Attack is a raw and powerful song that captures the experience of anxiety with honesty and empathy.
Line by Line Meaning
i thought it was over, i thought i was dying
I thought my struggles with anxiety were coming to an end and felt like I was dying.
i told myself i could get past the depression
I tried to console myself by thinking I could overcome my depression.
there was no water yet i was still drowning
I felt like I was suffocating even though there was no physical cause for it.
head full of cotton, no, nothing was working
My thinking was muddled and I couldn't find a way to make anything work.
a part of me that never goes away
Anxiety is a constant presence in my life.
i feel it's presence every single day
My anxiety makes itself known to me daily.
someday i'll find a way to break free from anxiety
I hope to one day find a way to overcome my anxiety.
i've had this on my back for years
I've been struggling with anxiety for a long time.
the dread i'm feeling, dread i fear
I experience feelings of fear and dread due to my anxiety.
so dizzy, unfocused, i have trouble breathing
My anxiety causes physical symptoms such as dizziness, difficulty focusing, and trouble breathing.
afraid all alone and to be around others
My anxiety makes me scared to be alone or in social situations.
the pain seemed so real but it's hard to fathom
Although my anxiety causes real pain, it's difficult for others to understand it since it's not a physical injury.
it's not in my body, its all fucking mental
My anxiety is not caused by any physical issue, it's all in my head.
no time for the mind to wander
I try to keep my mind occupied at all times to avoid letting my anxiety take over.
won't cave into the weight i'm under
I won't let my anxiety crush me.
small steps but i'm moving forward
I'm slowly making progress towards overcoming my anxiety.
Contributed by Riley A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.