AFI has released eleven studio albums, ten EPs, one live album and one DVD. The band first reached substantial commercial success with their fifth album, The Art of Drowning (2000), which peaked at number 174 on the Billboard 200. They then broke into the mainstream with their sixth, Sing the Sorrow (2003), which peaked at number five on the Billboard 200 and remained on the chart for 51 weeks. The album was supported by popular singles "Girl's Not Grey" and "Silver and Cold", both of which peaked at number seven on America's Hot Modern Rock Tracks chart in 2003. "The Leaving Song Pt. II" was also released as a single, reaching number 16 on the chart. Sing the Sorrow was certified Platinum by the RIAA in 2006 and is AFI's best-selling release, having sold over 1.26 million copies as of September 2009.
AFI's seventh album, Decemberunderground (2006), debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and featured the hit single "Miss Murder", which topped the Hot Modern Rock Tracks chart and reached number 24 on the Billboard Hot 100. Another single, "Love Like Winter", reached number four on the Modern Rock Tracks chart. The album was certified Platinum by the RIAA in 2013.[6] Decemberunderground was followed three years later by Crash Love (2009), and then four years later by Burials (2013); both albums were also successful, peaking at number twelve and number nine, respectively, on the Billboard 200. The band's tenth and latest album, AFI (The Blood Album), was released in 2017, and peaked at number five on the Billboard 200, making it their second-highest chart position.
14 Rolling Balls
AFI Lyrics
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And it has always been my dream
To be a member
Of the local bowling team
Although I'm not very good
The guys won't accept me
I guess, I'll try the girls team
Then balls will roll
I think, I want to be
Balls will roll
I think it's time
It's time for me to be a girl
It's a very big decision
It's going to change my life
I'll have to make all new friends
I'm gonna lose my wife
But that's okay with me
There's something in my soul
It doesn't matter who's the better man
It the man who gets to bowl
Then balls will roll
I think, I want to be
Balls will roll
I think it's time
It's time for me to be a girl, go
I've made my decision
And I'm gonna make the change
There will be rolling balls
I'm gonna play my game
It's gonna be so great
It's gonna be the best
Besides I've always told myself
I look good in a dress
I'm gonna cut 'em off
I'm gonna cut 'em off
I'm gonna cut 'em off
I'll never have to cough
Now I've made my change
And I've fulfilled my dream
I'm now a member of
The women's bowling team
I hope I throw a strike
'Cause I'll never score again
My first game is tomorrow
I will go to play and then
Then balls will roll
I think, I want to be
Balls will roll
I think it's time
It's time to be
a girl
The lyrics to AFI's "14 Rolling Balls" are about a man who feels a strong connection to bowling and has always wanted to be a part of his local bowling team. Despite not being accepted by the men's team, he decides to join the women's team and undergoes gender reassignment surgery. The song explores themes of self-discovery, acceptance, and the lengths we go to pursue our dreams.
The lyrics also address the challenges and sacrifices the person has to make to become who they truly are. The singer acknowledges that they will lose their wife and have to make new friends, but ultimately they believe it's worth it because bowling is their passion. The song also touches on societal expectations of gender and how they can prevent people from pursuing their true interests and dreams.
Some possible interpretations of the song include a commentary on the rigid gender roles and homophobia in sports, or the idea that we should not let others dictate what we can or cannot do based on our gender or sexual orientation.
Line by Line Meaning
Bowling is my life
Bowling is the most important thing in my life
And it has always been my dream
I have always wanted to be a part of a local bowling team
To be a member
To be a member of my local bowling team
Of the local bowling team
To be a part of the bowling team in my community
Although I'm not very good
Even though I'm not very skilled at bowling
The guys won't accept me
The male members of the team won't let me join
I guess, I'll try the girls team
I am considering joining the women's team instead
And lose a part of my anatomy
I am considering gender reassignment surgery to join the women's team
Then balls will roll
Once I am on the women's team, I will be able to play bowling again
I think, I want to be
I am considering transitioning to become a woman
Balls will roll
There will be bowling after my gender transition
I think it's time
I think it's time for me to make a decision about my gender identity
It's time for me to be a girl
I have decided to transition to become a woman
It's a very big decision
This decision will greatly impact my life
It's going to change my life
Transitioning to become a woman will bring big changes to my life
I'll have to make all new friends
I will have to make new friends who know me as a woman
I'm gonna lose my wife
My wife may not want to stay with me after my gender transition
But that's okay with me
Even if I lose people in my life, I'm still committed to becoming a woman
There's something in my soul
I have always felt like I am a woman inside
It doesn't matter who's the better man
The important thing to me is being able to play bowling, not who is the better player
It's the man who gets to bowl
Being able to bowl is what matters, regardless of my gender
I've made my decision
I have decided to go through with my gender transition
And I'm gonna make the change
I am going to change my gender
There will be rolling balls
There will be bowling after my transition
I'm gonna play my game
I will continue to play bowling after my transition
It's gonna be so great
I am excited for what my future holds as a woman
It's gonna be the best
I believe that transitioning to become a woman will be the best thing for me
Besides I've always told myself
I have always believed that I look good in women's clothing
I look good in a dress
I believe that I look good in women's clothing, including dresses
I'm gonna cut 'em off
I am considering undergoing gender reassignment surgery to remove my male genitalia
I'll never have to cough
I will never have to deal with a cough that occurs due to male anatomy
Now I've made my change
I have gone through with my gender transition
And I've fulfilled my dream
I have achieved my lifelong dream of joining a local bowling team
I'm now a member of
I am now a member of the women's bowling team
The women's bowling team
I am now a part of the women's bowling team
I hope I throw a strike
I hope to do well during my first game
'Cause I'll never score again
This may be my last chance to play bowling after my gender transition
My first game is tomorrow
I am nervous and excited for my first game on the women's team
I will go to play and then
I will go to play in my first game and see how it goes
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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