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.
Aspirin Free
AFI Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We're youth eternal, nothing more to become.
A thousand lights are burning bright.
Give day a darkened light.
Always burning from both ends.
We're proud of reputations we all own.
Together forever. Rejected but never alone.
Together forever.
Keep dark secrets to myself, because no one else will talk to me.
It's hard for me to comprehend, they couldn't understand
all the thoughts going through our heads.
With a smile they tore us up, now look what we've become.
Finally we are numb. We're proud of reputations we all own.
Together forever. Together forever alone.
Together forever.
I'd purify the world with one primal scream, but no one would listen.
Keep dark secrets to myself, because no one else will talk to me.
I'd purify the world with one primal scream, but no one would listen.
Keep dark secrets to myself, because no one else will talk to me.
No need to. No! No need to feel.
I've got a nothingness and that's all that's real.
No need to cut the numbness inside.
No need to. No! No need to hear.
What you've got to say means nothing at all.
I've got no distance left to fall.
I'd purify the world with one primal scream, but no one would listen.
Keep dark secrets to myself, because no one else will talk to me.
The lyrics in AFI's song "Aspirin Free" speak to the angst and confusion of youth. The line "there's no hope of helping us, we've only just begun" sets a bleak tone and expresses a sense of hopelessness. The repetition of "together forever" throughout the song emphasizes a desire for belonging, even if it's rejected by others.
The imagery of "a thousand lights burning bright" is juxtaposed with "day a darkened light," suggesting a disconnect between the idealized image of youth and the reality of their struggles. The line "I'd purify the world with one primal scream, but no one would listen" speaks to the feeling of being unheard and marginalized.
The final verse repeats the desire to scream and be heard, but also alludes to a sense of numbness and detachment. The phrase "no need to feel" reinforces this idea, suggesting a resignation to apathy.
Overall, "Aspirin Free" captures the complex emotions of adolescence and the struggle to find a sense of belonging and purpose.
Line by Line Meaning
There's no hope of helping us, we've only just begun.
We are inexperienced and believe that there is no one who can help us succeed.
We're youth eternal, nothing more to become.
As young people, we feel like we have reached the peak of our potential and have nothing more to strive for.
A thousand lights are burning bright.
There are many things happening around us and many opportunities available to us.
Give day a darkened light.
We choose to look at the negative aspects of life even when there are positive things happening.
Always burning from both ends.
We are constantly pushing ourselves to the limit and risking burnout because we want to achieve success quickly.
We're proud of reputations we all own.
We take pride in the image we have created for ourselves, even if it may not be entirely accurate.
Together forever. Rejected but never alone.
Even though we feel rejected by society, we will always have each other's company and support.
I'd purify the world with one primal scream, but no one would listen.
We feel like no one understands us and our struggles, even if we try to express ourselves.
Keep dark secrets to myself, because no one else will talk to me.
We keep our fears and doubts to ourselves because we don't feel like anyone will truly listen or understand.
It's hard for me to comprehend, they couldn't understand all the thoughts going through our heads.
We find it difficult to believe that others cannot relate to our thoughts and emotions, causing us to feel isolated.
With a smile they tore us up, now look what we've become.
Our past experiences and treatment by others have led to our current negative mindset and behaviors.
Finally we are numb. We're proud of reputations we all own.
We have become desensitized to our emotions and take pride in projecting an image of toughness and resilience.
Together forever. Together forever alone.
We will continue to support each other, but deep down we still feel alone in our struggles.
No need to. No! No need to feel. I've got a nothingness and that's all that's real.
We have convinced ourselves that feeling nothing is better than experiencing pain or disappointment.
No need to cut the numbness inside. No need to. No! No need to hear.
We don't want to face our emotions or hear others' opinions because it could disrupt our fragile sense of control.
What you've got to say means nothing at all. I've got no distance left to fall.
We believe that others' opinions or advice will not benefit us and that we have already hit rock bottom.
I'd purify the world with one primal scream, but no one would listen. Keep dark secrets to myself, because no one else will talk to me.
We feel unheard and alone, causing us to keep our thoughts and emotions to ourselves even when we are struggling.
Contributed by Aiden F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.