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.
Self Pity
AFI Lyrics
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I can't find a way to get my head out of my ass.
I'm gettin' skinny as a bone
'cause I'm always stuck at home.
I'm living my life all fucked up and alone.
So once again,
Alone in my room,
My only apparent future is my unhappy doom.
I'm hooked bad on caffeine,
Unless I get it I'm mean.
I can't remember last when I was chipper and clean.
I'm going insane, all I do is complain.
The only traits I show are depression and disdain.
The girl I love is going away,
There is no way that she'll stay.
I don't know how I'm gonna live my life this way.
Don't want to have to try,
I'll just sit around and cry.
Maybe, if I get lucky,
I'll just fuckin' die.
The lyrics of AFI's song Self Pity are a glimpse into the struggles of an individual who feels stuck and alone, unable to pull themselves out of their own negative mindset. The singer expresses feeling short on cash and having their mind "in the trash", indicating a lack of financial and mental stability. They can't seem to escape their own negative outlook on life, feeling like they can't "get their head out of [their] ass".
The singer's physical appearance has also been affected, as they've become "skinny as a bone" from being stuck at home. This isolation and lack of motivation has led to them feeling "fucked up and alone", ultimately whining and complaining about their situation. The singer's addiction to caffeine is another manifestation of their dependence on external factors to feel any sort of contentment. They express disdain and depression as their only character traits, highlighting their overall negativity.
The final lines of the song reveal the singer's deep pain from losing the person they love. They feel like there's "no way that she'll stay" and struggle to contemplate how they'll go on living. They express a desire to not even try, but rather "sit around and cry", and even contemplate death as a way out. Overall, the song Self Pity offers a raw and honest portrayal of the difficulties associated with depression, isolation, and self-deprecation.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm always short on cash and my mind is in the trash.
My finances are always tight and I'm emotionally drained.
I can't find a way to get my head out of my ass.
I'm struggling to overcome my own inertia and lack of motivation.
I'm gettin' skinny as a bone
'cause I'm always stuck at home.
I'm losing weight due to my reclusive lifestyle.
I'm living my life all fucked up and alone.
My life has been a mess and I'm perpetually lonely.
So once again,
Alone in my room,
My only apparent future is my unhappy doom.
I'm consumed by negativity and pessimism about my future prospects.
So I just whine all the fucking time.
I constantly complain but never take action to improve my situation.
I'm hooked bad on caffeine,
Unless I get it I'm mean.
I've developed a dependence on caffeine and become irritable without it.
I can't remember last when I was chipper and clean.
I can't recall the last time I was cheerful and mentally clear.
I'm going insane, all I do is complain.
My negative attitude is driving me crazy and it's all I seem to talk about.
The only traits I show are depression and disdain.
My defining characteristics are being depressed and having a negative view of everything.
The girl I love is going away,
There is no way that she'll stay.
The person I care about is leaving me and I feel helpless to stop it.
I don't know how I'm gonna live my life this way.
I'm unsure of how to cope with the challenges and struggles of my life.
Don't want to have to try,
I'll just sit around and cry.
I don't want to make an effort to improve my life, I'd rather wallow in self-pity.
Maybe, if I get lucky,
I'll just fuckin' die.
I'm so unhappy with my life that I would rather die than have to deal with it.
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: BRENDAN HILL, CHAN KINCHLA, JOHN C. POPPER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Richard Moffett
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