It's been a long, strange trip for this outfit, which formed from the ashes of various collegiate bar bands in and around Berkeley, CA in 1994. The band has since released 7 albums on 5 different national labels, had 12 different members, logged over 50,000 miles, played hundreds of shows, contributed music to numerous film and television projects, and generally endured all manner of threats and pitfalls that haunt any band who dares to shoulder the Mantle of Rock. However, some things have never changed: Kelly on the skins, Scanlin on the wires/mics, and an unswerving dedication to and obsession with writing Songs. For Actionslacks the melody is key. It doesn't always have to be pretty, but if you don't have one, you don't have a song.
The penultimate album, Kids with Guitars, was an EP the band produced over the course of seven days in May of 2008, following a year of songwriting, demoing, and practicing (though never in the same room). It was initially released on-line (http://slacksaction.com/) on a pay-what-you-want basis, but is now available through iTunes and similar digital retailers or, more recently, as a CD release available through CDBaby.
The self-titled Actionslacks was recorded in mid-November 2009 and while it was slated for a Spring 2010 release, delays resulted in a release in early-October 2012.
This Damn Nation
Actionslacks Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Three hundred million tears
But some Super Bowl commercial
Is gonna banish all its fears
My TV spews fake emotions
So saccharine I could choke
They call this entertainment
Yeah, this damn nation is a sentimental fool
Who's weepin' while there's work to do
Yeah, this damn nation, aw, ya know I do adore
I'm just lookin' for a little more
We got greeting-card emotion
'Cause we can't express ourselves
I won't tell you to your face
But I'll call you on my cell
We got bumper sticker potshots
And we hide behind our screens
You can say anything you want
Just don't talk to me
Yeah, this damn nation is a spoiled little child
Selfish, unrepentant, and wild
Yeah, this damn nation, oh, ya know I do adore
I'm just lookin' for a little more
Yeah, this damn nation, this indictment is a prayer
And in my mind no flags are burned
But "American popular culture," my friend
Is a contradiction in terms
We got twelve-year-olds conditioned
Sex and violence every day
We got kids thinkin' they're freaks
'Cause they're not getting lay
And don't talk about the airwaves
'Cause I can't hold back the tears
All the bands that could save your life
You will never hear
Yeah, this damn nation, it leaves me so uninspired
Disappointed, sad, and tired
Yeah, this damn nation, oh, ya know I do adore
I'm just lookin' for a little more
Yeah, this damn nation, this indictment is a prayer
And my country, 'tis of thee I sing
And American popular culture can't be dead
'Cause there is no such thing
In "This Damn Nation," Actionslacks critiques American popular culture and the country's tendency toward sentimentalism and superficiality. The song suggests that the media and entertainment industries are contributing to this problem by bombarding viewers with fake emotions and distracting them from the real issues at hand. The lyrics criticize the way people communicate with one another, prefering to hide behind screens or express themselves through bumper stickers rather than having honest face-to-face conversations. Similarly, the song condemns the sexualization and violence in media as well as the lack of exposure to lesser-known or underappreciated bands.
Actionslacks uses an indictment rather than an outright condemnation of American popular culture, indicating that this is a prayer for the country to rise above shallow entertainment and confront the work that needs to be done. The song suggests a desire for more depth, sincerity, and constructive action from ourselves and the media we consume. Despite the indictment, there is an underlying love and desire to see the country live up to its potential.
Line by Line Meaning
I can hear this country cryin'
I am aware of the suffering and pain of this nation
Three hundred million tears
The entire population is affected
But some Super Bowl commercial
A mere advertisement during a football game
Is gonna banish all its fears
Is thought to have the power to solve everyone's problems
My TV spews fake emotions
The media manipulates emotions
So saccharine I could choke
The emotion is fake and makes me uncomfortable
They call this entertainment
This is what is considered entertainment
This drama is a joke
The supposed entertainment is not actually entertaining
Yeah, this damn nation is a sentimental fool
This country is too emotional
Who's weepin' while there's work to do
When there are more important things that require action
Aw, ya know I do adore
I have love for this country despite its flaws
I'm just lookin' for a little more
I am searching for something better
We got greeting-card emotion
Our emotions have been simplified to be like a card
'Cause we can't express ourselves
We have lost the ability to express genuine emotion
But I'll call you on my cell
We rely on technology to communicate our feelings
We got bumper sticker potshots
We make shallow criticisms using cliches
And we hide behind our screens
We use technology to avoid confrontation
You can say anything you want
There is freedom of speech
Just don't talk to me
But don't engage with me personally
Yeah, this damn nation is a spoiled little child
This country is immature and entitled
Selfish, unrepentant, and wild
Lacking empathy or remorse and out of control
This indictment is a prayer
This criticism is a plea for change
And in my mind no flags are burned
I am not anti-patriotic
But "American popular culture," my friend
However, American culture is problematic
Is a contradiction in terms
It doesn't make sense given the actions and values of the people
We got twelve-year-olds conditioned
Young people are being exposed to inappropriate content
Sex and violence every day
There is an abundance of vulgar content
We got kids thinkin' they're freaks
Young people feel insecure for not fitting societal norms
'Cause they're not getting lay
Because they are not participating in sexual activity
And don't talk about the airwaves
Even music has problems
'Cause I can't hold back the tears
The state of the music industry makes me emotional
All the bands that could save your life
There are musicians who make a positive impact
You will never hear
But they are not promoted or recognized
It leaves me so uninspired
It fails to motivate or excite me
Disappointed, sad, and tired
Leaves me feeling dejected, emotional, and exhausted
My country, 'tis of thee I sing
I still have hope for this nation
And American popular culture can't be dead
There is still a chance for improvement
Cause there is no such thing
There is no definitive or ideal representation of culture
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind