A.O.D.'s first vinyl record, a 6 song 7" EP entitled Let's Barbeque, was released on their own Buy Our Records label in 1983. Because the budget was so tight, the band could only afford 15 minutes of studio time. They recorded all six tracks in one take with no overdubs. Buy Our Records became one of New Jersey's largest indie punk labels and springboarded the careers of many bands including Flag Of Democracy, Raging Slab, and Pussy Galore.
Adrenalin O.D.'s first album entitled The Wacky Hijinks of Adrenalin O.D. showcased the band's use of blazing speed-punk and sarcastic lyrics, taking aim at the suburban experience with songs like "Middle Aged Whore", "Trans Am" (the inspiration for the Dead Milkmen's "Bitchin' Camarro"), and the crowd favorite "Rock n' Roll Gas Station". The album contains an untitled and blatantly obvious backmasked track. When played backwards, it is the band members saying in unison; "God is very, very nice. Be kind to animals. Satan sucks."
Adrenalin O.D. toured nationally and created a loyal following via their live shows (described by some as an experience somewhere between Minor Threat and Don Rickles.) The band's quick wit and on-stage banter was at times as much of an improv stand-up comedy act as a hardcore punk band, and fans coined the term "funny-punk" to describe their performances. Tracks that exhibit the band's quirky sense of humor include a punk rock cover of Henry Mancini's "Baby Elephant Walk", a surf rock version of "Hava Nagila" entitled "Surfin' Jew", and a track entitled "Masterpiece" which is a punk reworking of Jean-Joseph Mouret's 'Rondeau" from "Symphonies and Fanfares for the King's Supper" (which the band knew only as the theme from the PBS TV series Masterpiece Theatre).
By their third release Cruising With Elvis In Bigfoot's UFO, the band brought in producer Daniel Rey (who had worked with the Ramones, Misfits and Iggy Pop) to help the band's translation from hyper-speed to mid-tempo melodic punk. With songs like "Bulimic Food Fight", and "My Mom Can't Drive", Stereo Review Magazine ranked the album among the funniest records of all time, and the album was formative in the development of the pop punk sound of Fat Wreck Chords.
SMALL TALK
Adrenalin O.D. Lyrics
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Why even talk if you get nowhere
Idle talk for idle minds
I got better things to do than waste my time
Why bother
Whatever you say it's all the same
Fill my mind with your worthless facts
You don't even care so why even ask
These lyrics from Adrenalin O.D.'s song "Small Talk" express a certain level of frustration or disdain for small talk. The question "How are you?" is dismissed as unimportant, leading the singer to wonder why people talk if it doesn't lead to anywhere. They critique the idea of "idle talk," or conversations that are meaningless, and suggest that they have better things to do with their time. The repetition of "why bother" emphasizes this sentiment of annoyance with small talk.
The second verse continues to express the singer's frustration, suggesting that no matter what is said in small talk, it's all the same and nothing meaningful is gained. They mock the idea of filling their mind with "worthless facts," which could be interpreted as either small talk topics or general information that doesn't have any practical use. The final line suggests that the people engaging in small talk don't even care about the conversation themselves and are just going through the motions.
Overall, these lyrics criticize the idea of small talk as being unproductive and ultimately pointless. The singer seems to value their time and energy more and doesn't see the point in engaging in meaningless conversations. It could be interpreted as a commentary on societal norms and expectations around conversations or simply a personal preference for more substantial communication.
Line by Line Meaning
How are you? Who cares?
The singer does not care about the other person's well-being and believes that engaging in this kind of small talk is a waste of time.
Why even talk if you get nowhere
Talking without a purpose or a clear goal is meaningless and unproductive. Hence, the singer does not see the point in engaging in small talk.
Idle talk for idle minds
The singer sees small talk as a mindless activity that does not lead to any intellectual or creative development.
I got better things to do than waste my time
The artist considers small talk as a waste of time and would rather focus on other activities that are meaningful and productive.
Why bother
The artist sees no reason to engage in small talk as it does not serve any purpose or add any value.
Whatever you say it's all the same
The singer does not find the content of small talk conversations interesting or worthy of attention, as it is often repetitive and unexciting.
Nothing's said and nothing's gained
Small talk conversations do not lead to any significant or valuable exchanges, as they tend to focus on superficial topics and small details.
Fill my mind with your worthless facts
The artist perceives the information shared during small talk conversations as trivial and insignificant, and not worth remembering or considering.
You don't even care so why even ask
The artist believes that small talk conversations lack authenticity and sincerity, as people tend to engage in them out of politeness rather than a genuine interest in the other person.
Contributed by Julian H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.