In 2012, Grace publicly came out as transgender. After a long period of line-up changes and uncertainty surrounding the band's future, their sixth studio album, Transgender Dysphoria Blues, was released independently in January 2014 to critical acclaim. The band's seventh album, Shape Shift with Me, was released in 2016. In addition, the band have four well known EPs: Crime as Forgiven by Against Me!, The Acoustic EP, The Disco Before the Breakdown, and New Wave B-Sides. They have released numerous singles, two live albums, and demo versions of the three of their studio albums.
Band members:
Laura Jane Grace – vocals, guitar
James Bowman – lead guitar
Andrew Seward – bass
Atom Willard – drums
Former members:
Kevin Mahon – drums (1998–2001)
Dustin Fridkin – bass (2000–2002)
Warren Oakes – drums (2001–2009)
George Rebelo – drums (2009–2010)
Jay Weinberg – drums (2010–2012)
Inge Johansson – bass (2013–2018)
Discography:
• Reinventing Axl Rose (2002)
• As the Eternal Cowboy (2003)
• Searching for a Former Clarity (2005)
• New Wave (2007)
• White Crosses (2010)
• Transgender Dysphoria Blues (2014)
• Shape Shift with Me (2016)
Holy Shit
Against Me! Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I am oh, so fascinated
I am oh, so entertained
Standing here like a comedian
I repeat what I've said, again and again and again
Until the meaning has become an imitation of itself
An impression of an original defeats the fucking purpose
I don't know where this is going
Oh good God, holy shit, the joke's on us, not on them
Just pretending to be astronauts, police officers, and firemen
Oh good God, holy shit, the joke's on us, not on them
Just pretending to be astronauts, police officers, and firemen
And everybody's watching the lead singer in the band
The guitars exploding to a drumbeat that's driving
It's pretty fucking boring, isn't it?
And of all the things we'd ask
Of all the ways we'd like for it to be
They're just drunken conversations
Song lyrics sung at the top of our lungs so desperately
Like I believe in a power that is of and by the people?
I believe in an art that cannot be compromised
I believe all will endure, and all will overcome
And I will sing it until I no longer remember the reason
What was the reason?
The lyrics of Against Me!'s song "Holy Shit" seem to express a disillusionment with the state of the world and the vacuity of popular culture. The first few lines of the song highlight a sense of repetition and boredom that pervades modern life, as the singer claims that "it isn't any different, it's the same old shit." Despite this, the singer paradoxically expresses feeling "oh, so fascinated" and "oh, so entertained" by the world that surrounds them. However, the entertainment that the singer finds is akin to that of a comedian - a surface level, fleeting joy that ultimately leaves them feeling empty.
The chorus of the song then takes a more critical turn, as the singer proclaims that "the joke's on us, not on them." The singer seems to be suggesting that the wider world and the systems that govern it are not the true enemy, but rather the way in which people collectively participate in and perpetuate these systems. This is underscored by the line "just pretending to be astronauts, police officers, and firemen," which seems to call out the societal roles that people are expected to embody and perform.
The final stanza of the song is perhaps the most pointed, as the singer declares their faith in an "art that cannot be compromised." This seems to be a statement about the power of music and other forms of artistic expression, which can provide an antidote to the emptiness and drudgery of modern life. However, the singer also expresses a sense of uncertainty about what the future holds, asking "what was the reason?" and seeming to acknowledge that even the most powerful and pure forms of art may not be enough to effect real change.
Line by Line Meaning
It isn't any different, it's the same old shit, it goes
The cycle repeats, and there's no change
I am oh, so fascinated
I'm captivated, but not in a positive way
I am oh, so entertained
I'm entertained, but at what cost?
Standing here like a comedian
I'm performing, but it's not funny
I repeat what I've said, again and again and again
I can't think of anything new to say
Until the meaning has become an imitation of itself
My words have lost all significance
An impression of an original defeats the fucking purpose
Copying something authentic renders it meaningless
I don't know where this is going
I'm lost and uncertain
But it's looking more and more like the same place that we started
I'm worried we're not making progress
Oh good God, holy shit, the joke's on us, not on them
We're the ones being taken advantage of, not the other way around
Just pretending to be astronauts, police officers, and firemen
We're living in a fantasy world, not facing reality
And everybody's watching the lead singer in the band
We're blindly following someone who may not know where they're going
The guitars exploding to a drumbeat that's driving
The music is exciting, but it may be deceiving us
It's pretty fucking boring, isn't it?
This is all getting old and monotonous
And of all the things we'd ask
There are so many questions we have
Of all the ways we'd like for it to be
There are so many things we wish were different
They're just drunken conversations
Our ideas aren't being taken seriously
Song lyrics sung at the top of our lungs so desperately
We're clinging to music to distract from reality
Like I believe in a power that is of and by the people?
Do I really trust that the people in charge have our best interests in mind?
I believe in an art that cannot be compromised
I value art that stays true to its origins
I believe all will endure, and all will overcome
I have hope for the future
And I will sing it until I no longer remember the reason
I'll keep singing, even if I forget why
What was the reason?
I'm not sure why I'm doing this anymore
Lyrics © ROUGH TRADE PUBLISHING
Written by: Laura Jane Grace, James Bowman, Andrew Seward, Warren Oakes
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind