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)
The Disco Before the Breakdown
Against Me! Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The curves of your bone and muscle
That make up your head to toe
It's just skin and thread,
Stitches and ligaments,
Words that we spoke only to regret.
I know they're going to laugh at us
"Holding hands" like this
They wouldn't understand it
If we told them all the reasons,
Not that I think this deserves
Any kind of explanation.
We can make it up so we've got a smile
Painted on all the time,
No matter what it's like on the inside
We'll keep this, keep us like a secret,
Because if my family and friends ever found out
About the things we could never be,
Haunts we'll all keep, so fucking bittersweet.
The lyrics from Against Me!'s "The Disco Before the Breakdown" contain themes revolving around love, secrets, and regret. The opening stanza inquires an individual to follow the jawline down over the heart and the curves of bone and muscle before concluding that it's all "just skin and thread, stitches and ligaments, words that we spoke only to regret." This could be interpreted as the singer trying to look past the physical aspect of their romantic partner and understand them beyond their appearance. The second stanza seems to imply that a secret relationship is at play, with the singer referencing that they'll be looked down upon and laughed at for "holding hands" like they are. The singer knows that explaining their love and their reasons are unlikely to sway any dissenting opinions, but they'll keep it regardless of the consequences. The final stanza conveys the hope that the couple will keep the love they share as a secret, as the potential of being discovered would result in "haunts we'll all keep."
The lyrics offer a poignant insight into love and the potential complications that come with a love that is kept secret. The societal pressures of not conforming to societal norms are prominently featured, with the singer's fear of being discovered and looked down upon by their family and friends. The lyrics suggest that a secret love will always be tinged with bitterness and that the hope of escaping this fate is next to none.
Line by Line Meaning
If you follow the jaw line down over the heart,
Starting at the jaw, follow the curve of bones and muscles down the body vertically which define us physically.
The curves of your bone and muscle
The bodily features that showcase the uniqueness of your physicality.
That make up your head to toe
These curves form your whole being from top to bottom.
It's just skin and thread,
Despite the intricacy of human anatomy, it's made up of just surface-level skin and deep-set ligaments.
Stitches and ligaments,
The defining structures of the body that keep everything together.
Words that we spoke only to regret.
The things we say in the heat of the moment that we later feel remorseful about.
I know they're going to laugh at us
Expecting ridicule from others due to our unconventional relationship.
When they see us out together
Our public appearances will elicit scorn and mockery from outsiders.
"Holding hands" like this
The simple act of holding hands, which may seem innocent or universal, could be misconstrued and ridiculed in this context.
They wouldn't understand it
Others wouldn't be able to comprehend our relationship due to their narrow-mindedness and lack of understanding.
If we told them all the reasons,
Even if we tried to explain ourselves, they wouldn't be able to empathize or understand our situation.
Not that I think this deserves
Even though there's a stigma attached to our coupling, I don't believe we should have to justify our relationship to anyone.
Any kind of explanation.
We don't owe anyone an explanation for the choices we've made.
We can make it up so we've got a smile
We can pretend everything is okay and put on a happy front.
Painted on all the time,
We can fake happiness and contentment.
No matter what it's like on the inside
Even if we're hurting or struggling, we'll maintain our facade.
We'll keep this, keep us like a secret,
We'll keep our relationship hidden from the judging eyes of others.
Because if my family and friends ever found out
We keep our relationship a secret from loved ones because we fear their disapproval or rejection.
About the things we could never be,
Outsiders would judge and condemn our relationship because of the social norms we break.
Haunts we'll all keep, so fucking bittersweet.
Our shared memories will be a precious burden and a constant source of pain for us.
Lyrics © ROUGH TRADE PUBLISHING
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Always Falling Short
The lyrics to these songs are so devastating in hindsight. I remember listening to these lyrics without even a hint of what it was about. For me it just captured the angst of being disabled--but that's how music works. It connects with you where you're at. Little would I know my identity would be captured in the songs I was screaming as a kid so many years later. I'm not exactly trans, but I'm definitely queer in a lot of ways that took forever to accept and understand, and I didn't have any real social pushback like a lot of people do. I cannot imagine what Laura was going through, and how out in the open she was begging for help.
punklyrics1
Music is powerful. The meanings i gave songs as a teen reflected my angst, as a 28 year old i view them with a whole different context just due to the experiences ive had throughout life. Its definitely bittersweet at times
G e
I listen to this everytime i feel miserable and it makes me feel a little more okay with myself
Nyagi
100% agree. This EP really helps.
Gretchen Gott
@Nyagi same, keeps me sane
Raul Duke 2nd
I feel this too much
Cody Ocha
This one don't get nearly as much love as it deserves. Been coming back to this one for almost 20 years now.
JustDoom
I swear to god tonight we're gonna give it 35% is the best song ever created.
nickcliche
Greatest 3-song release in the history of music.
XelaZe Kazooie
One of the best EP's ever.