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)
Turn Those Clapping Hands Into Angry Balled Fists
Against Me! Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Wrapped in comforters
Sweatin' through sheets
Drinkin' coffee in the morning
Floatin' on Airplanes across the vast seas
And your house is made of wood
Central air, central heat
Your doors are locked for, for safety
And your walkin' around in shoes
Pants of denim, a black cotton sweatshirt
And you do what you do
because doing, you start to form a habit
And you drink all night long
And you sleep through the morning
And if something doesn't break
I'm just gonna go, go fucking insane
And you sweep up the floor when its dirty
You do the dishes, when the sinks full
And when the refrigerators empty
well its time its time its time, its time to go the store
You put your books on a shelf
Clothes arranged in the closet
You hang the things on the wall that you don't want to be so easily forgotten
I hate these songs
I hate the words
That the singer is singin' to me
I hate this melody
I hate this stupid fucking drum beat
But I'm not gonna tell anyone
What I'm really thinking about
Keep the conversations on the surface
Just keep on smiling
Just keep on saying
Everything's gonna be alright
[Repeat: x2]
It's gonna be alright
Alright
The song "Turn Those Clapping Hands Into Angry Balled Fists" by Against Me! is a critical song that discusses the quintessential middle-class lifestyle that causes life to become monotonous and suffocating. The opening verse emphasizes the luxuries that the middle class enjoys in their everyday life, such as sleeping on luxurious pillows, walking in comfortable shoes, and living in a comfortable home with modern amenities. However, the second verse is more critical, acknowledging the idea that the mundanity of life makes it difficult to break out of the cycle of routine.
The chorus expresses hatred towards the imposed lifestyle and its demand for a happy persona. The singer acknowledges that the dark and pessimistic thoughts must be kept secret due to the societal pressure of being positive and happy. The constant repetition of the phrase, "It's gonna be alright" in the chorus seems to suggest that this phrase is falsely forced on a society that is unhappy and struggling to live under the illusion of a happy life.
Line by Line Meaning
Sleep on pillows made is Singapore
Enjoying luxurious comfort in Singapore-made pillows
Wrapped in comforters
Comfy and cozy under the warmth of thick blankets
Sweatin' through sheets
Overcome with heat, sweating while lying in bed
Drinkin' coffee in the morning
Start of a hazy day, sipping coffee to awaken the senses
Floatin' on Airplanes across the vast seas
Traveling by air to distant locations worldwide
And your house is made of wood
Reside in a wooden structured house
Central air, central heat
Regulate the temperature inside the house
You got your furniture on particle board
Furnishing the house with items made of particle board
Your doors are locked for, for safety
Securing the house by locking doors for protection
And your walkin' around in shoes
Exploring the world by walking in comfortable shoes
Pants of denim, a black cotton sweatshirt
Wearing casual clothing attire of comfortable pants and sweatshirt
And you do what you do
Doing what one always does as a routine
because doing, you start to form a habit
Performing an action repeatedly establishes a behavior pattern
And you drink all night long
Drinking alcohol throughout the night
And you sleep through the morning
Sleeping through the morning after staying up late
And if something doesn't break
If nothing goes wrong
I'm just gonna go, go fucking insane
Losing control if something disrupts the daily routine
And you sweep up the floor when its dirty
Keeping a clean living space by sweeping dirty floors
You do the dishes, when the sinks full
Washing dishes once the sink has accumulated enough dirty dishes
And when the refrigerators empty
Going grocery shopping when the refrigerator lacks food
well its time its time its time, its time to go the store
Indicating that it's time to go to the store to buy food
You put your books on a shelf
Arranging books on a shelf
Clothes arranged in the closet
Organizing clothes in the closet for easy access
You hang the things on the wall that you don't want to be so easily forgotten
Displaying items on the wall for remembrance
I hate these songs
Disliking the melodies and lyrics of certain songs
I hate the words
Disliking particular words used in a song
That the singer is singin' to me
Disapproving of the singer's communication through their songs
I hate this melody
Disliking a specific tune of a piece of music
I hate this stupid fucking drum beat
Being annoyed by the repetitive drum beats in a song
But I'm not gonna tell anyone
Will keep personal thoughts to oneself
What I'm really thinking about
Internal thoughts and feelings not shared with others
Keep the conversations on the surface
Sticking to shallow talk and not delving into deeper issues
Just keep on smiling
Focusing on keeping up a happy demeanor
Just keep on saying
Repeating positive affirmations to oneself
Everything's gonna be alright
Belief in the idea that everything will turn out okay
It's gonna be alright
Repeating the mantra that everything will be okay
Alright
Ending on a positive note, indicating that everything is going to be okay
Lyrics © ROUGH TRADE PUBLISHING
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