Andrew Jackson Jihad was formed after its original drummer, Justin James White, approached Sean Bonnette and Ben Gallaty, who had just left Rodan (not the Rodan of Kentucky fame) and The Sub-Standards. Since then, many significant Arizona musicians have sat in with the remaining duo of Sean and Ben, including John De La Cruz of Fatigo and Asleep In The Sea's Owen Evans. Dylan Cook also plays mandolin regularly with the band.
According to Songfacts, Bonnette, who is also the lyricist of the band (with upright bass player Ben Gallant handling most of the production and some vocals as well) volunteered at a suicide prevention hotline for teenagers for eight years, and worked with homeless men and women in the Phoenix, Arizona area. These experiences gave him a sometimes bleak, but at moments, hopeful outlook on life, often reflected in the band's lyrics.
On Halloween 2005, Andrew Jackson Jihad covered Neutral Milk Hotel's In the Aeroplane Over the Sea album in its entirety at CounterCulture Cafe.
Their biggest performance to date has been in their hometown with Flogging Molly and Authority Zero on St. Patrick's Day 2006.
On April 15, 2006, the band played as part of the 2006 New Times Music Showcase, nominated for Best Americana Band, and won a 2006 Best of Phoenix later that year.
Besides their local shows, where they have become arguably the most prominent representative in Arizona of the DIY ethic, they have also toured in clubs and basements across the Western United States, appearing at such venues as the Knitting Factory in Los Angeles, CA. One show in Kimberly, Idaho saw the band in a cowboy bar and leaving the premises as soon as possible after the show.
Andrew Jackson Jihad also performed at St. Augustine, Florida's second annual Harvest of Hope Festival in 2010. They played a dual set with Bomb the Music Industry!
Do
Andrew Jackson Jihad Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The room all smelled like flowers
There were Nikes on their feet
Hail and smile under the cloth
I gazed into the souls of all the horses
Jumped off all the bridges in those wild western days
A spaceship made of death
Do.
Re.
Mi Fa So La Ti
Do, Re, and Me.
I gave into the needs of all my masters
Man is the Bastard is a brutal fucking band
They hate Thomas Lentz
I fell into a coffin full of orphans
They all had been slaughtered by a website making man
With music in his heart
Do.
Re.
Mi Fa So La Ti
Do, Re, and Me
Do.
Re.
Mi Fa So La Ti
Do, Re, and Me
Do.
Re.
Mi Fa So La Ti
Do, Re, and Me
The opening line of Andrew Jackson Jihad's song "Do Re and Me" is jarring and disturbing: "I walked into a room full of corpses." The song appears to be a macabre meditation on death, with imagery of dead bodies and coffins. However, the lyrics also contain references to music and bands, suggesting that there may be a deeper meaning to the song. For example, the line "Man is the Bastard is a brutal fucking band/They hate Thomas Lentz" seems out of place in a song about death, but it hints at a larger theme of art and society.
The chorus of the song consists of the musical notes "Do, Re, and Me," shown in solfege notation as "Do, Re, Mi Fa So La Ti Do, Re, and Me." The repetition of these notes creates a sense of rhythm and patterns, which contrasts with the chaotic images and themes of the rest of the lyrics. The use of solfege notation, commonly used in music education, may be a reference to the power of music to create order out of chaos.
Overall, "Do Re and Me" is a complex and cryptic song that combines disturbing imagery with references to music and art. The lyrics seem to explore the intersections between life and death, order and chaos, and creation and destruction.
Line by Line Meaning
I walked into a room full of corpses
I entered a space filled with dead bodies
The room all smelled like flowers
A sweet scent was masking the stench of death
There were Nikes on their feet
The deceased were wearing Nike shoes
Hail and smile under the cloth
Although hidden, the faces of the corpses wore happy expressions
I gazed into the souls of all the horses
I looked deeply into the spirits of every horse
Jumped off all the bridges in those wild western days
I leapt from numerous bridges during my reckless time in the west
A spaceship made of death
A craft engineered for destruction
Do.
A musical note
Re.
A different musical note
Mi Fa So La Ti
A sequence of musical notes
Do, Re, and Me.
Three specific musical notes
I gave into the needs of all my masters
I submitted to the desires and demands of those in charge of me
Man is the Bastard is a brutal fucking band
A music group with violent and aggressive sound
They hate Thomas Lentz
The band has a strong dislike for someone named Thomas Lentz
I fell into a coffin full of orphans
I tumbled into a box filled with dead children without parents
They all had been slaughtered by a website making man
Their deaths were the result of a man who creates websites
With music in his heart
Despite his cruel actions, this man still possessed a love for music
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@tyshaub9511
for mobile users:
1. Rejoice - 0:00
2. Brave As A Noun - 3:16
3. Survival Song - 4:31
4. Bad Bad Things - 6:59
5. No More Tears - 8:59
6. Bells & Whistles - 10:01
7. Randy's House - 11:29
8. A Song Dedicated To The Memory of Stormy The Rabbit - 12:54
9. People II: The Reckoning - 15:58
10. Personal Space Invader - 20:05
11. People - 23:05
@blackbear0075
REJOICE LYRICS
[Verse 1]
Rejoice, rejoice God's ears are stitches
Oh, rejoice, His eyes are big X's
Oh oh oh, rejoice, His arms are burning witches
Oh, rejoice, His hands perform hexes
[Chorus]
Rejoice despite the fact this world will hurt you
And rejoice despite the fact this world will kill you
And rejoice despite the fact this world will tear you to shreds
Rejoice because you're trying your best
[Verse 2]
And rejoice, the bed you sleep in is burning
Oh, rejoice, the sky's fucking falling
Oh oh oh, rejoice, the world we know is turning
Oh, rejoice, your father's been calling
[Verse 3]
Rejoice although this world will devastate you
And rejoice although this world will penetrate you
And rejoice although you will not survive
Rejoice, you'll never make it out alive
[Verse 4]
And rejoice, your hair it smells like burning hair
Oh, rejoice, your nails all got chewed off
Oh oh oh, rejoice, and - holy fuck! - you're bleeding there
Oh, rejoice, you burned your whole beard off
[Chorus]
Rejoice despite the fact this world will hurt you
And rejoice despite the fact this world will kill you
And rejoice despite the fact this world will tear you to shreds
Rejoice because you're trying your best
@BumblingFool912
So last night. I saw AJJ . Spoke with all of them, and had a great time.
I can't quite put into words how humbled he is, how sweet they all are, and how awesome they are on stage.
My body was ready, and today it is tired as all hell.
I think I might actually have one of the strongest positive memories in life thanks to AJJ.
Thank fuck for music.
Thank fuck for AJJ.
Thank fuck for you beautiful fuckers <3
@latitzouri
1. Rejoice - 0:00
2. Brave As A Noun - 3:16
3. Survival Song - 4:31
4. Bad Bad Things - 6:59
5. No More Tears - 8:59
6. Bells & Whistles - 10:01
7. Randy's House - 11:29
8. A Song Dedicated To The Memory of Stormy The Rabbit - 12:54
9. People II: The Reckoning - 15:58
10. Personal Space Invader - 20:05
11. People - 23:05
@ShyVioletIsShy
"People" 23:05 is my absolute favorite song:
People are wasteful, they waste all the food
People are hateful, and people are rude
But god I love some people sometimes
Because people are very, very special
And people are impatient, they don’t know how to wait
People are selfish, people are prone to hate
But god I love some people sometimes
Because people are the greatest thing to happen
People are people regardless of skin
People are people regardless of creed
People are people regardless of gender
People are people regardless of anything
People are my religion because I believe in them
People are my enemies and people are my friends
I have faith in my fellow man
And I only hope that he has faith in me
@blackbear0075
BRAVE AS A NOUN LYRICS
[Verse 1]
I could go off the deep end
I could kill all my best friends
I could follow those stylish trends
And God knows I could make amends
But I've got an angry heart
Filled with cancers and poppy tarts
If this is how you folks make art
It's fucking depressing
[Refrain]
And it's sad to know that we are not alone
And it's sad to know there's no honest way out
[Verse 2]
I'm afraid to leave the house
I'm as timid as a mouse
I'm afraid if I go out
I'll outwear my welcome
I'm not a courageous man
I don't have any big, lasting plans
I'm too cowardly to take a stand
I want to keep my nose clean
[Refrain]
And it's sad to know that we're not alone in this
And it's sad to know there's no honest way out
[Outro]
In this life we lead, we could conquer everything
If we could just get the brave to get out of bed in the morning
@blackbear0075
RANDY’S HOUSE LYRICS
[Verse 1]
I've got a rotten apple core feeling
Dying like a living ghost
Now I'm lying on the ground not making a sound
Thinking of you the most
[Chorus]
And I hope that our candles flicker and die
So that our hearts don't burn to
The ground
Down, down just like Randy's house
[Verse 2]
When you kissed me on the cheek with a gun
I became a setting sun
Now you're heading west bound while I'm lying on the ground
Thinking that you were the one
[Chorus]
And I hope our candles flicker and die
So that our hearts don't burn to the ground
Down, down just like Randy's house
And I hope that our candles flicker and die
So that our hearts don't burn to the ground
Down, down just like Randy's house
@blackbear0075
PERSONAL SPACE INVADER LYRICS
[Intro]
I gave birth to twin wire hangovers
"Oh, it's like that"
"And yeah"
"Alright, tell us when to go Jalpal."
"Go."
[Verse 1]
I gave birth to twin wire hangovers
Now I am a personal space invader
I've got essays, I've got finals due
I have got lots and lots of problems
[Chorus 1]
Look out!
Look out!
Look out!
Look out!
[Verse 2]
And how can you put that straw up your nose
When you know how coke is manufactured?
It's made by children for the immature
It is made by babies who've been captured
[Chorus 2]
It's a sin against your fellow man
It's a sin against your fellow man
[Outro]
And welcome to this world
Have as much fun as you would like
While helping others have as much fun as you're having
And be kind to those you love
And be kind to those you don't
But for God's sake you've gotta be kind!
And respectful because we're all one soul
Be the best fucking human that you can be!
"Sounds like shit."
@blackbear0075
A SONG DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF STORMY THE RABBIT LYRICS
[Verse 1]
For four fortnights I have fled from my fortress
Foraging forests five footsteps in length
Fortitude found within forty ounce bottles
Flowing like flies from your face
From your face
[Verse 2]
And my neighborhood it's been filled brim with black cats
And when I go driving they walk in my path
All the time
Every time
[Interlude: Vocalization]
[Verse 3]
First we were babies, we're birthing and dying
And then we were children, we're playing and crying
And then we're teenagers and smoking and fucking
But now we're all grown up and we're sadly sighing
And liking, malarking, and licking our wounds
We've created by lusting and lying
To ourselves and to others
[Interlude]
We're sadly sighing
We're sadly sighing
We're sadly sighing
We're sadly sighing
[Outro]
And I'd like to be
A big ball of meat
That bees can buzz around and eat when I die
So that I might be granted one sense of purpose
@blackbear0075
SURVIVAL SONG LYRICS
[Verse 1]
And I broke my promise on a very sharp rock
And I was possessed by something quite unfriendly
And I was haunted by a demon in my sleep
[Refrain]
And that's how I learned how to survive
[Verse 2]
And I gave a beer to a bum that was drinking
And I gave some sauce to my bestest friend for cooking
And I gave water to all I thought were thirsty
[Refrain]
And that's how I learned how to survive
[Verse 3]
And I gave my money to the bank for safe keeping
And I gave my money to my landlord, he was needing it
And I gave attention to the T.V. that was bleeding
[Refrain]
And that's how I learned how to survive
[Bridge]
But if you ain't got the do-re-mi boys
If you ain't got the do-re-mi
Well you better go back to beautiful Texas
Oklahoma, Kansas, Georgia, Tennessee
California's a garden of Eden, a paradise to live in or see
But believe it or not, you won't find it so hot
If you ain't got the do-re-mi
[Verse 4]
And we totally ripped off a man named Woody Guthrie
And I bought a restaurant for his son named Alice
And I fed false information to the audience
[Refrain]
And that's how I learned how to survive
[Verse 5]
And I give a thank-you to my father for not raising me
And I give a finger to my step-father for beating me
And I give props to myself for achieving
And god damn, I'm glad that I survived
And god damn, I'm surprised that I survived
[Outro]
And I just handed you a giant load of gibberish
And I give love to a lover quite deserving of it
And I give thanks to all of you for withstanding
The story of how we learned how to survive
@blackbear0075
PEOPLE II: THE RECKONING LYRICS
[Verse 1]
Nobody knows everything
We know this to be true
Everything is difficult
Except what's in front of you
But it's complicated even under your nose
Bullshit math equations
And your highs and your lows
[Chorus 1]
And your manic depression
It comes and it goes
Your parasympathetic nervous system reacts
And you're in fight or flight mode
[Interlude]
[Verse 2]
How's the world so small when the world is so large?
And what made the world, could I please speak to who's in charge?
Everything is real, but it's also just as fake
From your daughter's birthday party to your grandmother's wake
[Chorus 2]
And your bipolar illness, it comes and it goes
Your parasympathetic nervous system reacts
And you're in fight or flight
You're in fight or flight
You're in fight or flight mode
[Interlude]
[Verse 3]
I've tried to know which words to sing so many times
And I've tried to know which chords to play
And I've tried to make it rhyme
And I've tried to find the key that all good songs are in
And I've tried to find the notes to make
That great resounding din
[Verse 4]
But there's a bad man in everyone
No matter who we are
There's a rapist and a Nazi living in our tiny hearts
Child pornographers and cannibals and politicians too
There's someone in your head
Waiting to fucking strangle you
[Outro]
So here's to you, Mrs. Robinson
People love you more, oh nevermind
Oh nevermind
In fucking fact, Mrs. Robinson
The world won't care whether you live or die
You live or die
In fucking fact, Mrs. Robinson
They probably hate to see your stupid face
Your stupid face
So here's to you, Mrs. Robinson
You live in an unforgiving place
@blackbear0075
PEOPLE LYRICS
[Verse 1]
People are wasteful, they waste all the food
People are hateful, and people are rude
But God, I love some people sometimes
Because people are very, very special
[Verse 2]
And people are impatient, and they don't know how to wait
People are selfish, and people are prone to hate
But God, I love some people sometimes
Because people are the greatest thing to happen
I said God, I love some people sometimes
Because people are the greatest thing to happen
[Verse 3]
And people are people regardless of skin
And people are people regardless of creed
People are people regardless of gender
People are people regardless of anything
I said people are people regardless of gender
People are people regardless of anything
[Verse 4]
And people are my religion, because I believe in them
And people are my enemies, and people are my friends
I have faith in my fellow man
And I only hope that he has faith in me
I said I have faith in my fellow man
And I only hope that he has faith in me
I said I have faith in my fellow man
And I only hope that he has faith in me
@blackbear0075
NO MORE TEARS LYRICS
[Verse 1]
No more tears; no more cryin'
No more sighin', lyin', or dyin'
No more HIV; no more tweakin'
No more drugs or immune systems bein' weakened
Just happy times and half-assed rhymes
And mimes 'cause mimes are dears
But most of all I want no more tears
[Verse 2]
No more bad times; no more bummers
No more SUVs and no more Hummers
No more racism; no more discrimination
No more fat dumb fucks keepin' people out of our nation
We're all one big band across this land and we should sing in tune
Let's grow the balls to break the walls, we've got to do it soon
[Outro]
But most of all I want:
No more tears; no more cryin'
@marx819
Rejoice, rejoice God's ears are stitches
Rejoice, His eyes are big X's
Rejoice, His arms are burning witches
Rejoice, His hands perform hexes
Rejoice despite the fact this world will hurt you
Rejoice despite the fact this world will kill you
Rejoice despite the fact this world will tear you to shreds
Rejoice because you're trying your best
Rejoice, the bed you sleep in is burning
Rejoice, the sky's fucking falling
Rejoice, the world we know is turning
Rejoice, your father's been calling
Rejoice although this world will devastate you
Rejoice although this world will penetrate you
Rejoice although you will not survive
Rejoice you'll never make it out alive
Rejoice, your hair it smells like burning hair
Oh rejoice, your nails all got chewed off
Rejoice, and - holy fuck! - you're bleeding there
Oh rejoice, you burned your whole beard off
Rejoice despite the fact this world will hurt you
Rejoice despite the fact this world will kill you
Rejoice despite the fact this world will tear you to shreds
Rejoice because you're trying your best
@blackbear0075
BELLS & WHISTLES LYRICS
[Intro]
Woah oh oh oh oh oh oh
Woah oh oh oh oh oh oh
Woah oh oh oh oh oh
Ohhhh, woah oh
Oh
[Verse]
I have often wondered if a pregnant woman is decapitated
Will the baby survive?
Will the baby survive?
Oh ho ho
And I have also wondered if that baby lives his life
What kind of life will the baby lead?
And will the baby ever be happy?
No, his heart will be bloated and swollen
Just like his soul
Too big to fit in his body
And I don't think that I can take it
And I don't think that you can take it
And I know that he sure as hell can't take it
So we all go
So we all go
So we all go
Woah oh oh oh oh oh oh
Woah oh oh oh oh oh oh
Woah oh oh oh oh oh
Ohhhh, woah oh
Oh
[Outro]
Woah oh oh oh oh oh oh
@blackbear0075
BAD BAD THINGS LYRICS
[Verse 1]
Do you remember me?
I killed your family
And now I am going to kill you too
I made your brother bleed
I made your father scream
And I made your mother say those things that she said to me
[Chorus 1]
She said, "Do with me what you want, but please don't hurt my family, don't hurt my family
Take my pride, take my life, take my body but don't take the ones that are close to me
Oh, do with me what you want, but please don't hurt my family, don't hurt my family
Take my pride, take my life, take my body but don't take the ones that I love."
And I continued without mercy
[Verse 2]
So I looked into your eyes
And I saw the reflection
Of a coward that you and I both hate very much
And then I grabbed a knife
And I let the blood out of your throat
And I smashed those tiny mirrors inside of your skull
And I got to thinking
[Chorus 2]
If I don't go to Hell when I die I might go to Heaven
If I don't go to Hell when I die I might go to Heaven
If I don't go to Hell when I die I might go to Heaven
If I don't go to Hell when I die I might go to Heaven
Might go to Heaven, but probably not
@montyhale1899
A special friend of mine committed suicide a few months ago. He was 27. We road tripped to NYC once, it was my first time going to the city and he couldn’t wait for me to see it. He played Andrew Jackson Jihad for hours on that trip, the whole time telling me all about the lyrics and history. He could talk forever about the things he loved. I have his DIY vest now, it has an AJJ patch on it. I’m thankful for that. It reminds me of that trip and his relentless passion for art and his innate need to share his passion. First time I’m listening to this since his passing. I can feel his spirit in the music.
@killercatO
Hi friend :) Mind I I post your story on twitter?
asking for ein fruend .
@cryforbri9339
freund
@rayceleste4018
Woah dude. My brother was a crazy big fan too. I remember hearing him scream all these twisted lyrics in his room every night. He killed himself about four years ago now, he was only 15. The be honest, when I first started reading your comment I thought you might’ve been one of his old friends sharing his story haha. Stay strong dude.
@yearzer0
Most wholesome comment ive seen on yt. Rep that vest every chance you get
@andreahighsides7756
Monty Hale Sorry for your loss. Everyones loss (@the other commenter).
Theres some beauty in these stories somewhere. May the fallen rip
@Cooki66
I adore how this album was made specifically to yell at people for being shit
@cjsmith4424
And then the last song says they r good😂
@doortonowhere8026
@Cj Smith i think the last song is supposed to mean people should love each other as much as they can even if theyre stains on the earth
@felixsonofscouty
@doortonowhere I disagree, I think it is saying that even though there is badness and shitty people in the world, it doesn't mean that everyone is a piece of shit.