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!
Evil
Andrew Jackson Jihad Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
No one will know how evil I really am
'Cause I like to wear disguises
And I like to disguise my plans
No one will know how evil I really am
And no one will know truly how I feel
And no one will know how I truly feel
Between what is fake and what is real
I don't know how I feel
I was born in a hospital
My first two days were spent in the care of nuns
But my mother found it in her
To go ahead and take me back
And I love her
And I will always appreciate bad days like this
Because they grant me a point of reference in regards to my happiness
And although I feel cold and empty one day
I hope I can feel warm and full
Stand with honor, and comfort, and dignity
This song by Andrew Jackson Jihad, titled "Evil," explores the emotions and thoughts of a person who feels misunderstood and hidden. The first two stanzas describe how the singer hides his true identity and thoughts, using disguises and a lack of clarity between real and fake emotions. He feels like an inherently dark person but hides it from the rest of the world.
When the lyrics shift to discussing his birth and upbringing, it becomes apparent that the singer may have feelings of abandonment or disconnection from his early life. But he expresses love and appreciation for his mother, who took him back after he was in the care of nuns. The final few lines suggest that despite his struggles with feeling empty and hollow, he hopes to find warmth, honor, and dignity in the future.
Overall, the song seems to be a reflection on the human tendency to hide parts of oneself from others and the consequences of that behavior. The singer recognizes that he is not inherently good but hopes to find a way to live his life with positivity and honor.
Line by Line Meaning
No one will know how evil I really am
The singer likes to wear disguises and keep their true intentions hidden
'Cause I like to wear disguises
The singer enjoys hiding their true identity
And I like to disguise my plans
The singer enjoys keeping people guessing about their intentions
No one will know how evil I really am
The artist enjoys being enigmatic and mysterious
And no one will know how I truly feel
The artist has lost touch with their emotions
'Cause I can no longer differentiate
The singer has difficulty distinguishing between real and fake emotions
Between what is fake and what is real
The singer has difficulty separating truth from fiction
I don't know how I feel
The artist is confused about their emotions
I was born in a hospital
The artist is reflecting on their origins
My first two days were spent in the care of nuns
The artist was briefly cared for by nuns after birth
But my mother found it in her
The singer's mother chose to take care of them
To go ahead and take me back
The artist's mother decided to raise them
And I love her
The singer has an appreciation for their mother
And I will always appreciate bad days like this
The singer sees value in experiencing difficult times
Because they grant me a point of reference in regards to my happiness
Through experiencing bad days, the singer better understands joy
And although I feel cold and empty one day
The artist sometimes feels unfulfilled
I hope I can feel warm and full
The artist hopes to experience satisfaction
Stand with honor, and comfort, and dignity
The singer wants to live with pride and respect
Contributed by Violet N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
steroalt
No one will know how evil I really am
No one will know how evil I really am
'Cause I like to wear disguises
And I like to disguise my plans
No one will know how evil I really am
And no one will know truly how I feel
And no one will know how I truly feel
'Cause I can no longer differentiate
Between what is fake and what is real
I don't know how I feel
I was born in a hospital
My first two days were spent in the care of nuns
But my mother found it in her
To go ahead and take me back
And I love her
And I will always appreciate bad days like this
Because they grant me a point of reference in regards to my happiness
And although I feel cold and empty one day
I hope I can feel warm and full
Stand with honor, and comfort, and dignity
steroalt
No one will know how evil I really am
No one will know how evil I really am
'Cause I like to wear disguises
And I like to disguise my plans
No one will know how evil I really am
And no one will know truly how I feel
And no one will know how I truly feel
'Cause I can no longer differentiate
Between what is fake and what is real
I don't know how I feel
I was born in a hospital
My first two days were spent in the care of nuns
But my mother found it in her
To go ahead and take me back
And I love her
And I will always appreciate bad days like this
Because they grant me a point of reference in regards to my happiness
And although I feel cold and empty one day
I hope I can feel warm and full
Stand with honor, and comfort, and dignity
patrick kinnear
I think this song is true for everyone. We all have a part of ourselves we don't share with the world.
Sean L
This is such a confessional song; it’s so beautiful.
Norah2AlS
"And I will always appreciate bad days like this Because they grant me a point of reference in regards to my happiness"
Chars Veldt
Ain't that the truth
rainy daze
andrew jackson jihad. you are seriously a great discovery for all. thank you for being my tunes for the past few years!
dale derkums
i listened to this after hearing unfortunate news, and i felt enlighted and better than ever, such a powerful song!
heartilation
No one will know how evil I really am. :) This band is amazing.
Elliot K.
No one will know truly how i feel
No one will know how i truly feel
I can no longer differentiate between what is fake and what is real
I don't know how I feel
uh
someone finally put it in words