History
Formed in 1987, Backyard Babies originally consisted of singer/bassist Tobbe (Tobias Fischer), guitarist Dregen, guitarist Johan Blomqvist, and drummer Peder Carlsson. They were then called Tyrant and played several live shows in their local area and recorded a rough demo. Tobbe was soon replaced by frontman Nicke Borg on vocals and guitar, and Blomqvist switched to bass. Fischer went on to be a professional photographer and web designer in Stockholm, continuing to work occasionally with his old bandmates.
In 1989, the band changed their name to Backyard Babies and recorded two more demos and did a national tour of Sweden. The band self-released a debut EP titled Something to Swallow. This got them signed in 1993 by Swedish label Megarock Records.
Backyard Babies released their debut album Diesel & Power in 1994. The music on it took influences from rock, punk, and blues. In addition to the album, the band also released the single "Electric Suzy" with a cover of "Taxi Driver" by Hanoi Rocks as the B-side. After touring with former Hanoi Rocks members in Demolition 23 and doing a short headline tour in late 1995, premiering new songs that remain unreleased, the band was put on hiatus, as guitarist Dregen formed the garage rock band The Hellacopters. Dregen appeared on two albums with the Hellacopters" Supershitty to the Max! (1996) and Payin' the Dues (1997).
The Backyard Babies reunited in 1997, with a new record contract with MVG Records. They recorded their most critically acclaimed album, Total 13. Critics compared the album favorably to the New York Dolls, Ramones, and The Damned. They toured the United Kingdom with good response. A single was released from the album, "Bombed (Out of My Mind)", with the B-side "Rocker" featuring a duet with Hanoi Rocks frontman Michael Monroe. Their next single was the self-released "Is It Still Alright to Smile?". The B-side of the single was a cover of the Faster Pussycat track "Babylon" featuring guest appearances from Ginger of the Wildhearts and Nicke Andersson who had played with Dregen in the Hellacopters. In 1998, the band toured the United Kingdom once more, this time in support of Alice Cooper.
After the collaboration on the song "Babylon", Dregen, Ginger, and Nicke Andersson formed the side project Supershit 666, which released a six-track EP in 1999. Dregen returned to the Backyard Babies soon after as the band took off for another tour of the United Kingdom, this time in support of AC/DC.
The Babies recorded a follow-up to Total 13, titled Making Enemies is Good which has been described by some critics as a more "controlled chaos" approach than their previous effort. Two of the singles from it were hits "The Clash" and "Brand New Hate", the latter of which was co-written with Ginger. They toured in support of the album with Motörhead.
On 15 October 2002, Backyard Babies guitarist Dregen was on the front pages of Swedish national newspapers. After returning home from a club where he was DJing, he and his friend were assaulted, robbed, and knocked unconscious. Dregen suffered a broken jaw but the band continued recording their next album; Stockholm Syndrome. The album, released in 2003, was viewed by some fans as a return towards a more energetic and raw sound. The album won them a Swedish Grammy. The album spawned three singles, "Minus Celsius", "A Song for the Outcast" and "Friends".
During 2005, the band toured the United States (with openers The Chelsea Smiles & Crash Kelly) and Europe alongside Social Distortion. The album People Like People Like People Like Us, produced by Nicke Andersson of The Hellacopters, was released in 2006. It spawned two singles: "The Mess Age (How Could I Be So Wrong)" and "Dysfunctional Professional". A self-titled album was released in August 2008. The first single was "Fuck Off and Die". The second single "Degenerated" is supported by an animated video clip. Their self-titled 2008 album reached number 1 on the Swedish albums chart.
The compilation album Them XX was released in 2009 to honor the band's 20th anniversary. The accompanying tour was rumored to be their last. After a hiatus, the band reconvened with an announcement in May 2014. Their 2015 album Four by Four reached number 2 on the Swedish albums chart. In September 2018 they played at the Hard Rock Hell Sleaze festival in Sheffield, England. The band released their eighth studio album, Sliver & Gold, in 2019. In 2022, in an interview with The Sound Lab, Dregen confirmed Backyard Babies were on hiatus due to commitments with The Hellacopters but there were plans to create more music in the future.
Discography
Diesel & Power (1994)
Total 13 (1998)
Making Enemies Is Good (2001)
Stockholm Syndrome (2003)
People Like People Like People Like Us (2006)
Backyard Babies (2008)
Four by Four (2015)
Sliver & Gold (2019)
Come Undone
Backyard Babies Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You're happy, you're sad
Your mom and dad don't want you like that
You're fucked, you're fine
You suck when you're singned
And your DNA is always divine
You do achieve
But did you agree to taki it all back?
Na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na
You're day and night
You're wrong and right
And you breathe the air from God knows where
Gas or grass?
To puff or pass?
You inhale the blow for a maximum low
Na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na
I know... I know it's hard to believe
I've come undone
C'mon break me, C'mon break me
I know... I know it's hard to believe
I've come undone
C'mon break me, C'mon break me
You're good, you're bad
You're cool, you're mad
You are solid gold in a body sack
Don't let me down
But love me true
I'm beaten, broken, faded and blue
You're such a pig
And you are the dirt
And you know all about how it is to be hurt
So let me take your world apart again
You with the cash and me with the stahs
We gamled and won
But I'm second to none
You're good, you're bad
And today you are glad
Your mom and dad don't want you like that
The lyrics of Backyard Babies' song "Come Undone" reflect on the paradoxical nature of a human being, highlighting how people can resonate with opposite characters and emotions. The first verse signifies how a person can embody polarizing traits such as being happy and sad, good and bad, etc. They are stuck in between the contradictory personality traits, not accepted by even their parents who do not want them to be like that. The second verse focuses on how the person can inhale both gas or grass, take in the good or bad, and yet reside in the grey areas of life. The line "You inhale the blow for a maximum low" points out how people in distress often adopt harmful habits to cope with their emotions.
The chorus "I know... I know it's hard to believe, I've come undone" suggests that the person is admitting they are falling apart, that they are struggling to hold on to themselves. The lines "But love me true, I'm beaten, broken, faded, and blue" symbolize their vulnerability and the desperate plea for someone to show understanding towards them.
This song was released in 2001 under the album "Making Enemies is Good". Backyard Babies has a massive following in Sweden and are often credited as one of the pioneers of punk rock in their country.
Line by Line Meaning
You're good, you're bad
You have both good and bad qualities
You're happy, you're sad
You experience both happiness and sadness
Your mom and dad don't want you like that
Your parents do not want you to be that way
You're fucked, you're fine
Sometimes you are in trouble, sometimes you are okay
You suck when you're singned
Your performance suffers when you are under pressure
And your DNA is always divine
Your natural qualities are always extraordinary
You do believe
You have faith in something
You do achieve
You are successful in your endeavors
But did you agree to taking it all back?
Did you consent to giving up everything you have accomplished?
You're day and night
You experience opposing emotions
You're wrong and right
You may be correct or incorrect
And you breathe the air from God knows where
You breathe air from an unknown source
Gas or grass?
Are you willing to pay for gas or give something in return?
To puff or pass?
Do you want to smoke or not?
You inhale the blow for a maximum low
You take drugs to get a stronger high
I know... I know it's hard to believe
I understand it is difficult to accept
I've come undone
I have fallen apart
C'mon break me, C'mon break me
Please destroy me
You're cool, you're mad
You can be both calm and angry
You are solid gold in a body sack
You have great value despite your physical form
Don't let me down
Please don't disappoint me
But love me true
Please love me sincerely
I'm beaten, broken, faded and blue
I am defeated, damaged, worn out, and unhappy
You're such a pig
You behave in a greedy and selfish manner
And you are the dirt
You are the epitome of low and despicable behavior
And you know all about how it is to be hurt
You are aware of the pain of being injured
So let me take your world apart again
Allow me to destroy your reality once more
You with the cash and me with the stahs
You have money and I have celebrity status
We gamled and won
We took a risk and emerged victorious
But I'm second to none
I am the best and no one can surpass me
And today you are glad
You feel delighted today
Contributed by Cameron E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.