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)
Fuck Off and Die
Backyard Babies Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Open up the book and rip the bad pages out
God I'm so sorry for the bad things I have done
Satan don't you worry I still owe you one
So leave now cause I´m gonna stay
I´m gonna stay for judgement day
Fuck off and die! - You´re the evil in my eye
Fuck off and die! - time to say goodbye
I´m just about to get even with you
But what else can I do
When my nightmare becomes true
This time I know the bullet's meant to be shot
A peaceful way of war to let my sad bastards rot
Hell I've been black n' blue trying to paint it all white
Heaven can you hear me? I'm up for the fight
So leave now cause I´m gonna stay
I´m gonna stay for judgement day
Fuck off and die! - You´re the evil in my eye
Fuck off and die! - time to say goodbye
I´m just about to get even with you
But what else can I do
When my nightmare becomes true
last night I do regret I even got up
Said to many things hard in evil to top
Hate seems to mather to much when I´m down on the ground
Love to be collected at the lost and found
The lyrics to Backyard Babies' song "Fuck Off And Die" are about getting even with someone who has caused harm and pain to the singer. The song opens with a declaration that the singer is going to let it all out, including ripping the bad pages out of their book, likely referring to the sins they've committed. They apologize to God for those bad things, but tell Satan they still owe them one. The lyric "leave now cause I'm gonna stay" indicates that the singer is ready to fight back and face judgment day if necessary. The chorus is a defiant message to the person the singer is addressing, telling them to "fuck off and die" - their presence is the evil in the singer's eye, and it's time to say goodbye.
The second verse reinforces the idea that the singer is ready for a fight, saying that the bullet is meant to be shot - a metaphor for whatever action they need to take to handle the situation, even if it isn't strictly peaceful. They lament the difficulty of painting everything white when they've been black and blue, but make it clear that they're up for the fight. The bridge section of the song reflects on regret from the previous night, when the singer said things they're not proud of. It concludes with the idea that love can be collected at the lost and found, presumably meaning that even though things are tough, they can still find some hope and positivity.
Line by Line Meaning
This time I think I'm gonna let it all out
I am about to express myself fully and honestly
Open up the book and rip the bad pages out
I am ready to eliminate the negative and harmful aspects of my life
God I'm so sorry for the bad things I have done
I acknowledge my mistakes and express remorse towards them
Satan don't you worry I still owe you one
Despite my effort to do better, I am still connected to darkness and negativity
Fuck off and die! - You´re the evil in my eye
I reject and condemn the harmful influence of this person in my life
Fuck off and die! - time to say goodbye
It is time to cut ties with this person and move on
I´m just about to get even with you
I am seeking revenge against this person for their wrongdoings
But what else can I do
When my nightmare becomes true
Despite my desire to move on, I feel trapped and unable to escape this toxic situation
This time I know the bullet's meant to be shot
I am prepared to take aggressive action to address this problem
A peaceful way of war to let my sad bastards rot
I am seeking a non-violent, but still forceful, means of defeating my enemies
Hell I've been black n' blue trying to paint it all white
I have endured hardship and pain in my attempt to make things better
Heaven can you hear me? I'm up for the fight
I am praying for guidance and strength in my struggle against this evil
last night I do regret I even got up
I feel regret and shame for my actions in the past
Said to many things hard in evil to top
I have said hurtful and negative things that are hard to take back or undo
Hate seems to mather to much when I´m down on the ground
In times of weakness or vulnerability, my anger and hatred become amplified
Love to be collected at the lost and found
I am seeking love and positivity to replace the negativity in my life
Contributed by Layla A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
BLUES WAS THE CATALYST
Best band in this style that I've discovered since GNR. I come across the Darkness before I stumbled onto this mob and yet this Backyard Babies have been around for a couple of years longer. They are really good.
Tom Edwards
The wah in this makes a solo consisting of about 4 notes and 4 bends sound pretty decent.
pudelrock92
A perfekt song to to take out your aggressivitet, & it so damn good!!
Bluefox1978
I've been following you for 25 years and never have let me down! Keep rocking also when end up in a wheelchair in an old peoples home! Luv you! :)
Tiago Pacheco
BR AQUI, SAUDADES DESSA ÉPOCA!
Jordy
Love it!
Jenni Voncken
Haven't heard it in a long time and still know the lyrics :-)
Aaron Whence
Total awesomeness starts at 2:06 <3
HarrymegamanDJ
Awesome song!
I love the shadows in the video
Marika Lahdenperä
One of my favourites <3