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)
Hey I'm Sorry
Backyard Babies Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I walked in the other day
Hands up, down on the floor
If you want to live some more
Live some more, some more
With my shaky legs and a messed up heart
My plans didn´t work out that smart
So I wouldn´t get caught
Wouldn´t get caught, wouldn´t get caught, it´s not smart!
Let´s go
Let´s go
That´s right
Hey, I´m sorry that you didn´t get paid today
Why don´t you come back another day
Let´s go
That´s right
Got rid of my clothes & I cut my hair
Plan be was just so unfair
I got myself to thank for all that spank
'Cause I left a finger right in the bank
Hey, I´m sorry that you didn´t get paid today
Why don´t you come back another day
Hey, I´m sorry that you didn´t get paid today
Why don´t you come back another day
I said, hey, I´m sorry that you didn´t get paid today
Why don´t you come back another day
Why don´t you come back another day
You´re welcome back another day
The song Hey I'm Sorry by Backyard Babies explores the theme of regret and apologizing for one's mistakes. The opening verse sets a scene of a failed robbery attempt, as the singer describes himself and his partner entering the scene with "plastic guns" like "father & son." The hesitation and uncertainty of the singer are emphasized in the following line "my plans didn't work out that smart," highlighting the lack of planning and organization that leads to failure in their robbery attempt. The chorus features the singer apologizing to someone who didn't get paid that day, urging them to "come back another day." The song ends with the repeated refrain of "why don't you come back another day," indicating a desire for redemption and a chance to make things right.
The lyrics in the song are intentionally ambiguous, and it is unclear who the singer is apologizing to. The use of the second-person pronoun "you" throughout the song is open-ended and could be directed to anyone. The line "I left a finger right in the bank" adds a macabre element to the song, suggesting that the singer may have resorted to violence or severe measures in his robbery attempt.
Line by Line Meaning
With my plastic gun like father & son
I came into the situation with a sense of power and control, as if I inherited it from my father
I walked in the other day
I arrived at a place unexpectedly
Hands up, down on the floor
I demanded that someone surrender and submit to me
If you want to live some more
I threatened someone's life and gave them a chance to comply in order to survive
Live some more, some more
I re-emphasized the desire for the person to stay alive by complying with my demands
With my shaky legs and a messed up heart
I was nervous and scared about the situation, not confident in my actions
My plans didn´t work out that smart
I didn't fully think through my actions and it led to complications
I had to drive two blocks more
I made a last-minute change to avoid being caught or seen
So I wouldn´t get caught
I was afraid of the consequences of my actions and didn't want to get in trouble
Wouldn´t get caught, wouldn´t get caught, it´s not smart!
I repeated my fear of getting caught and emphasized the stupidity of it
Hey, I´m sorry that you didn´t get paid today
I apologize for not being able to fulfill someone's expectations or needs
Why don´t you come back another day
I offer a chance for someone to come back and receive what they were hoping for in the future
Got rid of my clothes & I cut my hair
I changed my appearance in order to evade consequences or break free from a certain identity
Plan be was just so unfair
I had to resort to a backup plan or an alternate route that was unjust or unfavorable
I got myself to thank for all that spank
I accept responsibility for the consequences of my actions
'Cause I left a finger right in the bank
I left tangible evidence behind that could incriminate me
Let´s go
I express a desire to leave or move on from the current situation
That´s right
I emphasize my confidence in my decision or actions
I said, hey, I´m sorry that you didn´t get paid today
I repeat my apology for not being able to provide what someone wanted or needed
Why don´t you come back another day
I reiterate the chance for someone to return in the future and potentially receive what they were hoping for
You´re welcome back another day
I extend an invitation for someone to come back and try again in the future
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ANDREAS SVENSSON, ANDREAS TYRONE SVENSSON, PEDER CARLSSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind