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)
Robber Of Life
Backyard Babies Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I've been every god damn where
You're a robber of life
And if you were a woman would you be my wife
I'm no loser in the end
Don't tell me that you understand
'Cause everything is just a frame
I'm no sucker you can bend
I've got a rendezvous in hell
Life for me is just a game
Where everybody's crazy!
I know that Jesus was a fool
Maybe he was kinda wool
But I don't know what to do no more
When everybody's crazy
I've been here, been there
I've been every motherfuckin' where
You're a robber of life
And if you were a woman you would be my wife, I swear
Tonight you want to do some
Tonight you want to be one
One of 'em guys who sold their souls
For the rock n' roll remote control
You switch your channel and do what you're told
I can't lie, I won't cry
But maybe I'll meet him before I die
Too soon it's too late, man
Am I angel or concrete hate?
But I got horns and I got wings
But I won't fly until my angel sings for me
They say fly, they sing
They say die, I say why?
But I won't let 'em in the ring
It's gonna take some time 'til my angel sings
The lyrics of Backyard Babies' song "Robber of Life" are contemplative in nature and reflect on the complexities of life. The verse "I've been here, been there, I've been every god damn where, you're a robber of life, and if you were a woman would you be my wife" suggests that the singer has experienced many things in life but still feels that something or someone is taking away the essence of life. The use of the phrase "robber of life" implies that life has been taken away forcefully or without permission. The singer seems to be looking for someone to share his life with, even if it means living with the "robber of life".
The chorus of the song, "I'm no loser in the end, don't tell me you understand, 'cause everything is just a frame, come on, I'm no sucker you can bend", showcases the singer’s resilience and unwillingness to be defeated by the "robber of life". The phrase "everything is just a frame" suggests that life can be seen as a series of pictures and the way one frames these images can either make or break them. Although the singer has faced challenges, he refuses to let them define him or bring him down.
The lyrics reference Jesus and the singer questions whether he was foolish to believe in him. He seems to be struggling with a sense of confusion and hopelessness, a sentiment that comes through in the line "But I don't know what to do no more, when everybody's crazy." The last few lines suggest that despite the challenges, the singer believes that he will eventually find his way and be able to live life to its fullest when his angel sings.
Line by Line Meaning
I've been here, been there
I've had a lot of experiences, been to many places
I've been every god damn where
I've been absolutely everywhere
You're a robber of life
You take away the joy from life
And if you were a woman would you be my wife
If you were a woman, would you be my partner in life?
I'm no loser in the end
I won't end up as a loser
Don't tell me that you understand
Don't try to act like you know what I'm going through
'Cause everything is just a frame
Everything is just an illusion
Come on
Let's go
I'm no sucker you can bend
I'm not easily fooled or influenced
I've got a rendezvous in hell
I have a date with fate, and it's not looking good
Life for me is just a game
Life is like a game to me
Where everybody's crazy!
Where everyone is insane
I know that Jesus was a fool
I think Jesus was foolish
Maybe he was kinda wool
Maybe he was somewhat naive or gullible
But I don't know what to do no more
I don't know what to do anymore
When everybody's crazy
When everyone around me is insane
You're a robber of life
You take away the joy from life
And if you were a woman you would be my wife, I swear
If you were a woman, I would want you as my partner for life
Tonight you want to do some
Tonight you want to have some fun
Tonight you want to be one
Tonight you want to be part of something
One of 'em guys who sold their souls
One of those people who gave up everything for fame and success
For the rock n' roll remote control
For the power and influence that comes with rock and roll
You switch your channel and do what you're told
You change your mind easily and follow orders
I can't lie, I won't cry
I can't pretend, and I won't shed tears
But maybe I'll meet him before I die
Maybe I'll encounter destiny or fate before I pass away
Too soon it's too late, man
It's too early and too late at the same time
Am I angel or concrete hate?
Am I good or bad?
But I got horns and I got wings
I have both good and bad qualities
But I won't fly until my angel sings for me
But I won't take action until I feel inspired or guided
They say fly, they sing
They encourage me to take action, they inspire me
They say die, I say why?
They tell me to give up, but I question why
But I won't let 'em in the ring
But I won't let them control me
It's gonna take some time 'til my angel sings
It will take some time before I feel inspired to take action
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: NIKLAS ROGER BORG
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind