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)
Shame
Backyard Babies Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I can't feel my bones
I've been down all the time
I would not even feel
If a train came crushin' into my soul
Don't blow me away
Sometimes I need some piece of mind
Sometimes I get so sick of it all
I would not even feel
If a train came crushin' into my soul
Shame, shame you blew me away
I don't need no sister to cry for me
I need someone to please
But I don't need to go down in flames
I can't get my feet on the ground
Jumping around with the devil in my vein
Some motherfucker tried to hold me down with love and chains
I would not feel
If a train came crushin' into my soul
Shame, shame you blew me away
I don't need no brother to cry for me
'Cause I need someone to please
But I don't need to go down in flames
You like to see when I fly down below
Why don't you borrow my eyes so you can see what I see
What I see
What I see
What I see
Now, look what you're done
It's a shame, shame you blew me away
I don't need no sister to cry for me
I need someone to please
But I don't need to go down in flames
Shame you blew me away
I don't need no brother to cry for me
'Cause I need someone to please
But I don't need, no, I don't need
It's not the end of the world when the sun goes down
Rise and shine, people, and realize the shocking truth
You all need some resurrection
To rise up the thin road of secret action
And, now get this into your head
Diesel and power, a truck, a church of love
Where the priest is gasoline and the devil is behind the wheel
Try to break this psycho circus on steel
I've born to lose, born to ride
And this is how we all look
No trespassing and no way back
This is a one-way, motherfuckin' track
So do you wanna come with me, bitch
Well, it's a shame
"Shame" by Backyard Babies is a visceral, hard-hitting rock song about the struggle to maintain control over one's life when everything seems to be falling apart. The opening verse paints a bleak picture of a person who is so beaten down that they are numb to the world around them. The imagery of a train coming to crush their soul is powerful, conveying a sense of overwhelming force and inevitability. The chorus repeats the word "shame" and suggests that something or someone has caused the singer to feel this way, but they refuse to be broken by it.
The second verse shifts the focus to the singer's internal struggles. They feel like they're jumping around with the devil in their veins, unable to get their feet on the ground. There is a sense of frustration with those who try to hold them back with "love and chains", which could refer to a toxic relationship or a sense of obligation to someone else's expectations. The bridge of the song is a call to action, urging the listener to rise up and take control of their life rather than being crushed by outside forces. The final line, "So do you wanna come with me, bitch", is a direct challenge to anyone who would stand in the way of the singer's goals.
Line by Line Meaning
I've been down too many times
The singer has faced many challenges in life and feels depleted
I can't feel my bones
The singer's struggles have left them numb and disconnected
I've been down all the time
Their struggles have persisted for a significant period
I would not even feel
If a train came crushin' into my soul
The singer feels emotionally desensitized even to drastic negative outcomes
Don't blow me away
The singer asks not to be further damaged by external factors
Sometimes I need some piece of mind
The singer occasionally seeks emotional relief
Shakin' like a dog left behind
They feel unsettled and neglected, like a dog left alone
Sometimes I get so sick of it all
The singer reaches a point of exhaustion with their struggles
Shame, shame you blew me away
The singer feels regretful and let down by someone or something
I don't need no sister to cry for me
The singer doesn't want pity or sympathy
I need someone to please
But I don't need to go down in flames
The singer desires support but not at the cost of their own well-being
I can't get my feet on the ground
The singer feels unsteady and directionless
Jumping around with the devil in my vein
The singer feels out of control and consumed by inner turmoil
Some motherfucker tried to hold me down with love and chains
The singer feels oppressed by someone who claims to care about them
You like to see when I fly down below
The singer feels exploited by someone who enjoys their struggles
Why don't you borrow my eyes so you can see what I see
What I see
What I see
Now, look what you're done
The singer invites the perpetrator to see the consequences of their actions
It's not the end of the world when the sun goes down
The singer suggests that things may not always seem as bad as they feel
Rise and shine, people, and realize the shocking truth
The singer encourages listeners to face reality
You all need some resurrection
To rise up the thin road of secret action
The singer suggests that listeners need a revival to bring positive change
Diesel and power, a truck, a church of love
Where the priest is gasoline and the devil is behind the wheel
Try to break this psycho circus on steel
The singer uses vivid imagery to describe their experience of life as chaotic and dangerous
I've born to lose, born to ride
And this is how we all look
No trespassing and no way back
This is a one-way, motherfuckin' track
The singer embraces their fate as being filled with struggle and danger
So do you wanna come with me, bitch
The singer questions if anyone would be willing to face their difficult life with them
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ANDREAS TYRONE SVENSSON, NIKLAS ROGER BORG
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind