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)
babylon
Backyard Babies Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Boy,you are ugly and your girlfriend needs a man
We were sittin' in our car in a traffic jam
And some guy screams,200 bucks a gram!
Shut up!
No we won't shut up
Babylon,babblin' on and on
Pussycat shut up! [x 2]
You wake up late for school
And you don't wanna go
You ask your mom,please,but she still says no
Went outside,said,your place not mine
Chop 'em out,baby,'cause I need another line!
Shut up!
No we won't shut up
We're just babblin' on and on
Babylon,babblin' on and on
Caught in Bel Air with Chippy and Biffy
And someone says,hey guys,you want some sniffy?
On the trigger was a punch and we put a spanish fly
Biffy's without spot and Chippy's on my tigh
Shut up!
No we wont' shut up
We're just babblin' on and on
Babylon,babblin' on and on
Pussycat shut up! [x 3]
You boys,you're disgusting
Shut up!
Yeah,shut the fuck up...
The song "Babylon" by Backyard Babies is a reckless rock anthem that embodies youth rebellion and the thrill of breaking social norms. The opening line of the song, "Livin' on the road is so much fun," sets the tone for the high-energy, devil-may-care attitude that characterizes the rest of the lyrics. The band uses exaggerated imagery and vivid wordplay to capture the excitement and chaos of a wild night out. The line "Boy, you are ugly and your girlfriend needs a man" is a blunt example of the brash humor that pervades the song. The lyrics also touch on the theme of drug use, with references to traffic jam drug deals and cocaine use. However, the band doesn't seem to be taking a moral stance on the issue. Instead, they use drugs as another symbol of youthful rebellion, adding to the overall wild, anything-goes energy of the song. The repeated lines of "Shut up!" throughout the song act as both a call to action for the listener to join in, and a reminder that the band isn't interested in conforming to anyone else's expectations.
Overall, "Babylon" is an uncompromising rock song that celebrates youth rebellion and the thrill of breaking rules. It's a song that's meant to be blasted at maximum volume, and to inspire the listener to let loose and join in the mayhem.
Line by Line Meaning
Livin' on the road is so much fun
Traveling from place to place is enjoyable and exciting
Boy,you are ugly and your girlfriend needs a man
Insulting the appearance of a man and suggesting his girlfriend needs someone more masculine
We were sittin' in our car in a traffic jam
Stuck in a congested road, unable to move forward
And some guy screams,200 bucks a gram!
A stranger yells the price of drugs
Shut up!
Expression of annoyance
No we won't shut up
Refusal to be silenced
We're just babblin' on and on
Talking endlessly without a specific topic or purpose
Babylon,babblin' on and on
Refers to the chaos of the city and the people being unable to communicate with each other
Pussycat shut up! [x 2]
Derogatory name-calling and insulting women
You wake up late for school
Oversleeping and missing classes
And you don't wanna go
Feeling lazy and unmotivated to attend school
You ask your mom,please,but she still says no
Requesting permission from a parent but being denied the request
Went outside,said,your place not mine
Making a request to do drugs at a different location
Chop 'em out,baby,'cause I need another line!
Cutting up drugs to consume them
Caught in Bel Air with Chippy and Biffy
Being caught with friends named Chippy and Biffy in a specific area
And someone says,hey guys,you want some sniffy?
Being offered drugs by a stranger
On the trigger was a punch and we put a spanish fly
Reacting aggressively to the offer of drugs and using violence
Biffy's without spot and Chippy's on my tigh
Describing injurious effects of Spanish fly drug consumption
Pussycat shut up! [x 3]
Continuing to degrade and belittle women
You boys, you're disgusting
Being called out for inappropriate and offensive behavior
Shut up!
Expressing disapproval and disgust with the person's actions
Yeah, shut the fuck up...
Using aggressive language to demand silence
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Andrew Phipps Phillips
Awesome band and a privilege to support when they were promoting Total 13
Stig Gabriel Steff Normann Mortensen
she's 100 years dead but she still c(r)eeps
babylon on. !!! WTF !!!
punkrock NEVER dies.
Rocki91
Nancie and Annie if you are here:
You guys are still awesome.
Freedom n' Motorhead
This is a cover from LA sleaze rock band Faster Pussycat.