Greg Graffin, the band's frontman, holds a Master's degree in geology from UCLA and a Ph.D. in zoology from Cornell University. His dissertation for Cornell was a comprehensive study of how modern scientists, especially those who believe in strict Darwinism, view theism and religion, and how their own religious beliefs, if any, affect their study and work. He has since published it for fans of the band.
In 1983, Bad Religion released into the unknown, a keyboard-driven psychedelic rock album that was enormously unpopular among the band's core fan base. It is now out of print, and generally disowned by the band. However, in past years it has become a collectors item, and has gained some acceptance from fans. It now can be seen going for more than $100 on eBay, and is often pirated.
In 1984, Greg Hetson (Circle Jerks) replaced Gurewitz. Bad Religion returned to a somewhat mellower, rock and roll version of their original sound with the back to the known, but they disbanded soon after.
The band reformed in 1987 and released suffer in 1988, cementing their comeback in the punk community. Not only is this album considered one of their best by most fans, but it is often credited with "saving" the Southern Californian punk rock scene by fans and Bad Religion's contemporaries alike.
no control (1989) and against the grain (1990) further increased the band's popularity, followed by generator (1992). Before the recording sessions for the latter album commenced, drummer Pete Finestone left the band in to focus on his other band, The Fishermen. Bobby Schayer joined the band as his replacement. recipe for hate (1993) followed shortly thereafter.
With alternative rock breaking into the mainstream, Bad Religion left Epitaph for major label Atlantic and quickly re-released Recipe for Hate on the major label. 1994's stranger than fiction followed, but shortly after its release Brett Gurewitz left the band again. Officially, he cited the increasing amount of time he was spending at Epitaph's offices as the Offspring (then a part of the Epitaph roster) became one of the biggest bands of the mid-1990s. But it was well-known that the departure was not on good terms, as he later accused the band of selling out for leaving Epitaph in favor of a major label. Gurewitz recorded a song with his new band The Daredevils entitled "Hate You," reportedly directed towards Jay Bentley. Gurewitz, moreover, was struggling more seriously with heroin and other addictions that had plagued him for years.
Gurewitz was replaced by Brian Baker, former member of bands such as Minor Threat and Dag Nasty. Previously, Graffin and Gurewitz had split songwriting duties, but Gurewitz's departure left Graffin as the band's lone songwriter.
What followed were a series of moderately successful albums, the gray race (1996), no substance (1998), and the new america (2000). As their popularity waned, Bad Religion left Atlantic in 2001 and returned to Epitaph. Bobby Schayer left the band following a serious shoulder injury and was replaced by Brooks Wackerman (Suicidal Tendencies) and Brett Gurewitz rejoined the band in time to record the process of belief (2002). the empire strikes first was in June 2004. Both albums are widely regarded as a return to form for the band.
In 2004, the band released digitally-remastered versions of five of their early albums (How Could Hell Be Any Worse?, Suffer, No Control, Against the Grain, and Generator). The How Could Hell Be Any Worse? re-issue also contained all of their first EP, the Public Service EP (alternative versions of Bad Religion, Slaves and Drastic Actions from the self titled EP) and Back To The Known.
Bad Religion's fourtheenth full-length studio album, titled new maps of hell, was released on July 10, 2007. It debuted at #35 on the U.S. Billboard 200, selling about 21,000 copies in its first week. It was originally intended to be released in 2006, but was pushed back largely due to the release of Graffin's second solo album, cold as the clay and his work at UCLA.
In 2010, Bad Religion released 30 Years Live for the band's 30th anniversary. The album was available for free to subscribers of the Bad Religion mailing list. Later the same year, Bad Religion released their fifteenth studio album, The Dissent of Man. The album took nearly two years to write and record, mainly due to the band's heavy touring schedule.
Brett Gurewitz, who still heads Epitaph Records, still records with the band and plays local shows, but doesn't tour with them. Greg Hetson can still be found at the occasional Circle Jerks show and helped open a bar in LA. Wackerman is working on a side project called The Kidneys. Graffin spends 10 weeks a year teaching two classes (Life Sciences 1 and Earth and Space Sciences 116) at UCLA. Jay Bentley keeps the Bad Religion MySpace page updated.
Boot Stamping on a Human Face Forever
Bad Religion Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It only hurts when I laugh, she said
Sometimes it's never a crime
To spend the day in bed
She made certain that the curtains were red
To drape better by the light they would shed
She leaned back, tilted her head
And this is what she said
You can't win, think it over again
I can't win, look at the trouble I'm in
We can't win and we're stuck here together
Yeah, I hope it will last forever.
Don't ever dare to hope, he said
So I'm never let down too bad
I know there's nowhere to go
So I'll just stay here, instead
He knew better than to pull at a thread
They unravel like the thoughts in his head
He looked out, it filled him with dread
And this is what he said
[Chorus]
With good books and looks on their side
And hearts bursting with national pride
They sang songs that went along for the ride
And the other side complied
They said, "Hey, man, where do you reside?
"And could it be mother's superior lied?
"And is it possible too many have died?"
It's only natural to reply
[Chorus]
The lyrics to Bad Religion's song "Boot Stamping on a Human Face Forever" explore the idea of hopelessness and acceptance of the current state of the world. The song begins with a female voice saying "Drop dead, it doesn't matter," followed by "Sometimes it's never a crime to spend the day in bed," suggesting a sense of apathy towards the outside world. The woman has chosen to create her own reality by closing herself off from the world with red curtains, which she believes will make her feel better. However, the fact remains that things are not better and probably never will be.
The male counterpart in the song also expresses a similar level of pessimism. He says, "Don't ever dare to hope," indicating that hope is a dangerous game to play. He also acknowledges that there is "nowhere to go," so he'll stay where he is. The idea of unraveling thoughts in his head suggests that he is aware of the larger problems in society but feels helpless to do anything about them. In the end, both voices sing the chorus together, "You can't win, think it over again / I can't win, look at the trouble I'm in / We can't win and we're stuck here together / Yeah, I hope it will last forever," indicating that they have accepted defeat and are resigned to their fate.
Line by Line Meaning
Drop dead, it doesn't matter, she said
She feels hopeless and apathetic towards life and death.
It only hurts when I laugh, she said
She has become desensitized to pain and finds no joy in life.
Sometimes it's never a crime
Some actions that are considered immoral are not really harmful.
To spend the day in bed
Spending time away from society and duties can be therapeutic.
She made certain that the curtains were red
She paid attention to small details in her surroundings to have some control over her life.
To drape better by the light they would shed
She paid attention to the decor of her room to make it aesthetically pleasing.
She leaned back, tilted her head
She felt comfortable and relaxed in her private space.
And this is what she said
She expressed her nihilistic view of life and her desire for peaceful solitude.
You can't win, think it over again
Life is full of challenges and obstacles that are beyond one's control.
I can't win, look at the trouble I'm in
Individuals face injustices and difficulties that they cannot overcome alone.
We can't win and we're stuck here together
Society is plagued with systemic issues and oppressive structures that affect everyone.
Yeah, I hope it will last forever.
There is no hope for a better future, so the status quo might as well remain.
Don't ever dare to hope, he said
The singer warns against avoiding disappointment by avoiding hope.
So I'm never let down too bad
The singer believes that avoiding hope will keep his expectations low and prevent him from being too disappointed.
I know there's nowhere to go
The singer feels trapped and sees no way out of his problems.
So I'll just stay here, instead
He chooses to remain in his miserable state instead of risking change.
He knew better than to pull at a thread
The artist avoids examining his own thoughts and feelings for fear of unraveling.
They unravel like the thoughts in his head
The singer feels that delving into his innermost thoughts will only lead to despair and confusion.
He looked out, it filled him with dread
The singer feels anxiety when looking out into the world and seeing its problems.
And this is what he said
The artist expresses his hopeless worldview and reluctance to take action.
[Chorus]
The repeated lines emphasize the hopelessness and futility of the situation.
With good books and looks on their side
People with education and privilege use their status to justify their complacency.
And hearts bursting with national pride
The singer sees nationalism as a dangerous and irrational force that hinders progress.
They sang songs that went along for the ride
People blindly follow powerful institutions without questioning their actions.
And the other side complied
Oppressed groups are forced to conform to dominant narratives and values.
They said, "Hey, man, where do you reside?
The singer is confronted by those who participate in oppressive systems and are unaware of their own privilege.
"And could it be mother's superior lied?
The singer questions authority figures and their motivations.
"And is it possible too many have died?"
The artist questions the morality and impact of systemic oppression.
It's only natural to reply
The artist feels that it is natural to question and resist oppressive structures.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BRETT W. GUREWITZ, GREG GRAFFIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
_ alex _
Boot Stamping on a Human Face Forever
Drop dead, it doesn't matter, she said
It only hurts when I laugh, she said
Sometimes it's never a crime
To spend the day in bed
She made certain that the curtains were red
To drape better by the light they would shed
She leaned back, tilted her head
And this is what she said
You can't win, think it over again
I can't win, look at the trouble I'm in
We can't win and we're stuck here together
Yeah, I hope it will last forever.
Don't ever dare to hope, he said
So I'm never let down too bad
I know there's nowhere to go
So I'll just stay here, instead
He knew better than to pull at a thread
They unravel like the thoughts in his head
He looked out, it filled him with dread
And this is what he said
[Chorus]
With good books and looks on their side
And hearts bursting with national pride
They sang songs that went along for the ride
And the other side complied
They said, "Hey, man, where do you reside?
"And could it be mother's superior lied?
"And is it possible too many have died?"
It's only natural to reply
MVD
Drop dead, it doesn't matter, she said
It only hurts when I laugh, she said
Sometimes it's never a crime
To spend the day in bed
She made certain that the curtains were red
To drape better by the light they would shed
She leaned back, tilted her head
And this is what she said
You can't win, think it over again
I can't win, look at the trouble I'm in
We can't win and we're stuck here together
Yeah, I hope it will last forever.
Don't ever dare to hope, he said
So I'm never let down too bad
I know there's nowhere to go
So I'll just stay here, instead
He knew better than to pull at a thread
They unravel like the thoughts in his head
He looked out, it filled him with dread
And this is what he said
With good books and looks on their side
And hearts bursting with national pride
They sang songs that went along for the ride
And the other side complied
They said, "Hey, man, where do you reside?
"And could it be mother's superior lied?
"And is it possible too many have died?"
It's only natural to reply
With good books and looks on their side
And hearts bursting with national pride
They sang songs that went along for the ride
And the other side complied
They said, "Hey, man, where do you reside?
"And could it be mother's superior lied?
"And is it possible too many have died?"
It's only natural to reply
Rômulo Raeder
"If you want a vision of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face - forever." - George Orwell
Some Leftist in Finland
The guitar tones in this song are great. Great vibe overall. Criminally underrated song.
Pete Johnson
I love this song, reminds me of a different time in my life. Glad it didn't last forever.
Henrik Schmidt
This is one of the most underrated Bad Religion songs, in my view. The Nineteen-eighty-four film that was made was such a letdown. This song goes a little way to fix this.
This song captures the emotion of the moment in the tale, where they acknowledge their losing fight. But at least they could try to hang on to the moment.
Henrik Schmidt
@Lana Well, I am glad you enjoyed it. I don't dislike it - I just think it should have been better.
Dakota Savage
The books are always better 🙃
Terrence Soltz
Despite the Orwellian context, I consider this to be a love song. We live in a dystopia, but at least we’re here together, and that’s good enough.
Justin
Sorta like the song "I Melt With You" by Modern English. It's about literally dying in a nuclear apocalypse but none of it matters when you have love. The world stops and the singer LITERALLY melts with along with you.
_ alex _
Boot Stamping on a Human Face Forever
Drop dead, it doesn't matter, she said
It only hurts when I laugh, she said
Sometimes it's never a crime
To spend the day in bed
She made certain that the curtains were red
To drape better by the light they would shed
She leaned back, tilted her head
And this is what she said
You can't win, think it over again
I can't win, look at the trouble I'm in
We can't win and we're stuck here together
Yeah, I hope it will last forever.
Don't ever dare to hope, he said
So I'm never let down too bad
I know there's nowhere to go
So I'll just stay here, instead
He knew better than to pull at a thread
They unravel like the thoughts in his head
He looked out, it filled him with dread
And this is what he said
[Chorus]
With good books and looks on their side
And hearts bursting with national pride
They sang songs that went along for the ride
And the other side complied
They said, "Hey, man, where do you reside?
"And could it be mother's superior lied?
"And is it possible too many have died?"
It's only natural to reply
Miguel Eduardo Sánchez
"Sometimes it's never a crime
To spend the day in bed..."
I love that part of the lyrics