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.
Skyscraper
Bad Religion Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We'll build a city
With a tower for the world
And climb so we can reach
Anything we may propose
Anything at all
Build me up, tear me down
Build me up
Then tear down these joining walls
So they can't climb at all
I know why
You tore it down that day
You thought, that if you got caught we'd all go away
Like a spoiled little baby
Who can't come out and play
You had your revenge
Build me up, tear me down
Like a skyscraper
Build me up
Then tear down these joining walls
So they can't climb at all
Well, madness reigned and paradise drowned
When Babel's walls came crashing down
Now the echoes roar for a story writ
That was hardly understood
And never any good
Build me up, tear me down
Like a skyscraper
Build me up
Then tear down these joining walls
So they can't climb at all
Build me up
Build me up
The lyrics of Bad Religion's "Skyscraper" speak about the desire for power, control, and ambition that drives people to build and destroy in the pursuit of their goals. The song begins with an invitation to make bricks and build a city with a tower for the world, with the hope of being able to reach anything they may propose. However, this desire for greatness and success is not all that it seems, as the lyrics suggest that it will be followed by a destruction of the structures that are built. The singer pleads to be built up like a skyscraper, only to have the joining walls torn down so that no one else can climb.
Line by Line Meaning
Come let us make bricks and burn them hard
Let's get together and create something strong and durable.
We'll build a city
We'll construct a place for us to inhabit.
With a tower for the world
We'll erect a structure that symbolizes our achievements.
And climb so we can reach
We'll aspire to great heights to fulfill our desires.
Anything we may propose
We'll pursue any goal we set our minds to.
Anything at all
We'll aim for limitless possibilities.
Build me up, tear me down
Fluctuations in life that test our resilience.
Like a skyscraper
Symbolic comparison of oneself to a towering building.
Then tear down these joining walls
Eliminate barriers that limit us.
So they can't climb at all
So that others can't tear us down or bring us down.
I know why
I understand the reason why.
You tore it down that day
You destroyed something significant on a specific day.
You thought, that if you got caught we'd all go away
You believed that taking the fall alone would spare everyone else involved.
Like a spoiled little baby
Comparing someone's behavior to that of an immature child.
Who can't come out and play
Someone who can't handle their emotions properly.
You had your revenge
You sought retribution for a perceived wrongdoing.
Well, madness reigned and paradise drowned
Chaos took over and destroyed a special place.
When Babel's walls came crashing down
History's example of great things collapsing because of overreach and recklessness.
Now the echoes roar for a story writ
The events that happened will forever be retold and remembered.
That was hardly understood
No one really grasped the meaning or the consequences at the time.
And never any good
Ultimately, the outcome was negative for everyone involved.
Build me up
Intensify aspirations and push for growth.
Build me up
Continue on the path to self-improvement and higher achievements.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Brett Gurewitz
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Luiz Henrique
Come let us make bricks and burn them hard
We'll build a city
With a tower for the world
And climb so we can reach
Anything we may propose
Anything at all
Build me up
Tear me down
Like a skyscraper
Build me up
Then tear down these joining walls
So they can't climb at all
I know why
You tore it down that day
You thought
That if you got caught
We'd all go away
Like a spoiled little baby
Who can't come out and play
You had your revenge
Build me up, tear me down
Like a skyscraper
Build me up
Then tear down these joining walls
So they can't climb at all
Well madness reigned and paradise drowned
When Babel's walls came crashing down
Now the echoes roar, for story read that was hardly understood
And never any good
Build me up, tear me down
Like a skyscraper
Build me up, then tear down these joining walls
So they can't climb at all
Erich Vallim Vicente
"Build me up, tear me down, like a skyscraper!!!" The most pure punk poetry.
S50014+81
Remember when this album came out? Pepperidge farms remembers.
Jake Cena
This songs so beautiful I almost cried.
Joshua Chalmers
@aylaofduni bless you exactly how I feel
Strange Foot
Babilon revisited....returning to ones own vomit ends all the same...the first would age as well as the second should have taught them by now.... but no they continue and like many times before they fail......
Gretchen Ann
It is
Mark Brown
Perfect song for my soon to be ex wife. Lol how does this hit so hard, even in 2021?
Paynezerfaust
I am.
Luiz Henrique
Come let us make bricks and burn them hard
We'll build a city
With a tower for the world
And climb so we can reach
Anything we may propose
Anything at all
Build me up
Tear me down
Like a skyscraper
Build me up
Then tear down these joining walls
So they can't climb at all
I know why
You tore it down that day
You thought
That if you got caught
We'd all go away
Like a spoiled little baby
Who can't come out and play
You had your revenge
Build me up, tear me down
Like a skyscraper
Build me up
Then tear down these joining walls
So they can't climb at all
Well madness reigned and paradise drowned
When Babel's walls came crashing down
Now the echoes roar, for story read that was hardly understood
And never any good
Build me up, tear me down
Like a skyscraper
Build me up, then tear down these joining walls
So they can't climb at all
Demefo
Thanksss