Buck-O-Nine formed in a small warehouse in the early part of 1991. Based in… Read Full Bio ↴Buck-O-Nine formed in a small warehouse in the early part of 1991. Based in San Diego, the band was on the horizon of a change in the music industry. At the time the catch phrase was “Grunge.” The band was eager to take a different path. With their backgrounds in Punk/Metal bands, Reggae bands and 2nd wave Ska bands, Buck-O-Nine had the formula for what was to become a new mutation of sounds. Inspired by the early founders of this new sound, Buck-O-Nine admired the works of Fishbone, Operation Ivy, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones and the Voodoo Glow Skulls.

Buck-O-Nine has released several albums including Songs in the Key of Bree, Barfly, Twenty-Eight Teeth, and Libido.

Currently Buck-O-Nine still plays shows for fun. They have re-connected with the positive, fun vibe that the band originated from.

Twenty-Eight Teeth
Buck-O-Nine Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

You ever been so bored
That you start counting all your teeth
As you squirm around and fidget
In you cluttered, lousy seat

You ever been so tired
That your spirit starts to sigh
And you're working everyday

Just to make ends meet

What keeps me hangin' on?
What keeps me hangin' on?
What keeps me hangin' on?
What keeps me hangin' on?

You ever wake up in a hotel room
But can't remember the city or state?
You look around, you roam around
But your mind just can't relate

You ever been so lost
That a map won't do you no good?
You drive around in circles in a place or town
Some kind of neighborhood

What keeps me hangin' on?
What keeps me hangin' on?
What keeps me hangin' on?
What keeps me hangin'?

You ever been so desperate
But for what you just don't know
You see a thousand faces
And you want to remember them all

What keeps me hangin' on?
What keeps me hangin' on?

What keeps me hangin' on?
What keeps me hangin' on?

Overall Meaning

The Buck-O-Nine song "Twenty-Eight Teeth" speaks to the feelings of boredom, exhaustion, and desperation that can arise from the monotony and challenges of daily life. The opening lines describe a scenario where someone is so bored that they start counting their teeth, which is a metaphor for feeling like there is nothing to do or no way to pass the time. The song then goes on to explore other situations where one might feel lost or unsure of themselves, such as waking up in a hotel room and not remembering where they are, driving in circles in an unfamiliar neighborhood, or feeling desperate but not knowing what for.

Despite these challenges, the song also asks the question of what keeps us hanging on. What motivates us to keep going when things are tough or when we feel like giving up? It's a question that has no easy answer, and the song doesn't provide any either. Instead, it allows the listener to reflect on their own motivations and what keeps them going.

Overall, the song captures the feeling of being lost and disconnected in a world that can often feel overwhelming. It speaks to the difficulty of finding purpose and meaning when life is full of obstacles and challenges. At the same time, it acknowledges that there is something that keeps us all hanging on, even when we're not sure what it is.

Line by Line Meaning

You ever been so bored
Have you ever experienced such a profound level of tedium?

That you start counting all your teeth
That you resort to counting teeth to pass the time and occupy your mind.

As you squirm around and fidget
As you struggle to find comfort and restlessness sets in.

In your cluttered, lousy seat
In a cramped and uncomfortable chair or location.

You ever been so tired
Have you ever felt so exhausted?

That your spirit starts to sigh
To the point where you feel a deep sense of despair and hopelessness.

And you're working everyday
And working each day without respite,

Just to make ends meet
Simply to cover the essential costs of living.

What keeps me hangin' on?
What motivates me to continue living despite these struggles and hardships?

You ever wake up in a hotel room
Have you ever found yourself in a strange hotel room after a long journey?

But can't remember the city or state?
Unable to recall where you are geographically located.

You look around, you roam around
Wandering aimlessly in search of familiar landmarks.

But your mind just can't relate
Your mind cannot grasp or remember the information needed to orient yourself.

You ever been so lost
Have you ever felt so disoriented and directionless?

That a map won't do you no good?
To the point where even a map won't be helpful in navigating your surroundings.

You drive around in circles in a place or town
Continuously driving in loops in hopes of finding your destination.

Some kind of neighborhood
In a residential area with no landmarks or identifiers.

You ever been so desperate
Have you ever felt so hopeless and in dire need of a solution?

But for what you just don't know
Without understanding what exactly you are searching for or needing.

You see a thousand faces
Encountering numerous strangers and faces throughout your search.

And you want to remember them all
Desperately trying to remember each person, but knowing that it's impossible.

What keeps me hangin' on?
What is it, during these difficult and desperate moments, that makes me want to continue living?

What keeps me hangin' on?
What is the force or motivation that keeps me moving forward despite the hardships of life?

What keeps me hangin' on?
What is it that prevents me from giving up or giving in to the despair that accompanies struggles?

What keeps me hangin' on?
What is the power or source of resilience that keeps me going through life's difficulties?

Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Anthony Jerome Curry, Craig William Yarnold, Daniel Leon Albert, Jon Ryan Pebsworth, Jonas Kleiner, Scott Tyler Kennerly, Steve D Bauer

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS