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.
What Happened To My Radio?
Buck-O-Nine Lyrics
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It's been ten minutes since they played this song
Or is it the band with the one word name?
I get so confused, it all sounds the same
The DJ must think I'm crazy
Or maybe just an idiot
Last week he was spinning country
Just who do they think they're fooling
With this backwards regiment
They shove it so far down your throat
It's swallowed with an English accent
What happened to my radio?
It used to be cool but now it just blows
What happened to my radio?
It's the same old song, the same old, same old
I've been waiting more than an hour
For the request that I just made
"We'll see what we can do about it"
Must mean, they're gonna throw away
They say that they play new music
That it's better than the rest
Switch the channel, it's a carbon copy
Take the cutting edge and slit my wrists
What happened to my radio?
It used to be cool but now it just blows
What happened to my radio?
It's the same old song, with the same old, same old
Happened to my radio?
Used to be cool but now it just blows
What happened to my radio?
Used to be cool but now it just blows
Who has all the luck? Who has all the fans?
They make a million bucks and burn it in your hands
Who has all the luck? Who has all the fans?
They tell you that you're fucked, but you don't understand
What happened to my radio?
It used to be cool but now it just blows
What happened to my radio?
The same old song, with the same old, same old
What happened to my radio?
It used to be cool but now it just blows
What happened to my radio?
It's the same old song, with the same old, same old
Same old, same old
Oh no, not again, please tell me, I'm wrong
It's been ten minutes since they played this song
Or is it the band with the one word name?
I get so confused, it all sounds the same
Buck-O-Nine's song "What Happened To My Radio" is a critique of the state of mainstream radio and the homogenization of music. The lyrics depict a frustrated listener who is tired of hearing the same songs and bands over and over again. The repetition of the opening lines "Oh no, not again, please tell me, I'm wrong / It's been ten minutes since they played this song" emphasizes the monotony of the music being played on the radio. The confusion over whether it's the same band or not shows that the music is so similar that it is difficult to differentiate between different artists.
The second stanza is a criticism of radio DJs and their lack of creativity. The line "Last week he was spinning country / Now alternative rock's the shit" shows how radio stations cater to popular trends and don't have a genuine interest in promoting good music. The repetition of the line "just who do they think they're fooling" emphasizes the listener's distrust of the industry as a whole. The next line, "with this backwards regiment," suggests that the way radio stations choose music is outdated and ineffective.
In the final stanza, the song takes a more existential turn. The lines "They tell you that you're fucked, but you don't understand" suggest that the music industry is manipulative and that there is a lack of transparency between the industry and the listener. The repeated chorus of "What happened to my radio? / It used to be cool but now it just blows / It's the same old song, with the same old, same old" shows the continued dissatisfaction and frustration with the state of commercial radio.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh no, not again, please tell me, I'm wrong
Expressing exasperation at the repetition of a song that was just played again within a short period of time, requesting confirmation that it is not actually happening.
It's been ten minutes since they played this song
Indicating that a song has been played too frequently in a short span, making it monotonous and annoying.
Or is it the band with the one word name?
Confusion about the artist performing the song because many bands use just one word for their name, making it hard to differentiate.
I get so confused, it all sounds the same
Expressing frustration that all pop music has a similar beat, lyrics, and cadence to appeal to the masses.
The DJ must think I'm crazy
Feeling self-conscious that the constant changes to the genre of music being played on the radio is driving listeners mad.
Or maybe just an idiot
Wondering if the person is an idiot to tolerate such repetitive and unexciting music.
Last week he was spinning country
Noticing the station's genre has changed, and now playing alternative rock instead of country.
Now alternative rock's the shit
Indicating that alternative rock is now popular and in demand but it's not enjoyable as it used to be.
Just who do they think they're fooling
Questioning the business and marketing tactics used to promote music and attract a wider audience.
With this backwards regiment
Disapproving of the old-fashioned accumulation of music tracks and playing a limited scope of music repetitively.
They shove it so far down your throat
Making consumers swallow and consume music that they don't really like, but cannot avoid as it's pervasive.
It's swallowed with an English accent
Referring to the influence of the BBC, UK's public broadcast, that has a global reach and a distinctly English accent.
What happened to my radio?
Questioning the change in radio programs and music quality over time that no longer matches the listener's preferences.
It used to be cool but now it just blows
Expressing disappointment that radio, as a source of discovering new and exciting music, has lost its charm and now plays frivolous and unsatisfying music.
I've been waiting more than an hour
Indicating impatience at the delay in playing a requested song on air and the station's lack of priority in listening to what listeners want to hear.
For the request that I just made
Highlighting the inconvenience and lack of instant gratification when it comes to receiving requests from listeners on radio stations.
"We'll see what we can do about it"
Possibly a lie suggesting the requests will be heard and played, when it probably wouldn't be.
Must mean, they're gonna throw away
Indicating that the radio station is not interested in fulfilling the request and maintaining the listener base happy.
They say that they play new music
Making unrealistic claims that the station plays new and original music, which might not be quite true.
That it's better than the rest
Suggesting that other radio stations do not have sufficient content and music to satiate the listener's needs.
Switch the channel, it's a carbon copy
Advising the listener to switch to a different channel that plays similar, if not the same, music to bring variation to the mundane and monotonous content on air.
Take the cutting edge and slit my wrists
A metaphor, suggesting that one might self harm rather than listen to the dreary, repetitive music aired by the radio stations.
Who has all the luck? Who has all the fans?
Asking the question about what makes existing music artists so likable among the listeners, and what leads to popularity and good fortunes for them.
They make a million bucks and burn it in your hands
Commenting on the profit margins of the music industry, where artists make a fortune, but the revenue dissolves sooner than one can imagine.
They tell you that you're fucked, but you don't understand
Suggesting that artists are experts at marketing and creating illusions of grandeur for the commercialization of music that many fall prey to, unable to penetrate the facade.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
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