Crashdog were known for their very direct lyrics, which they used to make social commentaries and discuss political issues of their day. Their albums included both strongly Christian songs and overtly political songs, often with a liberal bent. They were one of the first Christian bands to do this; later Christian old-school punk and hardcore bands followed suit.
In 1998 they released 8 Years to Nowhere, a selection of songs from previous recordings (originally called 8 Years from Nowhere to Nowhere). After its release, they decided to go on a one-year hiatus because their drummer, Greg Jacques, was starting a new record label, 2 Jake Records.
During their hiatus, they started another band, Ballydowse, which featured a mix of Celtic music and punk rock along with other styles. As of 2006, they still consider themselves to be on an "indefinite hiatus", but it is unlikely that they will re-form as a band.
Members
Andrew Mandell - lead vocals (originally played guitar)
Greg Jacques - drums
Brian Grover - bass
Jason Burt - guitar
Mike Perlmutter - guitar
Former members
Spike Nard (born Tim Davis) - lead vocals
Mike Simicek - bass
Discography
Hard Knocks for Hard Heads (Grrr records/Rrrough, 1990)
Humane Society (Grrr recordS/Word Entertainment, 1990)
The Pursuit of Happiness (Grrr recordS/Word Entertainment, 1993)
Mud Angels (Grrr recordS/R.E.X. Music, 1994)
Cashists Fascists and Other Fungus (Grrr recordS/R.E.X. Music, 1995)
7 Inch Finch Pinch (2Jake Records/Sin Club Records/Grrr Records, 1996)
Outer Crust (2 Jake Records/Grrr recordS, 1997)
8 Years to Nowhere (Grrr recordS, 1998)
Live at Cornerstone 2002 (authorized indie CDR)
Pressure
Crashdog Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
About what you thought of me,
In my struggle for acceptance
I lost a lot of sleep.
Under social tyranny
I tried to measure up,
When I denied who I truly was,
I soon became the fool.
Never free to be me.
Never free to be me.
I used to think you had it all
And that I was missing out,
But once I took a closer look,
I soon realized
The luster of your lives
Was just a bunch of veneer
And all the happy memorie
Were just a bunch of made-up lies.
You lied.
You try to keep up with the crowd,
Never knowing who you are,
Always changing
Who you are.
After years of failure,
I finally got the clue.
I've wasted half of my life
Trying to be like you
Now I know my Maker,
I see who I was meant to be,
I don't need your social system,
Or a fake identity.
I'm FREE.
Crashdog's "Pressure" is a song that explores the negative effects of societal pressure and the struggle for acceptance. The opening lines set the tone for the rest of the song as the singer confesses to his past worries about what others thought of him. The lyrics speak to the common experience of feeling like an outsider longing to fit in, and the desperate measures we take to be accepted which might come at a cost to losing our true selves in the process. The pressure to conform and keep up with the crowd is so powerful that it can result in sleepless nights and a sense of never feeling free to be oneself.
The second stanza, however, is a turning point that marks the singer's journey of self-discovery. He refers to the people he once envied in the past and remarks that the sheen of their lives was a veneer. Their happy memories were nothing but imaginary fabrications, and they lied to keep up with the crowd. The singer, after years of trying and failing to fit in, finally realized the truth and found freedom in it. He took a closer look and saw who they truly were, and decided that he no longer wants to live a fake life trying to be like them. Instead, he found his purpose and a true identity in his Maker.
The song "Pressure" brings attention to the importance of being authentically oneself and not losing it in the quest for acceptance. It shows the dangers of the pressure to conform to social expectations and being someone you're not. And it encourages people to stop trying to keep up with the crowd and to realize that real happiness and freedom come from being true to oneself.
Line by Line Meaning
I used to worry all the time
I was constantly anxious and fretful
About what you thought of me,
Stopped caring about these thoughts about me
In my struggle for acceptance
I was grappling to feel accepted
I lost a lot of sleep.
This stressing weighed down on me even while asleep
Under social tyranny
Oppressive forces of the socially acceptable norms
I tried to measure up,
Attempting to match their standards
When I denied who I truly was,
Failing to acknowledge my true self
I soon became the fool.
Ended up feeling foolish and misguided
What a shame.
Expressing the matter is unfortunate
Never free to be me.
Outdoor forces stop natural expression
I used to think you had it all
Assuming you were living large
And that I was missing out,
Felt left out of living the good life
But once I took a closer look,
After a detailed analysis
I soon realized
The truth dawned on me
The luster of your lives
The flashiness of your existence
Was just a bunch of veneer
It was only an impression
And all the happy memories
The jolly reminiscences
Were just a bunch of made-up lies.
Turned out they were just fabrications
You lied.
Pointing out that you're dishonest
You try to keep up with the crowd,
You struggle to keep up with the masses
Never knowing who you are,
Lacking a personal identity
Always changing
Constantly modifying
Who you are.
Trying to redefine yourselves
After years of failure,
Chronicles of several years of unsuccessful attempts
I finally got the clue.
At last, came to the realization
I've wasted half of my life
Half of my lifespan thrown away
Trying to be like you
An effort to emulate you
Now I know my Maker,
Found my Creator
I see who I was meant to be,
I fully comprehend my purpose
I don't need your social system,
I'm independent from the set social hierarchy
Or a fake identity.
Not requiring any counterfeit personality
I'm FREE.
I have achieved liberation
Contributed by Muhammad B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.