Brian Baker, formerly of Minor Threat, formed Dag Nasty with Colin Sears, R… Read Full Bio ↴Brian Baker, formerly of Minor Threat, formed Dag Nasty with Colin Sears, Roger Marbury and Shawn Brown in 1985. Shawn's replacement on vocals (by ex- DYS frontman Dave Smalley) shortly before the recording of their debut full-length, Can I Say, began a revolving door membership that was to continue throughout their duration as a band (ultimately leaving Brian as the only original member.) Dag Nasty recorded Can I Say in June 1986, and Wig Out at Denkos in July 1987, for Dischord Records before moving to Giant Records for the release of Field Day in 1988. The Can I Say line-up reformed in 1992 to record Four on the Floor for Epitaph Records and again in 2002 to record a full-length for Revelation Records. In 1991, Dischord combined the Can I Say and Wig Out LPs onto one maxi-CD. Dischord re-mastered both records in 2003 and re-released them back onto two separate CDs, both including extra live and unreleased tracks.

Dag Nasty(1985 - 1991)

Dave Smalley - vocals on #19
Peter Cortner - vocals on #26
Brian Baker - guitar
Roger Marbury - bass on #19
Doug Carrion - bass on #26
Colin Sears - drums

Exercise
Dag Nasty Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I'm irresponsible
I'm irrational
What are you gonna do?
And if it's in my head
And if I'm just paranoid
Well I guess it's just jealousy
When it comes to you
But you'll never guess

It's like exercising
When I try to disguise it
I avoid your eyes
You'll never know
Inside I can't stand it at all
When every word is a lie
But I go through it all
Lies are just exercises
And I can't help myself
Cause I've always lied to myself
I've had to fake so many things
What are you gonna do?
And if you see though it all
And I can't excuse myself
I think I need your help to see me through

What are you gonna do?
Lies are just exercises

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Dag Nasty's "Exercise" express feelings of insecurity and jealousy in a relationship. The singer confesses to being irresponsible and irrational and reveals that they have been lying and hiding their true feelings from their partner. They compare their lies to exercises - something that is difficult and painful but necessary for improvement. The singer also acknowledges that they may need help to be honest and overcome their fears.

One interpretation of the song is that it is about the challenges of communication and intimacy in a relationship. The singer is unable to express themselves honestly and fears rejection or judgment from their partner. They resort to lying and avoidance as a way to cope with their anxiety. At the same time, they recognize that their behavior is harmful and that they need to change. The line "I think I need your help to see me through" suggests that they are willing to reach out for support if their partner is willing to listen.

Overall, "Exercise" is a raw and emotional song that deals with common struggles in relationships. The concept of lying as a form of exercise is an interesting metaphor for the difficulty of being authentic with ourselves and others.

Line by Line Meaning

I'm irresponsible
I have a tendency to act without thinking about the consequences of my actions

I'm irrational
I don't always think logically or rationally

What are you gonna do?
What actions will you take in response to my behavior?

And if it's in my head
If my thoughts and feelings are only imagined or not based on reality

And if I'm just paranoid
If I have an unfounded fear that something bad is going to happen

Well I guess it's just jealousy
My irrational thoughts and behaviors stem from feelings of jealousy

When it comes to you
These feelings occur specifically in relation to the person I'm addressing

But you'll never guess
Despite my behaviors and thoughts, the person I'm addressing won't be able to guess what's going on in my head

It's like exercising
Continuing to lie or pretend is like a repetitive exercise that reinforces my behavior

When I try to disguise it
When I attempt to hide or cover up my true feelings or actions

I avoid your eyes
I steer clear of direct eye contact because I don't want to reveal my true thoughts and feelings

You'll never know
The person I'm addressing will never truly understand the extent of my behaviors and thoughts

Inside I can't stand it at all
I'm struggling internally and can't bear the weight of my thoughts and feelings

When every word is a lie
I'm not being truthful in my words or actions

But I go through it all
Despite my internal struggles and lack of honesty, I continue with my behaviors and actions

Lies are just exercises
Continuing to lie is like a repetitive exercise that reinforces my behavior

And I can't help myself
I'm stuck in this cycle of dishonesty and can't break free on my own

Cause I've always lied to myself
This cycle of dishonesty has become a habit, and I'm even lying to myself about the situation

I've had to fake so many things
I've had to pretend or fake feelings or actions in the past

And if you see though it all
If the person I'm addressing can see through my lies and behavior

And I can't excuse myself
If I'm unable to justify or explain my behavior or thoughts

I think I need your help to see me through
I need the help of the person I'm addressing to get through this cycle of dishonesty and irrational behavior

What are you gonna do?
What actions will you take to help me with my situation?

Lyrics © WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Written by: BUDDY BAKER

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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