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
Justification
Dag Nasty Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We have stumbled and fallen
We have tried a new taste and spit it back out
We have taken a left turn when we meant to turn right
We lost sight of our origins
But our past never lost sight of us
It's not emulation 'cause that's not this hard
Not imitation 'cause that won't take you far
It is progression I'm not afraid to stand up
I don't know what is expected
But I expected it to be great
I said "I'm trying my hardest"
But he didn't like the tape
Take a look at what you're doing
And tell me I'm too late
You say we're walking backwards
Well, that dead horse sure can run
The truth
I know I can
I know I will
I know I know what I have to do
And now you'll listen
And I hope it won't hurt
I've seen your poison
You've done your worst
I've seen your better
And I can't believe it's true
You've lost the truth that used to live inside of you
The lyrics of Dag Nasty's song "Justification" are a commentary on the band's journey as musicians and individuals. The opening verses suggest that they have experienced setbacks and made mistakes along the way, but they have not lost sight of their origins. The lines "Our past never lost sight of us" and "It is progression I'm not afraid to stand up" indicate that they have learned from their experiences and are committed to moving forward in their own unique way. The song also addresses the pressure and criticism they face from others, particularly in the music industry. The lines "I don't know what is expected, but I expected it to be great" and "Take a look at what you're doing and tell me I'm too late" suggest a frustration with the expectations placed on them and the feeling that they are not being given a fair chance to succeed.
The chorus of the song, which repeats the phrase "The truth" three times, is a declaration of the band's commitment to staying true to themselves and their vision. They acknowledge that they have seen the worst in people, but they also believe that there is still good in the world. The final lines of the song, "You've lost the truth that used to live inside of you," serve as a warning to those who have lost their way and a reminder to the band themselves of the importance of staying true to their values.
Overall, "Justification" is a powerful statement of artistic and personal integrity. It speaks to the struggles and challenges that come with trying to make it in the music industry while staying true to oneself.
Line by Line Meaning
We have tried and failed
We have made efforts, but they were unsuccessful
We have stumbled and fallen
We have encountered obstacles and failed
We have tried a new taste and spit it back out
We attempted to experience something new but didn't like it.
We have taken a left turn when we meant to turn right
We've made some wrong decisions along the way.
We lost sight of our origins
We forgot our roots, where we came from.
But our past never lost sight of us
Our history is still a part of us and shapes who we are.
It's not emulation 'cause that's not this hard
We're not imitating because it's not as difficult as what we're doing.
Not imitation 'cause that won't take you far
Copying others won't help us to improve and advance.
Not digression 'cause I'm falling straight up
Although our path may seem different, it's still going up and forward.
It is progression I'm not afraid to stand up
We're moving forward, and I'm not afraid to take a stand.
I don't know what is expected
I'm not certain about what's expected of me.
But I expected it to be great
Despite some doubts, I had high expectations for myself.
I said "I'm trying my hardest"
I expressed my efforts to improve.
But he didn't like the tape
Someone didn't appreciate our hard work and creation.
Take a look at what you're doing
Reflect on your actions and behaviors.
And tell me I'm too late
And criticize me for being too late to make changes.
You say we're walking backwards
You're accusing us of making no progress or even regressing.
Well, that dead horse sure can run
Despite criticism, we continue to strive forward and make progress.
The truth
The reality of the situation.
I know I can
I believe in myself and my capabilities.
I know I will
I have confidence that I will succeed.
I know I know what I have to do
I have a clear understanding of what needs to be done.
And now you'll listen
And now you'll pay attention and acknowledge my message.
And I hope it won't hurt
I hope my message won't be painful to receive.
I've seen your poison
I'm aware of your negative influence and behavior.
You've done your worst
You've done the most damage possible.
I've seen your better
I also know your positive qualities.
And I can't believe it's true
But it's difficult to reconcile the good and bad in you.
You've lost the truth that used to live inside of you
You've strayed from what you once knew to be true about yourself.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
geekstreat
Love the whole album, still play it too. Its timeless for me.
tubehardcore
one of the best Hardcore LPs ever
johnny lane
i wish more footage of them playing live was available, they were one of the best live bands from the whole era i liked them more than Minor Threat, personally did not embrace any of the whole straight edge ideology, the scene was about the music and getting shitfaced drunk..a good time was had by all thanks to bands like this
Verbum Vincet
Awesome! Thanks for posting - I haven't heard this in 15 years.
Rumpelmeister
The solo is awesome
J. Thompson
A great DN classic. Thanks for posting! Cheers!
ChromeColossus
If you enjoy this video (or even if you don't), I posted a new video for their song All Ages Show. It has a singer with a much more mellow voice, but the intensity of the main guitar riff makes up for it. Check it out!
johnny lane
and i will add...never even heard the word emo when i was a teenager- emo this is not its the progression of the hardcore sound anybody who says its emo was born after 1990 apparently
ChromeColossus
Eh, you're kind of both right. While I agree that I don't see any actual shades of emo in Dag Nasty (thank goodness), there seems to be several people that feel Dag Nasty was influential in the creation of emo. I suppose you could make that connection with Wig Out at Denko's and Field Day, but certainly not very much with Can I Say.
ChromeColossus
Err... This isn't music that falls under the "black metal" category. It's not evil enough, and it's not what most people would consider metal. ;)