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

Never Go Back
Dag Nasty Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Sometimes it gets so cloudy
It's hard to see
Everything gets distorted
It's all a dream
All these smiling faces
Have lost their shine
I guess I'm getting older
I just don't relate

Never go back
I wish I could learn
To never go back
There's something wrong inside
But I will never release my pride
I wish I could learn to never go back
I'm looking at pictures
And I'm thinking of those times
Those times have changed
And so have I
I stopped my dreaming
I know I can't go back
I started looking closer
And I know what it's become
I wish so bad it was the same
How could it ever be the same ?
Never go back
Never go back
I stopped my dreaming
I don't want to go back

I started looking closer
And I know what it's become

Overall Meaning

Dag Nasty's "Never Go Back" paints a picture of nostalgia and the longing for simpler times. The lyrics speak to the human experience of feeling lost and disconnected as we grow older and life changes. The opening lines set the tone for the rest of the song, as the foggy and distorted images of the past become harder to discern as time goes on. The idea of everything being a dream speaks to the sense of unreality that comes with looking back on the past, as it was a time that no longer exists.

The second verse deepens the theme of change and growth, as the artist reflects on the way that they've changed over time. This is marked by the line "I stopped my dreaming, I know I can't go back," which underscores the idea that personal growth can come at the cost of innocence and the loss of a simpler time. The refrain "never go back" is a reminder to the listener (and perhaps to the artist herself) that while the past may be sweet, looking back on it too much can lead to a paralysis that keeps us from moving forward.

Ultimately, "Never Go Back" is a song about acknowledging the past and the person we used to be, but also about letting go of that image in order to fully embrace the present.

Line by Line Meaning

sometimes it gets so cloudy
Occasionally, things become ambiguous or unclear to me.

it's hard to see
It becomes challenging to comprehend and make sense of things.

everything gets distorted
Every aspect seems to get twisted.

it's all a dream
Things make no sense just like they do in a dream.

all these smiling faces
Everyone around me is so jovial and radiant.

have lost their shine
They are not as happy as they appear to be.

I guess I'm getting older
I'm starting to age and lose my youthfulness.

I just don't relate
I don't feel connected or attached to the current situation/people.

never go back
I shouldn't go back to whatever/wherever I came from.

I wish I could learn
If only I could understand or be taught.

there's something wrong inside
I'm not happy within myself.

but I will never release my pride
I won't surrender my self-respect or dignity.

I'm looking at pictures
I'm browsing through photographs.

and I'm thinking of those times
I reminisce about those days.

those times have changed
Things are not the same as they use to be.

and so have I
I've also undergone some shifts and modifications.

I stopped my dreaming
I stopped fantasizing or reflecting on the past.

I know I can't go back
I cannot re-visit or re-live the past.

I started looking closer
I began analyzing and examining things more carefully.

and I know what it's become
I understand what has happened or changed over time.

I wish so bad it was the same
I yearn or desire for the past to be as it was.

how could it ever be the same ?
It's impossible for things to be identical to how they were before.

never go back
I should avoid returning to the past.

never go back
I need to keep reminding myself to never revisit or dwell on the past.

I stopped my dreaming
I ceased my daydreaming or reflecting the past.

I don't want to go back
I'm content with my present state and have no interest in revisiting the past.

I started looking closer
I started scrutinizing and analyzing situations more carefully.

and I know what it's become
I have a good understanding of how things have radically transfigured.

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: AMY LEE, TERRY BALSAMO, WILLIAM AMOS HUNT, TIMOTHY TODD MCCORD

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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