Shortly after forming they enlisted Milo Aukerman and made what started out a surf band into a full fledged punk unit. Descendents have diverged from their punk peers, perhaps because of the Beach Boys influences, and sang about topics that touched many young punks' lives like parents, food, girls and being rejected.
This band separated due to Milo actually going to college (he attended the University of California, San Diego) just like the title of their debut. This and other constraints have made them famous for their long hiatuses, which are sometimes a decade span in length. The band has now spread out across their country of origin and their future is somewhat uncertain.
Lead singer Milo Aukerman currently resides in Newark, Delaware. He was a biochemist for the internationally known DuPont Chemical company, which is based out of Delaware. However, whenever the end of Descendents seemed to be approaching, Milo popped up again and the band released a new record. Aukerman then later returned to his academic duties in teaching biochemistry. He then quit his academic life to pursue a career in music fulltime.
Can't Go Back
Descendents Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
* It's not like you said it was
Nothing like you said it was
It's a dirty old place and I can't go back
It's not like you said it was
Nothing like you said it was
I've been misused and I can't go back
** It's a dirty old place and it's full of lies
It's a dirty old place and it's full of lies
And I'm still seeing through virgin's eyes
*** Tonight, and I can't go back and I can't go back
I had a young boy's dream
But I can plainly see
It's a filthy world and I can't go back
Now I can't go back
Now I can't go back
I've been misused and I can't go back
Everybody here is out to get me
Or at least that's how it seems to me
Everybody here is laughing at me
But now I know my weakness is my strength
And I want to go back and I can't go back
*
**
***
The Descendents' song Can't Go Back is a powerful and emotional representation of the disillusionment and frustration many people feel when they realize that the idealized version of their past no longer exists. The opening lyrics speak to this dynamic: "It's not like you said it was / Nothing like you said it was / It's a dirty old place and I can't go back / It's not like you said it was / Nothing like you said it was / I've been misused and I can't go back". The song speaks to the experience of feeling alienated and disconnected from a place or time that once felt like home, only to realize that it was always more complex and difficult than one remembered. The repeated refrain of "I can't go back" is a powerful expression of the pain and frustration that comes with realizing that the past cannot be reclaimed.
The next verse continues this theme, highlighting the deception and dishonesty that often characterizes our memories of the past: "It's a dirty old place and it's full of lies / And I can't see a thing through virgin's eyes / It's a dirty old place and it's full of lies / And I'm still seeing through virgin's eyes". These lyrics speak to the way in which nostalgia can often distort our memories and prevent us from seeing the truth about our past experiences. The repeated references to a "filthy world" and being "misused" underscore the sense of disappointment and betrayal that often accompanies these revelations.
The final verse of the song introduces a note of hope, however, as the singer begins to see their weaknesses as a source of strength: "Everybody here is out to get me / Or at least that's how it seems to me / Everybody here is laughing at me / But now I know my weakness is my strength / And I want to go back and I can't go back". The song ends on a bittersweet note, with the singer acknowledging the impossibility of returning to the past but also recognizing the value and power of their present perspective.
Line by Line Meaning
It's not like you said it was
The place I was told about is very different from what it actually is
Nothing like you said it was
No aspect of this place is what I was told to expect
It's a dirty old place and I can't go back
This place is unpleasant, and I have no desire to return to it
It's a dirty old place and it's full of lies
The place is deceptive and not to be trusted
And I can't see a thing through virgin's eyes
I have no firsthand knowledge of the place, so I can't see the truth
And I'm still seeing through virgin's eyes
My understanding of the place is still immature and unreliable
Tonight, and I can't go back and I can't go back
Right now, I have no way to return to the place, and I don't want to
I had a young boy's dream
I had an idealistic and naive vision of what this place would be like
But I can plainly see
Now I can clearly see the reality of the situation
It's a filthy world and I can't go back
The environment is not conducive to my well-being and I have no desire to return
Now I can't go back
I have lost the opportunity to return to the place
Everybody here is out to get me
The people in the place are hostile and want to harm me
Or at least that's how it seems to me
It's possible I'm misinterpreting the situation, but it appears that way to me
Everybody here is laughing at me
The people are mocking me and taking pleasure in my struggles
But now I know my weakness is my strength
I have come to understand that my perceived weaknesses can actually be sources of strength
And I want to go back and I can't go back
Despite my earlier negative sentiments, part of me still wants to return to the place, but I cannot
Lyrics © Songtrust Ave, Abkco Music Inc., Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: WILLIAM LOBBAN-BEAN, ZACHARY BECK
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind