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.
I'm Not a Punk
Descendents Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Show me the way to conformity
Try to be different but it's always the same
End up playin' someone else's game
I'm just a square goin' nowhere
I'm just a square goin' nowhere
You used to walk by my side
Now you see me comin' now you hide
I can see that you don't care
I'm just a square goin' nowhere
The lyrics of Descendents’ “I’m Not a Punk” express the feeling of being an outsider, trying to resist conformity and follow an alternative path but ultimately feeling like a square going nowhere. The opening line, “I'm not a punk, how can I be?” sets the tone for the rest of the song, as if to say that even though they might have the look and the sound of a punk, the singer does not fit into that label. This feeling of not quite belonging is reinforced by the line, “Try to be different but it’s always the same”. This could be interpreted as an acknowledgement that trying to be non-conformist often leads to a sense of sameness, as everyone else who’s also trying to be edgy ends up looking like one another.
In the second verse, the singer addresses someone they used to know, lamenting the fact that they have become distant after the singer has started going down this non-conformist road. The line “Now you see me comin' now you hide” suggests a sense of rejection or disapproval from this person they used to walk with, making the singer feel even more like a square going nowhere. The final line of the second verse, “I can see that you don’t care” seems to confirm this alienation from their former friend, and reinforces the feeling of being an outsider.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm not a punk, how can I be?
I don't identify as a punk, so it's impossible for me to fit into that category.
Show me the way to conformity
I want to know how to conform and fit in with society's expectations.
Try to be different but it's always the same
I attempt to be unique, but it ends up being the same as everyone else's attempts.
End up playin' someone else's game
I have given up trying to be my own person and am just following along with what others expect of me.
I'm just a square goin' nowhere
I am an unremarkable person that is not making any meaningful progress in life.
You used to walk by my side
We used to be close friends at one point in time.
Now you see me comin' now you hide
Nowadays, you actively try to avoid me and don't want to spend time with me anymore.
I see you here I see you there
I still notice you around and am aware of your presence in my life, despite our distance.
I can see that you don't care
It's evident from your actions that you don't have any concern for me or our friendship anymore.
I'm just a square goin' nowhere
I am an unremarkable person that is not making any meaningful progress in life.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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