The band was originally called "Dinosaur", but changed its name following the release of its debut album Dinosaur in 1985, after a band called Dinosaurs, featuring ex-members of Country Joe and the Fish and Jefferson Airplane, threatened them with legal action. (They still used the name Dinosaur on their albums until 1987 at the latest, and some copies of You're Living All Over Me still lack the "Jr").
In 1987, Dinosaur Jr. signed to SST Records on the recommendation of Sonic Youth, and with them released what is often considered their best album, You're Living All Over Me. Bug followed the next year, an album which, in the UK, was released by Paul Smith's Blast First Records (home to Sonic Youth, Big Black and Butthole Surfers). During this period Dinosaur Jr. became known for their very loud concerts.
Despite not gaining much commercial success, the band has enjoyed something of a cult following. The success of singles Freak Scene and Just Like Heaven, and recommendations from the likes of Sonic Youth saw them signed by Warner Brothers. The signature Dinosaur Jr. sound is the melodic tunes saturated in layers of guitar noise and punctuated by J Mascis' elaborate, yet laconic guitar solos. They were a major influence on the up-and-coming band Nirvana.
Tensions ran high between Mascis and Barlow, and in 1989 Barlow was kicked out of the band. As a result, Barlow continued to work with his own band, Sebadoh. The two famously fell out on stage with Mascis attacking Barlow. Dinosaur Jr. subsequently became little more than a pseudonym for Mascis. He switched labels to Blanco y Negro in the UK, Warner/Sire in the US, with Green Mind (1991) being his first release in that deal.
After Barlow left the band, Van Conner, from the Screaming Trees, played bass for at least one live show in 1990, and Donna Dresch, from Team Dresch played bass at least once live with the band in 1990.
In 1991, Mike Johnson joined Dinosaur Jr as full-time bass player. He was in the band for 1991's Whatever's Cool With Me, 1993's Where You Been, 1994's Without A Sound, and 1997's Hand It Over.
Murph left the band in late 1993, after the Lollapalooza tour.
George Berz took over on drums, and drummed from 1994-1997. He was on Without A Sound, and Hand It Over. He later drummed for J Mascis + the Fog in 2000, 2001, and 2003.
Through the 90s, Mascis sometimes explored quieter and more tranquil shores than Dinosaur Jr. had in the 80s. The band formed part of the 1992 "Rollercoaster" tour. A package tour based on the successful "Lollapalooza". The tour featured The Jesus & Mary Chain, My Bloody Valentine & Blur. On the 1993 release, Where You Been, the opening track ("Out There") had an accompanying video and was aired on MTV for a short time. After 1994's Without a Sound and 1997's Hand It Over, Mascis began to release albums with the band J Mascis and the Fog.
In 2004, J Mascis regained the master rights to the first three Dinosaur Jr. albums from SST, and arranged for their reissue on the Merge label in early 2005. The reissues coincided with an announcement that the original lineup of J Mascis, Lou Barlow and Murph (Emmett Patrick Murphy) were reuniting for a summer tour. The success of this tour resulted in a new album entitled Beyond (2007) and single Been There All The Time. They are Lou Barlow's first recording with the band since 1989. The original line-up of Dinosaur Jr. has been touring extensively since 2005. They are currently on a world tour.
On February 20, 2009, Pitchfork Media announced that the band had signed with indie label Jagjaguwar, and their first release on the label entitled Farm was released June 23, 2009, to largely positive reviews.
Back to Your Heart
Dinosaur Jr. Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Cut my teeth
Bones of a hypocrite that look like me
Ashes stain
Windowsill
Punk rock dream in a dimebag world
Free your family
Lose your mind
Bittersweet things I've never been
Happy that we left but I would leave again for you
Back to your heart
Back to your heart
Back to your heart
You are the only one
Sharing song
I'll wait for you
Breathe your air
Tend to me
Tell me what you want and I'll try to be
Everywhere
All the time
Think about the future let the past unwind
You are the shining sun
The summer comes
I leave again
For you
Back to your heart
Back to your heart
Back to your heart
The Dinosaur Jr.'s song "Back to Your Heart" talks about the struggle to keep a relationship going in the midst of troubles. The lyrics start with the singer addressing the person they love, asking to breathe their air and cut their teeth, a metaphor for being close and intimate. The singer then refers to themselves as "bones of a hypocrite," acknowledging their flaws and mistakes, which he claims resemble those of the person they love. The ashes on the windowsill may symbolize the past failed attempts and signify that the relationship is on its last legs.
The second half of the song is about holding on to what is good and important, even though the future feels uncertain. It discusses changing one's mindset and freeing the family from any pressure or expectations to create a new and better relationship. The bittersweet feeling expressed in the song may reflect the realization that sometimes, for some things to work, you may have to leave more than you would like. The chorus repeats, "Back to your heart...You are the only one," with the singer emphasizing the love they have for the person they love and have left behind.
Line by Line Meaning
Breathe your air
I want to be close to you and be a part of your life, to be with you in every way possible.
Cut my teeth
I have learned so much from you and have grown because of our experiences together.
Bones of a hypocrite that look like me
Being human, I have made mistakes, but I'm trying my best to be better for you.
Ashes stain
Our past experiences have left their mark on me, but I'm ready to move forward with you.
Windowsill
I often think about being with you, like a beautiful memory that I keep close to my heart.
Punk rock dream in a dimebag world
I imagine a life with you that is thrilling and full of adventure, even in a world that can be mundane and disappointing.
Free your family
I want you to be happy and able to make your own choices, with no one holding you back or judging you.
Lose your mind
Let's forget about the world and its problems, and just get lost in each other.
Think about the valley from time to time
I sometimes think about the peaceful moments we've shared, and how I long to experience them again with you.
Bittersweet things I've never been
I have never been able to fully express how much you mean to me, and how grateful I am to have you in my life.
Happy that we left but I would leave again for you
Although we've had our struggles and have parted ways before, I'm ready to take that leap of faith and follow my heart back to you.
Back to your heart
I want to be with you, and to be a part of your life once again.
You are the only one
There's no one else in the world that makes me feel the way you do, and I treasure the bond we share.
Sharing song
Our lives are like a beautifully harmonized duet, each note intertwining with the other to create a masterpiece of love and connection.
I'll wait for you
I am willing to wait as long as it takes for you to come back to me, because you are worth it.
Tend to me
Take care of me, love me, and I will do the same for you.
Tell me what you want and I'll try to be
I want to make you happy and fulfill your desires, even if they're different from my own.
Everywhere
You are always on my mind, no matter where I go or what I do.
All the time
My love for you is constant and unwavering, even in difficult times.
Think about the future let the past unwind
Let's focus on our future together and not dwell on the mistakes we've made in the past.
You are the shining sun
You bring light and warmth to my life, and make everything feel brighter and more beautiful.
The summer comes
I feel optimistic and hopeful about our future together, like the beginning of a new season.
I leave again for you
I will do whatever it takes to be with you and make you happy, even if it means leaving behind everything I've known.
Back to your heart
My heart leads me back to you, time and time again, and I am ready to follow it.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind