Dinosaur Jr. is a rock band which formed in 1983 in Amherst, Massachusetts.… Read Full Bio ↴Dinosaur Jr. is a rock band which formed in 1983 in Amherst, Massachusetts. The band was formed by J Mascis (guitar and vocals) and his high school classmate Lou Barlow (bass guitar), following the break-up of their hardcore punk band Deep Wound. Shortly afterwards, Murph (Emmett Patrick Murphy, drums) joined them.

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.

I Ain't Sayin
Dinosaur Jr. Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Run outside, my house is burnin', your house is light up,
Now I'm learnin', it's not a good sign, wheels are turnin' and they're rollin' home to you.

Left a few things I'll be back for, it's a d
Still need a few more when you're scratchin' at the back door and I'm rollin' home to you.
Scratch it off, it won't stop peelin'.

But you're hooked, you just stopped dealin', don't need walls yo

D a ceiling 'cause you're floatin' off again.

Run outside, my house is burnin', I'm light up, now I'm learnin'.
It's not a good sign wheels are turnin', rollin' home to you left a few things, I'
Back for.
It's a drag.

Still need a few more.
Not a good sign and I'm rollin' home to you.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Dinosaur Jr.'s "I Ain't Sayin" are enigmatic and open to interpretation. The song seems to be about a troubled relationship, possibly characterized by addiction, as evidenced by the lyrics "But you're hooked, you just stopped dealin', don't need walls or a ceiling 'cause you're floatin' off again." The sense of urgency and desperation is felt throughout the song, as the singer repeatedly refers to their burning house and their need to roll home. The desire to return home seems to be juxtaposed with a feeling of reluctance ("It's a drag"), suggesting that the relationship is not a source of comfort, but rather a source of pain.

The lyrics suggest a feeling of being trapped in a cycle, as the singer repeatedly leaves and returns to their house, collecting things along the way. The repeated reference to wheels turning and rolling home creates a sense of circular motion, as if the events in the song are happening over and over again. Overall, the song conveys a sense of unease and discomfort, as if the singer is unable to escape their troubles and is constantly being pulled back into the same destructive patterns.

Line by Line Meaning

Run outside, my house is burnin', your house is light up,
I see that my house is on fire and yours is also in danger.

Now I'm learnin', it's not a good sign, wheels are turnin' and they're rollin' home to you.
Realizing the danger, I feel worried and anxious and coming home to ensure your safety as well.

Left a few things I'll be back for, it's a drag.
I've left some belongings behind which I'll have to go back for later, which is frustrating considering the situation.

Still need a few more when you're scratchin' at the back door and I'm rollin' home to you.
I realize I'm missing a few more items and I feel bad leaving you alone, waiting for me to return.

Scratch it off, it won't stop peelin'.
Trying to remove something, but it's not coming off easily and is leaving marks behind.

But you're hooked, you just stopped dealin', don't need walls yo D a ceiling 'cause you're floatin' off again.
You seem to have overcome your addiction and you're feeling ecstatic and free again, without any restrictions holding you down.

I'm light up, now I'm learnin'.
Seeing the fire has made me alert and conscious of the situation.

Not a good sign and I'm rollin' home to you.
Feeling worried and concerned seeing the danger, I'm rushing back home to you.

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: J. MASCIAS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS