Falling Sickness was a Riverside, California based Punk Rock band, consisti… Read Full Bio ↴Falling Sickness was a Riverside, California based Punk Rock band, consisting of Fritz Aragon (vocals, guitar), Zach (vocals, bass), Gabe Gil (vocals), and Angel Ieven (drums). After six years of being an unsigned band and playing mostly local shows, Falling Sickness were signed to Hopeless Records in 1995. Their debut record Right On Time was released soon after in January of 1996. The record which chronicled the first six years of the band is "about drinking, daydreaming and fucking up; a testament of our youth. After all, when we started [Gabe] was only 17 and Fritz was 14".[1] Their next, and final, record as a band, Because the World Has Failed Us Both was released in February of 1998 also on Hopeless Records. 'Because the World Has Failed Us Both' is "about our growing up" and focuses more on worldly politics rather than the teenage politics of 'Right On Time'. In 2000, Falling Sickness disbanded. Since then, Fritz and Angel have formed the band Dogs of Ire.

What Scene?
Falling Sickness Lyrics

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What scene are you talking about?
The kind that separates a people from a sound?
And if you status doesn't match up
With the right connection
Your self expression isn't
Wanted in this direction

What scene are you part of and support

You release your anger
Every Weekend in this resort
Is the music really what you came for?
Violence is nothing
To do with being hardcore

Sincerity means nothing when you've got no clout
Bicker endlessly about who's selling out
What's the struggle in your phony ass community?
What's a community without no substance?

You're a radical with your head up your ass
A fashion statement that shouldn't last

What scene are you stuck-up fucks talking about?
I see a lot of things that you and I can do without

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Falling Sickness's song "What Scene?" discuss the issue of exclusivity within the punk scene. The song challenges the idea that there is only one right way to be a part of the scene, and that those who don't fit into certain categories are not welcome. The first verse questions what kind of scene is being referred to when people talk about it as though it is a certain, exclusive club. The lyrics suggest that if someone's status or connections don't match up, then their self-expression is not wanted in that direction.

The second verse criticizes the tendency to release anger every weekend in a resort, seemingly without caring about the music itself. The lyrics argue that violence is not truly connected to being "hardcore." Additionally, the song takes aim at the tendency to bicker about who is "selling out," suggesting that this is not a real struggle. The lyrics ask what a "phony ass community" without any substance can truly be.

Finally, the song addresses those who claim to be "radical" but are simply following trends. The lyrics suggest that being a part of a certain scene solely for the sake of being trendy is not true radicalism. In general, the song's lyrics critique the notion that there is only one "right" way to be a part of a certain scene, and encourages people to challenge these norms.

Line by Line Meaning

What scene are you talking about?
Which subculture or group are you referring to?

The kind that separates a people from a sound?
Is it a scene that's defined by its music or something else?

And if you status doesn't match up With the right connection Your self expression isn't Wanted in this direction
If you don't have the right social status or connections, your self-expression is unwelcome in this scene.

What scene are you part of and support You release your anger Every Weekend in this resort Is the music really what you came for? Violence is nothing To do with being hardcore
What subculture do you belong to and champion? Are you really here for the music or just to let out your anger and engage in acts of violence? Violence isn't a necessary part of being hardcore.

Sincerity means nothing when you've got no clout
Being genuine doesn't count for anything if you have no influence or power.

Bicker endlessly about who's selling out
People in this scene endlessly argue about who's compromising or abandoning their principles in favor of commercial success.

What's the struggle in your phony ass community?
What's the real problem that this inauthentic community is facing?

What's a community without no substance?
What's the point of having a community that has no real depth or substance?

You're a radical with your head up your ass A fashion statement that shouldn't last
You're just a shallow, self-righteous poseur who's more concerned with looking cool than making a real difference.

What scene are you stuck-up fucks talking about? I see a lot of things that you and I can do without
What subculture are you arrogant pricks discussing? I see a lot of things here that we could all do without.

Contributed by Molly L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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