Fishbone first assembled with John Norwood Fisher (bass), his brother Philip "Fish" Fisher (drums), Angelo Moore (vocals, saxophones and theremin), Kendall Jones (guitar), "Dirty" Walter A. Kibby II (vocals, trumpet), and Christopher Dowd (keyboards, trombone, vocals). They achieved their greatest success in the late 1980s and early 1990s, after which they went through many personnel changes. From 2003 to 2010, John Norwood Fisher and Angelo Moore were the last remaining original members of the band. In the 2010s, all the other original members except Kendall Jones rejoined the band for various reunions and anniversary activities.
Those Days Are Gone
Fishbone Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Can't find your way out of the maze
Life is ablaze
And you're right there in the flames
Is this pain
Are we sane
And who has established these claims?
I had a dream once there was a wall inside my head
You all had put it there
We lived a life once we felt together as one
And now those days are gone
We fled that place there was a beast kept there
He was mighty and strong and his name was jealousy
We all laughed we felt we would rise above with our unity, our unity
But later on that day he came back to say
That I have a friend and his name is envy
We toppled many lives, we're like a mighty hurricane
We bring destruction, and we cause descension
Fishbone's song "Those Days Are Gone" speaks to the struggle of feeling lost and alone, unable to escape the chaos of life. The lyrics explore themes of pain, sanity, and the claims that society makes on individuals. The singer reflects on a dream they once had where there was a wall inside their head, put there by those around them. They also speak to a time when they felt united with others, only for that sense of unity to be shattered by the presence of jealousy and envy.
The song opens with the singer feeling lost and trapped in a maze, with life ablaze around them. They question whether the pain they feel is real, and question who has the authority to determine what is sane or insane. The lyrics suggest that society's claims on individuals can feel suffocating and restricting, leading to a sense of alienation and disconnection.
The second verse recounts a dream where the singer imagines a wall inside their head, put there by others. This suggests a sense of being trapped by external circumstances and societal pressures. The third verse describes a situation in which people felt united, only to see their sense of unity crumble in the face of jealousy and envy. The song ends by acknowledging the destructive tendencies of humankind, likening their impact to a "mighty hurricane" that causes "destruction" and "descension."
Line by Line Meaning
When you're alone
Being alone is an experience in which you feel disconnected from the world around you.
Can't find your way out of the maze
Life can be confusing and difficult to navigate, and it's not always clear which direction to take.
Life is ablaze
Life can be intense and overwhelming, especially when challenges arise.
And you're right there in the flames
When life is chaotic, it's easy to get caught up in the turmoil and feel like you're in the middle of it all.
Is this pain
Pain can be difficult to identify and understand, making it hard to know how to respond to it.
Are we sane
The experience of pain can cause one to question their sanity and ability to handle life's challenges.
And who has established these claims?
It's unclear where our ideas about what is sane and what is not come from, or who gets to decide.
While we all try to refrain
Despite the confusion and pain, we try our best to hold back and not let our emotions get the best of us.
I had a dream once there was a wall inside my head
Sometimes we build internal barriers that hold us back and keep us from fully expressing ourselves.
You all had put it there
It's often other people's attitudes and beliefs that lead us to form these internal walls.
We lived a life once we felt together as one
There was a time when we felt united and connected to those around us.
And now those days are gone
Things change, and the connection we once felt with others may be lost over time.
We fled that place there was a beast kept there
Sometimes we have to leave situations or relationships that are toxic or unhealthy to protect ourselves.
He was mighty and strong and his name was jealousy
Jealousy is a powerful force that can tear people and relationships apart.
We all laughed we felt we would rise above with our unity, our unity
At one point, we believed that staying united and working together would be enough to overcome any challenge.
But later on that day he came back to say
Jealousy can be persistent and difficult to overcome, even when we think we have moved on.
That I have a friend and his name is envy
Sometimes jealousy can lead to envy, which can be just as destructive as jealousy itself.
We toppled many lives, we're like a mighty hurricane
Jealousy and envy can cause tremendous harm to others and create chaos and destruction in our own lives.
We bring destruction, and we cause descension
Jealousy and envy can create divisions and strife between people, tearing apart relationships that were once strong.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: CHRISTOPHER DOWD, JOHN NORWOOD FISHER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Phylean Panache
Fishbone - Those Days Are Gone
Yeeeeeeee-aaaaaaaahh!!
When you're alone (Oooh)
Can't find (Wop! Wop!)
Your way (Oooh)
Out of the maze (Oooh! Wop! Wop!)
Life is ablaze (Oooh)
And you're (Wop! Wop!)
Right there (Oooh)
In the flames (Wop! Wop!)
Is this pain? (Oooh)
Are we sane? (Wop! Wop!)
And who has (Oooh)
Established these claims?
(Oooh! Wop! Wop!)
While we all try to refrain
(Oooh! Wop! Wop!)
I had a dream once
There was a wall
Inside my head
You all had put it there
We lived a life once
We felt
Together as one
And now those days are gone
We fled that place (Oooh!)
There was a beast
Kept there
(Oooh! Wop! Wop!)
He was mighty and strong (Oooh!)
And his name was jealousy
(Oooh! Wop! Wop!)
We all laughed
(Oooh! Wop! Wop!)
We felt we
Would rise above
(Oooh! Wop! Wop!)
With our unity
Our unity
(Oooh! Wop! Wop!)
But later on that day
He came back to say
That I have a friend
And his name is envy
We toppled many lives
We're like a mighty hurricane
We bring destruction
And we cause
Descension
Oooh
Wop wop!
Oooh
Wop wop!
Oooh
Wop wop!
Oooh
Wop wop!
Oooh
Wop wop!
Oooh
Wop wop!
Oooh
Wop wop!
Oooh
Wop wop!
Yeah!
I had a dream once
There was a wall
Inside my head
And I had a dream once
There was a wall
Inside my head
And I had a dream once
There was a curse
Upon my soul
And now those days are gone
Those days are gone
And now those days are gone
Now those days are gone
And now those days are gone
Now those days are gone
And now those days are gone
Now those days are gone
And now those days are gone
Now those days are gone
And now those days
And now those days
Now those days are gone
Now those days are gone
And now those days are gone
Nay-yaaaaaaay!
Ness Winston
When I was a junior, I used to listen to a ton of ska and a ton of Fishbone to drown my frustrations. I was scared of what the future would bring and what I would become. My family has had a genetic history history of cancer, and I feared that I was next in line. I felt like I would fail to do anything worthwhile until the untimely day in the future when I would to the ground fall and discover a tumor in my chest, just like my dad had. Worst of all, I had no plan for the future, it was all far fetched fantasies. Back then, I was a meek idiot with not a lot of knowledge or confidence to do anything. I just had to keep grinding through school, for my family and for myself.
Then the pandemic happened and it slapped a steal cold test of courage on my life. I had learned to cook, to drive, and to finally think for myself. I stood by my family and bonded with them after so long. Not everyone made it, but if there's one thing I know, we were stronger than ever before. When the pandemic was starting to cool off, my mom quit her job at a retirement home for how the staff was treating her, and surprisingly, we're getting by just fine due to the benefits for quitting a position there. Me and my brothers got closer and we got to motivated to study on our own. I saw what death looks like and what a waste of life looks like. To fear death and to hide in a hole is no way to live, death would be coming closer to you than you think if you live like that. I no longer feared death and I got tired of being a slave to my doubt.
Now I am a man. I'm not a super man, but I know I'm a good man. I got a plan for my life and I know I can reach it for once. I have been trying to studying for college, until I found a note from my notebook. It was poem about all the pain I was feeling and the helplessness in my Junior year. It surprised to see my name tagging the line of work, it was like a stranger put that note inside instead. I can only smile now, because I made it. Cancer may be on my horizon, but I won't be going down in a sorrowful fight.
I rediscover this old song and now, I know what Fishbone was talking about. Those days are gone.
And now those days are gone
now those days are gone...
Døug P
This song changed my life as a teenager on the verge of schizophrenia due to heavy drug use. My head cleared up after listening to this song durring my episodes. Words of wisdom. I'm very level headed and thank Fishbone for saving my life and sanity. I proudly say those days are gone!!!
shammi maharaj
I here you ,for me my parents which had a preconception of what was not Christian music dealing with the normal warning signs this scared the the jesus out them ,
Scott Craig
+Doug Prishpreed There is only FISHBONE!!!
Jerry Aldeens
Simply one of the greatest songs of all time...Chris Dowd one of the most criminally underrated artists in music history.
Stoopid Pursun
One of the most criminally underappreciated albums of all time.
Jay 1988
Usually, people who say underrated say it in totally the wrong context. But here, I agree with you.
Christopher Roth
@C P when my cassette housing of this broke I transferred the tape into another cassette housing and kept listening till I got on CD. I still listen regularly. It's one of the greatest album ever made in my opinion
C P
I remember buying this on Cassette then CD still have them both ,,,,,Love this Band ..........one and only FISHBONE .....Years ahead of the game ..
christopher taubert
Most of the lineup is playing together again throughout the country go see em.Crying over spilt milk is useless...of course Fishbone was criminally underapreciated but who knows maybe they can pull Kendal in the mix and make a new masterpiece.
fishbone3333
+Stoopid Pursun Critics absolutely loved this album. I recall one review that called it the "Sgt Pepper's" of the 1990's. But alas, widespread fame would elude Fishbone due to factors beyond their control.
"Fishbone leapt from a great height. Did you catch them?"