Five Iron Frenzy started as a local side-project of Reese, Keith, Micah, and Scott's band Exhumator. Although the original intent was for the band to stay local and help support the local music scene, Five Iron Frenzy (FIF, or Five Iron) signed to Frank Tate's 5 Minute Walk records in 1995 and was touring nationally within a year. They reached the peak of their fame around 2000, with the release of All The Hype That Money Can Buy. They were known for dressing up in wacky costumes and fundraising for social causes. In December 2002, they announced that they would be breaking up after a final tour. They played the final show of the tour on November 22, 2003 at the Fillmore Auditorium in Denver, which was recorded for The End Is Here (disc 2) (this disc features that show in its entirety and was sold with the band's album, The End is Near). This show had an attendance of over 4,000 people.
On November 22, 2011, they announced via social media outlets and a week-long online scavenger hunt that they were recording a new album. The entire project was crowd funded in under an hour and met with a reunion show and touring. The results of the endeavor, Engine of a Million Plots, was released on November 26th, 2013. All members of the 2003 lineup participated in the project, with the exception of bassist Keith Hoerig, who was replaced by original guitarist Scott Kerr (who had left the band in 1998).
All I Want
Five Iron Frenzy Lyrics
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i'm wearing my vans right now,
so high school kids will think that i can skate.
i've got a degree in science, yet shaking my fists in defiance.
anyway, i'm not cliche, i hardly own any ties.
i may be old, but at least i'm not like all those other old guys.
backwards hat, tattoos, and goatee say i'm cool, just like fred durst.
i pay almost all my bills, i sleep on a futon still.
anyway, i'm not cliche, i might not even die.
i may be old, but at least i'm not like all those other old guys.
The lyrics to Five Iron Frenzy's song "At Least I'm Not Like All Those Other Old Guys" speak to the desire to remain relevant and in touch with youth culture as one grows older. The singer acknowledges their age, but also asserts that they are not like the typical "old guys" who have given up on being fashionable or cool. They still wear a wallet chain and Vans sneakers, and they pay attention to MTV for fashion tips. The singer even jokes that they might not even die, poking fun at the idea that getting older means losing touch with the things that make us feel young and alive.
The singer's insistence that they are not cliche is somewhat ironic, however, as the very desire to stay connected to youth culture could be seen as a cliche or stereotype of middle-aged people. The lyrics suggest that the singer is self-aware of this fact, but still feels a need to resist being lumped in with the rest of their peers. This tension between wanting to remain true to oneself and wanting to fit in with a particular social group is a common theme in many punk and alternative rock songs.
Overall, "At Least I'm Not Like All Those Other Old Guys" is a witty and self-effacing reflection on the challenges of growing older in a culture that values youth and novelty above all else. It speaks to the universal human desire to stay relevant and feel like we belong, even as we age.
Line by Line Meaning
i'm twenty-nine years old, still wearing the wallet chain, like i was twenty-eight.
Even though I'm almost 30, I still cling onto the same fashion trend I followed last year.
i'm wearing my vans right now, so high school kids will think that i can skate.
I wear Vans to pretend that I'm still young and could perform stunts like high schoolers do on skateboards.
i've got a degree in science, yet shaking my fists in defiance.
Even though I'm a scientist with a degree, I still behave like a rebellious teenager with anger issues.
anyway, i'm not cliche, i hardly own any ties.
I pride myself in not conforming to societal norms, as demonstrated by my lack of ownership of traditional business attire.
i may be old, but at least i'm not like all those other old guys.
Despite my age, I differentiate myself from older generations by attempting to appear younger and clinging onto 'youthful' trends.
i'm watching mtv, for fashion tips, so i can say, that i saw it first.
I watch MTV to stay updated with the latest trendy styles, just so I could boast that I knew about them before they became popular.
backwards hat, tattoos, and goatee say i'm cool, just like fred durst.
My choice of fashion, including a backwards cap, tattoos, and a goatee, imitates the style of Fred Durst to convince myself and others that I am still 'cool.'
i pay almost all my bills, i sleep on a futon still.
Although I have the financial stability to purchase comfortable furniture, I choose to sleep on a futon to maintain my youthful aesthetic.
i may be old, but at least i'm not like all those other old guys.
Once again, despite my age, I perceive myself as standing out from the older crowd by following the latest trends and attempting to act 'young'.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Brian Gasser
I turned 29 in august and I just remembered this song. Been listening to it since highschool. And so much of this applies to me.
Wes McElheney
v sad that this album isn't on spotify
yourlocalbrute
I saw FIF live the other night, and surprisingly they played this. I didn't think they would.
Andrew Beauparlant
I just saw them live last night and they played it as their opening song. He changed the second verse and mention of Fred Durst to being about Kim Kardashian
Kevin Klenkel
I had to give this song one more listen before I turn 30 tomorrow, RIP 20s
violalto17
Relating very hard with the other comments on this song! SO wish this album was available to stream. Turned 30 in August… at least I’m not like the others????
Melissa Colby
loved this band! still do!!!!
2McCue4U
I turn 29 today! I've been waiting for this for fifteen years, since I first heard this song!
Vee Norbury
listened to this song for the first time in probably a decade... thinking "wait, i'm 29 now??? wtf?"
Sarah Litchfield
SANDWICHES EVERYONE LIKES THEM SANDWICHES