They made their first recordings available in late 1979 via the SF Underground 7" compilation series released via Steve Tupper's newly-formed Subterranean Records. In 1981 a 7" followed Love Canal and Ha Ha Ha and the original lineup made 2 full-length studio albums on Subterranean, 1982's Generic and the 1984 followup Gone Fishin'.
Flipper's music was very shambolic and noisy, and oft considered "slow" for a punk band of the time. In many early shows, the band had half the audience on stage with them singing backup vocals, and encouraged horn players to join them for their anthem, Sex Bomb -- and the crowding on stage usually knocked the stringed instruments out of tune. Guitarist Ted Falconi installed spikes in the head of his guitar to help prevent this, but blaring, out-of-tune dissonance became part of the band's signature sound.
Bassist/vocalist Will Shatter died in 1987 of a heroin overdose. The remaining members reformed for the 1993 album American Grafishy on Def American Recordings which re-issued Generic, and a compilation called Sex Bomb Baby on Rick Rubin and Henry Rollins' Infinite Zero label. This relationship soured and the surviving Flipper members allegedly were duped out of their rights to their back catalog. Bassist/vocalist Bruce Loose got in a car accident which severely injured his spine resulting in a crippling injury which requires him to use a cane. Apparently drummer Steve Depace was in the works of writing an autobiography of his Flipper experiences to the irk of his band mates. Bruce most recently performed as Not Flipper at 924 Gilman and reunited as Flipper for a show in SF with surviving members Falconi and Depace. In December 2006, former Nirvana bassist Krist Novoselic joined the band. On 22 September 2008, due to responsibilities at home, Novoselic announced his departure from the band.
Ever
Flipper Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Full of zest, but no appeal
Ever want to cry so much
You want to die
Ever feel that you've been had
Had so much that you turn mad
Ever been depressed that
(to) those you turn to, you bring distress
That turns so loud, you start to scream
Ever take control of a dream
And play all the parts and set all the scenes
Ever do nothing and gain nothing from it
Ever feel stupid and then know that you really are
Ever think you're smart and then find out you aren't
Ever play the fool and then find out that you're worse
Ever look at a flower and hate it
Ever see a couple kissing and get sickened by it
Ever wish the human race didn't exist
And then realize you're one too
Well, have you ... ever .. I have
So what
Flipper's song "Ever" is a deeply introspective piece that chronicles a series of difficult, existential moments. The lyrics delve into themes of depression, alienation, and futility. The song is ultimately a reflection on the human condition and the various struggles that we face throughout life.
The opening lines of the song set the tone for what is to come. The singer asks if the listener has ever lived a life that feels genuine but lacks passion, highlighting the idea that a sense of purpose is essential for true fulfillment. It goes on to describe the all-consuming sadness that can lead one to thoughts of death and the feeling of being constantly taken advantage of by others. The lyrics then question the nature of existence itself, highlighting the feelings of despair and futility that can arise from a lack of meaning or purpose.
Throughout the song, there is a distinct sense of isolation and loneliness. The imagery of tormenting silence and a desire to scream suggests a feeling of being trapped, unable to express oneself fully. The subsequent discussion of dreams and the ability to control them serves as a contrast to the seemingly hopeless and oppressive reality described earlier. However, even this moment of escape is tinged with sadness, as the singer describes feeling foolish and inadequate.
Line by Line Meaning
Ever live a life that's real
Have you ever lived a life that is authentic and true to yourself?
Full of zest, but no appeal
Have you ever had energy and enthusiasm without any attractiveness or charm?
Ever want to cry so much You want to die
Have you ever been so overwhelmed with emotions that you wish to end your life?
Ever feel that you've been had
Have you ever felt like you have been fooled or deceived?
Had so much that you turn mad
Have you ever had so much of something that it made you go crazy?
Ever been depressed that (to) those you turn to, you bring distress
Have you ever experienced such severe depression that you bring pain and discomfort to those who try to help you?
Ever sit in tormenting silence That turns so loud, you start to scream
Have you ever felt trapped in a suffocating silence that becomes so loud that it drives you to scream?
Ever take control of a dream And play all the parts and set all the scenes
Have you ever had a dream where you were the director, actor, and set designer all at once?
Ever do nothing and gain nothing from it
Have you ever spent time doing nothing and gained nothing from it?
Ever feel stupid and then know that you really are
Have you ever felt unintelligent and then realized that you truly lack knowledge or understanding?
Ever think you're smart and then find out you aren't
Have you ever believed yourself to be intelligent and then discovered that you were mistaken?
Ever play the fool and then find out that you're worse
Have you ever acted foolishly and then discovered that you are actually worse than a fool?
Ever look at a flower and hate it
Have you ever seen a flower and felt hatred towards it for no reason?
Ever see a couple kissing and get sickened by it
Have you ever witnessed a couple kissing and felt physically ill at the sight of it?
Ever wish the human race didn't exist And then realize you're one too
Have you ever wished that humans did not exist and then had the realization that you are a human as well?
Well, have you ... ever .. I have
This line is a rhetorical question followed by a declaration, indicating that the singer has experienced all of the above.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Bruce Calderwood, Lawrence Falconi, Russell Wilkinson, Stephen Depace
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind