Since its inception, Fugazi has been self-managed and have released almost all their material through Dischord Records, an independent label founded by MacKaye and partner Jeff Nelson in 1980. The band maintained a policy of affordable access to their work through low record and ticket prices and all-ages concerts.
Says AMG All Music Guide, "Along with their stridently underground ethics — which were more out of pragmatism and modesty than anything else — they gained an extremely loyal and numerous global following. To many, Fugazi meant as much to them as Bob Dylan did to their parents."
They played their first show in the fall of 1987 and since then released 7 albums and toured the world extensively covering all 50 United States, Europe, Australia, South America, Japan and many points in between.
In addition to their recorded output Fugazi released a documentary film/video called "Instrument" in collaboration with independent filmmaker, Jem Cohen. The feature length video offers a documentary overview of the the band's career with footage shot in a variety of formats over the last 10 years combining concert, tour and studio material backed with a musical soundtrack by the band unique to the movie.
Fugazi's last musical releases were The Argument, a 10 song LP, and Furniture, a 3 song single, released in the Fall of 2001. These sessions marked the first studio appearance of long time roadie and second drummer Jerry Busher who played additional drums and percussion on a number of the tracks on both releases. The recordings were once again made in collaboration with long time Fugazi engineer Don Zientara at Inner Ear studios.
Prior to forming Fugazi, the members of the band played in various other bands with releases available on Dischord.
Fugazi are currently on hiatus as of 2002, with Mackaye in The Evens, Picciotto having produced various bands including Blonde Redhead and The Blood Brothers, and Lally playing with John Frusciante and Josh Klinghoffer on both Ataxia releases and working on a solo album.
Break-In
Fugazi Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And she's happy just to let him in
When he asks will you let me in?
And from a place where they share skin,
They say come inside and he's happy because she's got skin
And it's sweet when she let's him in,
No sin but there's a time when the skin wears thin
And she's working on another skin deep inside deep inside break-in
Can i stay outside and let it cover for me?
She can't get outside, she can't get outside
She's the covering
The lyrics of Fugazi's song "Break-In" revolve around the theme of intimacy and the transience of relationships. The opening lines of the song, "And he's happy because she's got skin/ And she's happy just to let him in," signify the satisfaction that two people feel when they come together and share a common physical space. The singer asks, "Will you let me in?" indicating that the lady has the power to allow or deny him entry. The character is pleased that she has agreed to let him in, and they both bask in the warmth of their skin.
However, the song takes a darker turn when the singer realizes that there is more to intimacy than surface-level pleasure. He acknowledges that "there's a time when the skin wears thin" and that it is necessary to explore the deeper aspects of the relationship. The line "And she's working on another skin deep inside deep inside break-in" suggests that the woman is struggling to find genuine connection and is seeking a more profound understanding of the man she is with.
The final lines of the song showcase the singer's doubt and anxiety about the relationship. He wonders if his wealth can buy him the woman's affection and keep him on the periphery, as he muses, "Can I stay outside and let it cover for me?" The woman, however, is already beyond the realm of materialism and barred from leaving the skin she has created within, "She can't get outside, she can't get outside/ She's the covering." The song thus becomes a commentary on the fleeting nature of relationships and the inevitable breakdown of surface-level intimacy when confronted with deeper, more complex truths.
Line by Line Meaning
And he's happy because she's got skin
He's content because he's attracted to her physical appearance.
And she's happy just to let him in
She's content to allow him physical access to her.
When he asks will you let me in?
He requests permission for physical access.
And from a place where they share skin,
From the physical space where they connect emotionally.
They say come inside and he's happy because she's got skin
She invites him to come closer due to the attraction he feels towards her body.
And it's sweet when she let's him in,
It's satisfying when she allows him access to her body.
No sin but there's a time when the skin wears thin
There's no wrongdoing, but there comes a moment where physical attraction lessens.
And she's working on another skin deep inside deep inside break-in
She's attempting to develop an emotional connection with someone else, beyond just physical attraction.
And he wonders will my money, will it cover for me
He questions whether his material wealth can compensate for his personal shortcomings.
Can i stay outside and let it cover for me?
He contemplates avoiding personal connections by relying on external factors like money.
She can't get outside, she can't get outside
She's unable to escape from her own physical appearance.
She's the covering
Her physical appearance is the facade that she uses to interact with others.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: OLLIE E. EUGENE BROWN, JERRY KNIGHT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind