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.
Facet Squared
Fugazi Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Everybody wears it, it always fits
A state invoked for lack of position
Strength is the bait that keeps us busy
If it's perforated, then tear it to bits
All sense was lost in the frenzy
They should never
Irony is the refuge of the educated
Always complaining but they never quit
Cool's eternal, but it's always dated
They should never
Touch the ground
It's not worth, it's the investment
That keeps us tied up in all these strings
We draw lines and stand behind them
That's why flags are such ugly things
That they should never
Touch the ground
In the song Facet Squared by Fugazi, the lyrics describe the concept of pride and how it has lost its true meaning. The opening lines suggest that pride is now universally tangible - anyone can wear it, and it always fits, illustrating how pride has become a meaningless commodity. The verse goes on to describe how pride is invoked as a substitute for having no real position or standing, and how strength is used as a distraction to keep us occupied.
The chorus of "They should never touch the ground" is repeated throughout the song, emphasising the importance of pride and its ability to elevate us above others, to occupy space and create a sense of importance. However, in the context of the song, this line can also be taken as a criticism of pride and its tendency to create a sense of superiority that is not necessarily deserved.
The second verse tackles the theme of irony and how it is often used cynically by the educated to make themselves feel superior while simultaneously complaining about their lot in life. The lyric "Cool's eternal, but it's always dated" suggests that while the idea of cool may be everlasting, the concept itself is outdated and no longer relevant. The following lines describe how people cling to their investment in their pride, obscuring any sense of reason and the ability to look beyond their own limitations. The final line of the song, "That's why flags are such ugly things" can be interpreted as a critique of nationalism and how it can be used to divide people instead of bringing them together.
Line by Line Meaning
Pride no longer has definition
The concept of pride has become meaningless and vague
Everybody wears it, it always fits
Everyone can superficially claim to possess pride easily
A state invoked for lack of position
Pride is used to give oneself entitlement in everyone’s eyes in the absence of actual qualifications or accomplishments
Strength is the bait that keeps us busy
Our desire for power and dominance is what perpetuates us in life
If it's perforated, then tear it to bits
If something isn't perfect or flawless, we disregard it completely and attack it
All sense was lost in the frenzy
We become senseless and irrational when distracted by our obsessive pursuits
They should never Touch the ground
The flag, a symbol of pride, should never be dishonoured
Irony is the refuge of the educated
Smart people use irony as a coping mechanism when confronted with a nonsensical world
Always complaining but they never quit
People who are constantly dissatisfied with life remain complacent as they refuse to change
Cool's eternal, but it's always dated
The trendy image of 'cool' is fleeting, and it will always go out of style inevitably
They should never Touch the ground
The flag, a symbol of pride, should never be dishonoured
It's not worth, it's the investment
The time, money, and energy spent on something make it valuable, not inherent worth
That keeps us tied up in all these strings
All the resources we have invested in leave us feeling bound and tangled
We draw lines and stand behind them
We create imaginary borders around our beliefs and ideas and hold them in high regard
That's why flags are such ugly things
The ultimate symbol of pride, the flag, is ugly because of the division and segregation it creates
That they should never Touch the ground
The flag, a symbol of pride, should never be dishonoured
Lyrics © ROUGH TRADE PUBLISHING
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind