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.
Rend It
Fugazi Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Why don't you drag me right out
Past all the shit that I said I'm saying
Why don't you cut up my mouth
And I don't care what you use
Just don't ask me to choose
I forced a field to allow you
That's not so easy to do
Surrender rend it it's yours
Out in the open
We're wide open
Night light comes into my room
Some shade of bruise-colored blue
Moves through my mind like a chemical
Imbalance on schedule
My tasting face to the floor
Passive abject I'm sure
I lick my lips when I need it
Don't want to lick them no more
My love song went wrong
The lyrics to Fugazi's song Rend It are both angst-filled and passionate, exploring the complicated emotions that can exist in a relationship. The singer is asking his partner to come to his house and literally drag him out of his problems, past all the things he has said or done in the past. He is desperate for his partner to take control, to "cut up [his] mouth" meaning to silence him, to take over, and to make decisions. The singer is tired of having to choose, and wants his partner to lead him.
The chorus features the repeated phrase "Surrender, rend it, it's yours," which is a plea for the singer's partner to take control of their relationship. He is open and willing to let his partner have power over him, to "rend" or tear him until he is surrendered. The lyrics continue to explore the power dynamic within the relationship, with the singer describing himself as "licking [his] lips" when he needs his partner, and feeling a sense of passive abjection. The final line - "My love song went wrong" - adds to the sense of heartbreak and disillusionment that permeates the song.
Overall, Rend It is a powerful exploration of the complexities of relationships, and the singer's desperate desire to surrender control to his partner. The lyrics are full of vivid and evocative imagery, with the repeated phrase "Surrender, rend it, it's yours" serving as a powerful motif throughout the song, underscoring the singer's sense of vulnerability and longing.
Line by Line Meaning
Why don't you come to my house
Asks the person to visit their house
Why don't you drag me right out
Asks the person to forcibly take them out
Past all the shit that I said I'm saying
Asks the person to ignore their previous words and actions
Why don't you cut up my mouth
Asks the person to silence them or make them unable to speak
And I don't care what you use
States their indifference towards the means used to silence them
Just don't ask me to choose
Asks the person to not force them to make a decision
I forced a field to allow you
States their previous efforts to make a space for the person
That's not so easy to do
Acknowledges the difficulty in creating said space
I said I said what I said I want you to help me
Reiterates their desire for the person's help
Surrender rend it it's yours
Surrenders control or ownership to the person
Out in the open
States the openness and honesty of the situation
We're wide open
Reinforces the vulnerability and honesty of the situation
Night light comes into my room
Describes a scene of a light entering their room at night
Some shade of bruise-colored blue
Describes the color of the light and its effect
Moves through my mind like a chemical
Compares the effect of the light to a chemical reaction in their mind
Imbalance on schedule
Describes the predictable and recurring nature of the chemical reaction
My tasting face to the floor
Describes the feeling of humiliation and defeat
Passive abject I'm sure
Admits to being in a passive and submissive state of mind
I lick my lips when I need it
Confesses to a coping mechanism to alleviate stress or anxiety
Don't want to lick them no more
Acknowledges the unhealthy nature of the coping mechanism and desire to stop
My love song went wrong
Admits to a failed attempt at expressing romantic feelings toward someone
Lyrics © ROUGH TRADE PUBLISHING
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind