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.
Strangelight
Fugazi Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Nothing grows right anymore
Scars on every stalk
Whose mouth should I use to talk?
The force that marks the routine
Temperature, whatever degrees
Create the bad thing
Now it's hard to punch the clock
On a site where production's stopped
I'm just a warehouse filled with junk
Some somethings for some someones
Tasking time with tracking eye
Tectonic shifts one nerve at a time
I lay my head in it
A hundred plans to foritfy
Beige concrete goes on for miles
Hiding cities under it
Fill my mouth with non-mouth spit
There was a light at the window
A light under the door
But, it's not there anymore
(Come on over
Get your shoes on
Get your feet on, baby
Come on over)
The opening line of "Strangelight" sets the tone for the bleak outlook of Fugazi's post-punk masterpiece. The sun, a natural beacon of light and growth, has turned into something strange, something that inhibits instead of promotes life. The scars on every stalk are a visual metaphor for how the world has changed, how the once verdant fields have been ravaged and scarred by commercial interests. The singer is desperate to communicate but is unsure whose mouth to use, suggesting a disconnect between people in a harsh, impersonal world.
Fugazi’s music is infused with political and social commentary, and "Strangelight" is no exception. The "force that marks the routine" and "create the bad thing" refer to a capitalist system that prioritizes profits over people and the environment. The singer is trapped in this system but remains defiant: "Now it's hard to punch the clock on a site where production's stopped. I'm just a warehouse filled with junk, some somethings for some someones." The chorus of "fill my mouth with non-mouth spit" is a powerful image of being silenced and unable to speak out.
The song culminates in a dim view of the future, where cities are hidden under beige concrete, and the light has faded. The calling for people to come over and get their shoes on is a beckoning to fight against this bleak world and find hope in one another. Overall, "Strangelight" is a commentary on capitalism, conformity, and the struggle to find a collective voice in a harsh, dehumanizing world.
Line by Line Meaning
The sun's a strange light
The sun no longer provides the normal light required for growth and development.
Nothing grows right anymore
The altered state of the sun's light has resulted in the stunted growth of crops and all forms of vegetation.
Scars on every stalk
Every plant is now imperfect and scarred, and not producing the desired crop due to the altered light from the sun.
Whose mouth should I use to talk?
The artist struggles to find a voice that could convincingly communicate the concerns and worries resulting from the altered state of the environment.
The force that marks the routine
The environmental factors that dictate everyday tasks and activities, and shape how people live and work.
Temperature, whatever degrees
The ever-changing weather conditions, to which people are constantly adjusting to remain comfortable.
Create the bad thing
The changes in the environment and the resulting difficulties and challenges that must be faced.
And lay our heads in it
People must adapt and live with the circumstances that have been created.
Now it's hard to punch the clock
Work has become much more difficult to carry out because of changes to the environment.
On a site where production's stopped
Production has slowed down or even stopped entirely due to the environmental situation.
I'm just a warehouse filled with junk
The singer feels like a disused warehouse, a collection of things that were once useful but now seem obsolete and useless.
Some somethings for some someones
Despite the confusion and sense of aimlessness or redundancy, there are still those who may find some purpose in the situation.
Tasking time with tracking eye
The attention and focus required to track the changes happening in the environment and how they may be affecting one's everyday life.
Tectonic shifts one nerve at a time
The slow and gradual upheaval and adjustment people must make as their environment changes around them.
I lay my head in it
Despite the challenges, people must bear witness to the radical environmental changes that are taking place, and adjust to them as best they can.
A hundred plans to fortify
People have come up with countless ideas and proposals to strengthen and protect themselves from the unpredictable environmental changes.
Beige concrete goes on for miles
The unyielding, solid, immutable concrete landscape stretches as far as the eye can see, devoid of life and vibrancy.
Hiding cities under it
Beneath the monotonous cold concrete, towns and cities still exist, hiding from the harsh realities of the damaged world above.
Fill my mouth with non-mouth spit
The overwhelming sense of anxiety and hopelessness that results from witnessing the environmental changes has left the singer speechless, with nothing useful to say.
There was a light at the window
At one point, there were signs of hope and a brighter future, with some indication that the environment might return to normal.
A light under the door
Hope persisted, and there were signs of positive change even when everything else seemed so bleak.
But, it's not there anymore
The gleam of hope has disappeared, and things seem to be getting worse instead of better.
(Come on over
Get your shoes on
Get your feet on, baby
Come on over)
Through these lines, the singer suggests that despite the challenges and hardships, people should come together and support each other through these difficult times.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BRIAN ENO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind