Initially, Garbage was an informal jam session between the three producers held in Marker's basement. Steve Marker saw the music video of "Suffocate Me" by Angelfish on MTV, recorded it and showcased it to his band mates. They invited the Scottish vocalist Shirley Manson to join Garbage, she accepted, and soon Angelfish disbanded. According to Vig, Garbage was named before Manson joined the band, after the percussionist Pauli Ryan walked in while Vig was working on a remix for Nine Inch Nails and said it sounded like "garbage".
In August 1995, the group released their debut album Garbage, preceded by their first single "Vow" in March 1995. This album was an unexpected smash, selling over 5 million copies and reaching double platinum status in the UK (#6), USA (#20), Australia. Also it received great reviews from critics and featured on the book "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die." They released five singles from this album: "Vow", "Only Happy When It Rains", "Queer", "Stupid Girl", and "Milk". A non-album single entitled "Subhuman" was issued on 7 August 1995.
In 1996, the band released a short-form VHS and Video CD entitled "Garbage Video" (also known as "Home Video"), that included all of Garbage's promotional music videos filmed up until that point.
In 1997, Garbage were nominated at Grammy Awards for Best New Artist, Best Rock Performance By a Duo or Group With Vocal for "Stupid Girl", Best Rock Song for "Stupid Girl". In the same year, the remixed version of "#1 Crush" (original version released in 1996) was included on the multi-platinum movie soundtrack William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet. Also it was nominated for Best Song From a Movie at the 1997 MTV Movie Awards.
They spent over an year working on their follow-up album Version 2.0, which was released on May 1998 and hit #1 in the UK and #13 in the US. It was supported by six singles: "Push It", "I Think I'm Paranoid", "Special", "When I Grow Up", "The Trick Is to Keep Breathing" and "You Look So Fine". The music video of "Push It" featured state of the art effects and it costs over $400,000 to make. Version 2.0 sold over 5 million copies, almost the same as their debut.
In 1999, they performed the theme song to the James Bond movie The World Is Not Enough. That year, they also contributed the song "When I Grow Up" to the Adam Sandler movie Big Daddy. Version 2.0 was nominated at Grammy Awards for Album of the Year and Best Rock Album, and "Special" was nominated for Best Rock Performance By a Duo or Group With Vocal and Best Rock Song.
In October 2001, Garbage issued their third and most pop album beautifulgarbage, preceded by the single "Androgyny" in September 2001. All four singles released ("Androgyny", "Cherry Lips (Go Baby Go!)", "Breaking Up the Girl" and "Shut Your Mouth") were moderately successful. This album got 6th place at Rolling Stone's Top 10 Albums of The Year. The world tour from October 2001 to November 2002 was affected by Butch's health problems.
The band struggled to remain together and almost split in 2003, before returning with the fourth studio album Bleed Like Me in April 2005, peaking at a career-high #4 in USA. Four singles promoted the album: "Why Do You Love Me", "Sex Is Not the Enemy", "Bleed Like Me", and "Run Baby Run". Garbage cut short their 2005 world tour, and announced an indefinite hiatus, but emphasized it was not a break-up.
In July 2007 the group released a greatest hits album and a DVD entitled Absolute Garbage. The compilation featured a selection of their singles, a new single "Tell Me Where It Hurts" (#50 UK), and a remixed version of "It's All Over But the Crying" (the limited edition had also a remixes disc). The DVD included most of their music videos and a documentary related to the band.
In 2008 a new track called "Witness to Your Love" was issued on a charity compilation in the USA. Shirley Manson recorded a solo album but her label refused to release it considering it to be "too noir". In the same year she started to play a regular role on US TV show Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles.
According to a post from Shirley's Facebook profile, the band returned back to studio in 2010. On 14 May 2012, Garbage released their fifth studio album, Not Your Kind of People. The album was supported by the singles "Blood For Poppies", "Battle in Me", "Automatic Systematic Habit" and "Big Bright World".
On June 10th 2016, Garbage released their 6th album "Strange Little Birds".
I'm paranoid
Garbage Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I don't think I like you much
Heaven knows what a girl can do
Heaven knows what you've got to prove
I think I'm paranoid and complicated
I think I'm paranoid, manipulated
Anyway you need me
All I want is you
Bend me break me
Breaking down is easy
All I want is you
I fall down just to give you a thrill
Prop me up with another pill
If I should fail, if I should fold
I nailed my faith to the sticking pole
I think I'm paranoid, manipulated
I think I'm paranoid, too complicated
Bend me break me
Anyway you need me
All I want is you
Bend me break me
Breaking down is easy
All I want is you
I think I'm paranoid
I think I'm paranoid
Bend me break me
Anyway you need me
All I want is you
Bend me break me
Breaking down is easy
All I want is you
Steal me, deal me, anyway you heal me
Maim me, tame me, you can never change me
Love me, like me, come ahead and fight me
Please me, tease me, go ahead and leave me
Bend me break me
Anyway you need me
As long as I want you baby it's alright
Bend me break me
Anyway you need me
As long as I want you baby it's alright
The song "I think I'm paranoid" by Garbage is a hard-hitting rock song, with lyrics that describe the complicated emotions and feelings of the singer. The song starts with the singer feeling uncomfortable with someone she doesn't like much trying to get close to her. She acknowledges that she is complicated and paranoid, which could be a result of past experiences or just her nature. She is aware of what she can do as a girl, and what the other person is trying to prove to her. She feels manipulated and controlled, almost as if she has lost her own autonomy.
The following lines illustrate the singer's readiness to do anything for the person she desires. She is willing to be bent, broken, or taken in any way the other person wants. All she wants is to have the other person with her. She seems to have become addicted to this person and is willing to do whatever it takes to please them. The line "Breaking down is easy" suggests that the singer might be going through a hard time but still ready to go through more if it means having the other person in her life. She emphasizes her willingness to have the person even if she has to be 'Maimed, Tamed', or 'Dealt.'
The chorus repeatedly says 'Bend me, Break me, Anyway you need me, All I want is you' which indicates the singer's overwhelming desire to be with this person, regardless of their expectations. The singer acknowledges her complicated nature and feels manipulated but is ready to go through anything to be with the person she desires.
Line by Line Meaning
You can look but you can't touch
I'm not interested in you, so don't try to make any physical advances towards me.
I don't think I like you much
Based on my first impression of you, I don't have a very positive opinion of you.
Heaven knows what a girl can do
Girls have the power to do many things, some of which may surprise others.
Heaven knows what you've got to prove
I'm not sure what you're trying to prove or what your motivations are behind your actions.
I think I'm paranoid and complicated
I have a tendency to think and worry too much about things, and I may be difficult to understand and deal with because of it.
I think I'm paranoid, manipulated
I have a feeling that someone is trying to control or influence me in some way, and I may have fallen for it.
Bend me break me
I'm willing to be shaped and molded by others to fit their desires and expectations.
Anyway you need me
I'm willing to do whatever it takes to please others and be accepted by them.
All I want is you
My desire to be accepted and loved by others is so strong that I'm willing to sacrifice my own wants and needs to make it happen.
Breaking down is easy
It's easier to give up and let yourself fall apart than to keep fighting and striving towards your goals.
I fall down just to give you a thrill
I'm willing to do reckless and self-destructive things just to gain the attention and approval of others.
Prop me up with another pill
I may turn to drugs or other substances to numb the pain of rejection and help me keep going.
If I should fail, if I should fold
If I'm not able to meet the expectations of others or live up to my own standards, I may feel completely defeated and lose all motivation.
I nailed my faith to the sticking pole
I've invested my trust and belief in something or someone, and I'm not willing to let it go even if it's hurting me.
Steal me, deal me, anyway you heal me
I'm looking for someone to rescue me from my problems and pain, even if it means being taken advantage of or mistreated.
Maim me, tame me, you can never change me
I may seem willing to let others control and manipulate me, but deep down I know that I can never be truly changed by anyone except myself.
Love me, like me, come ahead and fight me
I want to be loved and accepted, but I'm also willing to defend myself and stand up for what I believe in.
Please me, tease me, go ahead and leave me
I'm willing to endure the pain of being used and then abandoned by others because the brief moments of acceptance are worth it to me.
As long as I want you baby it's alright
My desire for acceptance and love from others is so strong that I'm willing to overlook any negative consequences or mistreatment that may come with it.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DOUGLAS ELWIN ERICKSON, SHIRLEY ANN MANSON, STEVE W. MARKER, BRYAN DAVID VIG
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@tackyman2011
Who else misses the 90s?
@amandamclaughlin356
tackyman2011 I was born in 1990, so I grew up with this song and others
@gachakazzy425
Me! I was born in 1999
@thechaosengine3020
Every. Single. Day. Bro. Every single day.
@tejasvibangalore8787
I me myself !!!
@ulisessolis3182
tackyman2011 🙋
@duckpants3766
I was 19 years old when garbage 2.0 came out and this track blew my mind . I'm 42 now and this song still rocks .. Shirley is a goddess......
@vascosoares8763
so true
@stevelumby8260
Me to im 62
@adrianaledezma6920
the same