Girl in a Coma formed when best friends Jenn Alva and Phanie Diaz met in Jr-high school art class over a mutual love of the Smiths, Nirvana, and skipping school. All they needed was a singer. Enter Nina Diaz, Phanie’s little sister. Nina blew them away with her mesmerizing vocals, a powerful voice some critics have compared to Bjork, Patsy Cline, and the band’s hero, Morrissey himself. The trio practiced for three years, gigged at local punk rock clubs, played a High School talent show, one kid’s birthday party, and then hit the road, building up a solid and loyal fan base across the country.
In 2006, the Girls played for Joan Jett and long-time songwriting partner and producer, Kenny Laguna, at New York’s Knitting Factory as part of a cable TV show featuring unknown bands. Jett and Laguna were so impressed with the band that they signed GIAC to their label, Blackheart Records, on the spot.
The band’s 2007 debut album, Both Before I’m Gone, was a critical hit with raves from Alternative Press Magazine, the LA Weekly, Bust magazine, among many others, with the album reaching No. 23 on Billboard’s Heatseekers chart and No. 21 on iTunes. “Clumsy Sky,” the band’s first single, won a 2007 Independent Music Award.
In 2009, the band released their follow up album, Trio B.C. The album is a unique amalgamation of eclectic influences: oldies, rockabilly, 90s alternative, and contemporary bands both indie and mainstream.
Just a year later, the band recorded a companion piece to Trio B.C. Produced by Grammy-award winning producer Greg Collins (U2 and Gwen Stefani), Adventures in Coverland. features reinterpretations of songs and artists who have impacted the band. The songs range from a punked out version of Selena’s “Si Una Vez” to a stripped down version of Joy Division’s “Transmission.”
In early 2011, new material was piling up and the band was ready to head back into the studio to work on their upcoming album, Exits & All the Rest.
From sharing stages with their heroes to experiencing Arizona’s controversial laws firsthand, the album was born in an especially intense period for the band. The Girls headed a few miles north to Austin and recorded with producer Mike McCarthy (Spoon, Trail of Dead). It was the band’s first time working on analog tape and all the basic tracks were laid down live. The recording process seemed to help the band capture some of the raw energy and power that they are known for in their live shows.
For What It's Worth
Girl in a Coma Lyrics
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What it is ain't exactly clear
There's a man with a gun over there
Telling me I had got to beware
I think it's time we stop, children, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down
Nobody's right if everybody's wrong
Young people speaking their minds
Getting so much resistance from behind
Stop, hey, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down
What's going down
What a field-day for the heat
A thousand people in the streets
Singing songs and they carrying signs
Mostly say, hooray for our side
It's time we stop, hey, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down
What's going down
Paranoia strikes deep
Into your life it will creep
It starts when you're always afraid
You step out of line, the man come and take you away
We better stop, hey, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down
Stop, now, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down
Stop, children, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down
Now stop, now, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down
Stop, hey, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down
Now stop, now, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down
Stop, children, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down
Now stop
"For What It's Worth" by Girl in a Coma is a cover of the 1966 hit song "For What It's Worth" by Buffalo Springfield. The song speaks to the unrest of society in the late 1960s, particularly with the Vietnam War and civil rights movement, and it continues to resonate with audiences today. The opening line, "There's something happening here, what it is ain't exactly clear," sets the tone for the rest of the song. Something is happening, but no one quite knows what it is, except for the man with a gun warning people to beware.
The chorus, "I think it's time we stop, children, what's that sound, everybody look what's going down," speaks to the need for action and awareness. The line "Young people speaking their minds, getting so much resistance from behind," highlights the generational divide and the struggle for the younger generation to have their voices heard. The song's third verse speaks to the paranoia that comes with living in a society where those who dissent are punished and silenced.
Line by Line Meaning
There's something happening here
There's an event unfolding
What it is ain't exactly clear
But it's not apparent what's happening
There's a man with a gun over there
Someone armed and dangerous is present
Telling me I had got to beware
Threats of danger are being made
I think it's time we stop, children, what's that sound
It's time to pause and observe the noise
Everybody look what's going down
Acknowledge and understand the situation
There's battle lines being drawn
Sides are being taken and conflict is arising
Nobody's right if everybody's wrong
If everyone is wrong, no one emerges as the right one
Young people speaking their minds
The youth express their opinions
Getting so much resistance from behind
Facing opposition from an opposing force
Stop, hey, what's that sound
Pause and listen to the noise
What's going down
Observe the situation
What a field-day for the heat
It's the perfect day for those who thrive on conflict
A thousand people in the streets
A multitude of people are present
Singing songs and they carrying signs
The protesters express themselves through music and signage
Mostly say, hooray for our side
The messages are mostly in favor of the protesters' views
Paranoia strikes deep
Fear is penetrating
Into your life it will creep
The fear will seep into your life
It starts when you're always afraid
The fear begins with constant fearfulness
You step out of line, the man come and take you away
If you act outside of the norm, authority will intervene
We better stop, hey, what's that sound
It's crucial to pause and listen to the noise
Now stop, now, what's that sound
Immediate action is necessary to address the issue
Stop, children, what's that sound
Everyone, including the youth, need to pay attention
Stop, hey, what's that sound
Stop and listen to what's happening
Everybody look what's going down
Observe and understand the situation
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Stephen Stills
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind