Head
Post-hardcore band Gray Matter formed in the summer 1983 from the ashes of … Read Full Bio ↴Post-hardcore band Gray Matter formed in the summer 1983 from the ashes of several Washington, D.C., area punk bands, Gray Matter's mix of melody and punk power helped key the 1984-1985 punk resurgence in the nation's capital. Consisting of guitarist Mark Haggerty and drummer Dante Ferrando (both of controversial first wave Dischord band Iron Cross), guitarist and singer Jeff Turner (founder of WGNS cassette label and studio), and bassist Steve Niles, Gray Matter was inspired by British punk bands. The band rehearsed but rarely played out, and it wasn't until the summer of 1984 that they played their first important public gigs, finding alliance with bands like Rites of Spring and Beefeater. The group made their first recordings in November of 1984, going into Dischord's "house" studio, Inner Ear, with Minor Threat's Ian Mackaye assisting with production. The recordings, which revealed the influence of early-D.C. punk ("Gray Matter," "Caffeine Blues"), also warned about the dangers of punk nostalgia ("Retrospect") and featured a surprising cover of the Beatles' "I Am the Walrus" was the first hint of the band's strong pop streak. The record was issued by a small local label, then reissued by Dischord in 1990. The group hit their stride on the August 1985 recordings that became the Take It Back EP. Crashing power chords mixed with pop melodies and rushing rhythms on "Chutes and Ladders" and the title cut, and the record stands as a landmark of the mid-'80s Dischord style. The record was cut during what came to be known as "Revolution Summer" in D.C., a period of punk solidarity that helped turn attentions away from personal concerns to political and social ones, paving the way for latter day heroes like Fugazi. Jon Kirschten replaced Haggerty in the fall of 1985, but the band had nearly run its' course, breaking up in the spring of the following year. Turner and Niles reunited with Haggerty in Three, which included former Minor Threat drummer (and Dischord co-founder) Jeff Nelson while Ferrando went on to play with Ignition. Turner also played with Senator Flux. The band reunited in late 1990, touring and recording Thog, a fine disc that showed the group's grasp of pop punk sensibilities but lacked their former power. They called it quits for good in 1993.

Head
Gray Matter Lyrics


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Self denial fall apart
Follow mind follow heart
When I talk I wanna scream
All I know and all I've seen

Self contains, so tightly packed
Once it’s loose no holding back
All I need is in my mind
And the walls will fall in time

After months of senseless sleeping
Things were moving I was creeping
And it felt like time was ending
All the staircases descending

Like a broken mirror image
Wondering what I have a heart for
Still waiting for departure
And the world just keeps a-moving

And they all juts keep a-marching
On the way towards there solution
On a walk without confusion
Just avoiding stalled existence

Way above all the nonsense
Till I saw that they were liars
And I looked up then to deceit
And the world juts kept a-creeping





Yeah the world just kept a-creeping

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Gray Matter's song "Head" appear to be about the struggle to reconcile the rational and emotional aspects of the self. The first line, "Self denial fall apart," suggests that the singer has been holding back or suppressing something within themselves. The following lines, "Follow mind follow heart" and "All I know and all I've seen," hint at a conflict between reason and intuition. The lines "When I talk I wanna scream" and "Once it’s loose no holding back" suggest a pent-up frustration that could be released if the singer were to fully embrace their emotions.


The second verse continues this theme, as the singer reflects on a period of stagnation followed by a renewed sense of movement. The line "Like a broken mirror image" could be interpreted as a metaphor for feeling fragmented or disconnected from oneself. The line "And the world just keeps a-moving" could be seen as an acknowledgement that time and life will continue regardless of the singer's internal struggles.


The final verse appears to be a reflection on the limitations of society and the need to break free from conformity. The lines "On the way towards there solution" and "Just avoiding stalled existence" suggest that the singer sees others as blindly following a prescribed path without questioning it. The lines "Till I saw that they were liars" and "And I looked up then to deceit" could be interpreted as a call for greater honesty and authenticity.


Line by Line Meaning

Self denial fall apart
The suppression of my true self is disintegrating


Follow mind follow heart
I am guided by both logic and emotion


When I talk I wanna scream
Expressing myself is a struggle


All I know and all I've seen
My knowledge and experiences inform my perspective


Self contains, so tightly packed
My sense of self is confined, compact


Once it’s loose no holding back
Once I break free, I cannot be contained


All I need is in my mind
My inner world is sufficient for me


And the walls will fall in time
Eventually I will break through the barriers constraining me


After months of senseless sleeping
I was stagnating, unresponsive to life


Things were moving I was creeping
My situation started to change, but slowly


And it felt like time was ending
I sensed a shift toward an end or conclusion


All the staircases descending
I felt like I was spiraling downward


Like a broken mirror image
I was fragmented and unsure of my identity


Wondering what I have a heart for
I questioned the purpose of my emotions


Still waiting for departure
I am still anticipating a change


And the world just keeps a-moving
Everything around me continues to change and progress


And they all juts keep a-marching
Others are moving forward while I feel stuck


On the way towards there solution
Everyone else seems to have direction and answers


On a walk without confusion
They are confident in their path forward


Just avoiding stalled existence
They are determined to keep from becoming stagnant


Way above all the nonsense
They rise above and dismiss the trivialities of life


Till I saw that they were liars
I realized that they were being deceitful


And I looked up then to deceit
I acknowledge that deceit exists


And the world juts kept a-creeping
Despite my realizations, life continues to progress without me.




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Prince Rogers Nelson

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

Vietmann

Amazing how underrated this band is

FLOYD

One of the very first hardcore songs I ever heard and it was a spiritual experience for a 13 year old.

Cowicide

I almost sounds like you can hear people skateboarding in the background, but it the dude beating the shit out of the bass .

Wash in Blood

@Gabriel Cuba tmi bro at least clean it up with a napkin

Erik.mp3

Thrasher ;)

Gabriel Cuba

I just came because of an skateboarding video, what a coincidence. Hahaha.

Tulio Oliveira

TAKE IT BACK

Emiliano López Pérez

66/99

Emiliano López Pérez

Vans!

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