Jeffrey Lewis is an American singer/songwriter and comic-book artist, part of the Anti-folk movement. Several of his musical influences have been acknowledged in his songs such as The Chelsea Hotel Oral Sex Song, concerning the song by Leonard Cohen, and The History of The Fall. Like Cohen, Lewis' lyrics are complex and literate, often combining a depressing world-view with a hopeful message and sharp wit. Born in New York City and growing up on the Lower East Side of Manhattan Island his songs are also highly informed by his home surroundings, with songs namechecking places such as Williamsburg, the FDR Drive and the East River.
Jeffrey Lewis was born in New York in November 1975. He attended State University of New York at Purchase College and graduated in 1997; his final thesis was on the Alan Moore graphic novel "Watchmen".
After being signed by the British record label Rough Trade in 2001, Lewis released his first official album The Last Time I Did Acid I Went Insane, and in 2003 he released the album It's the Ones Who've Cracked That the Light Shines Through. Lewis later released the album City & Eastern Songs, in the U.K. in November 2005. All three albums also include his brother, Jack Lewis, who wrote and sang a number of the songs. He has also performed and collaborated with fellow New York Anti-folk singers Kimya Dawson and Diane Cluck.
His latest album, 12 Crass Songs was released on Rough Trade in Europe in September of 2007. As the title suggests, it is 12 covers of the British anarchist punk band Crass. It features vocals, keyboard and recorder from Helen Shriner, bass by both John Kessel and brother Jack Lewis, drums by David Beachamp (live drummer/The Bloodugars) and Raphi Gottesman (who often plays with Jack Lewis). Shwervon's Nan Turner also contributes vocals to various tracks.
Jeffrey Lewis is a Welsh composer. After graduating from University College, Cardiff, he studied composition with Stockhausen, Ligeti, and Boguslaw Schaffer, and electronic composition with Don Banks. His early career was spent as a pianist with the Paris Chamber Ensemble; after his return to the U.K, in 1973 he joined the Department of Music at the University College of North Wales, Bangor.
Punk Is Dead
Jeffrey Lewis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Yes that's right, punk is dead
It's just another cheap product for the consumer's head
Bubblegum rock on plastic transistors
Schoolboy sedition backed by big time promoters
CBS promoted the Clash
But not for revolution, just for cash
Punk became a fashion just like hippy used to be A
Movements are systems and systems kill
Movements are expressions of the public will
Punk became a movement cos they all felt lost
But the leaders sold out and now we all pay the cost
Punk narcissism was a social napalm
The Sex pistols started doing real harm
Preaching revolution, anarchy and change As they
Sucked from the system that had given him his name
Well I'm tired of staring through shit stained glass
I'm tired of staring up a superstars ass
I've got an ass and a heart and a name
I'm just waiting for my fifteen minutes fame
And me, yes, I, do I want to burn?
Is there really something I can learn?
Do I need a business man to promote my angle
Can I resist the carrots that fame and fortune dangle
I see the velvet zippies in their bondage gear
The social elite with safety pins in their ear
I watch and understand that it don't mean a thing
The scorpions attack, but the systems stole the sting
PUNK IS DEAD. PUNK IS DEAD. PUNK IS DEAD
The lyrics of "Punk is Dead" by Jeffrey Lewis assert that punk rock music is now a commodity for the consumer to consume, stripped of any revolutionary purpose. The verses lament the organizations that have appropriated punk, like CBS, to promote it as an agent of transformation but only for monetary gain. The song argues that the punk movement died due to its own success. As various punk musicians became successful and mainstream, they lost touch with their radical roots and traded their message for fame and money. The social and political messages which drew people to punk rock are now replaced by superficial values, including narcissism, celebrity culture, and fashion. The final verses raise existential questions about the artist's role in this corroded society and whether there is an authentic possibility for change.
Line by Line Meaning
Punk is dead
The punk movement has died
Yes that's right, punk is dead
It is true that the punk movement has ended
It's just another cheap product for the consumer's head
Punk has been commodified and marketed to consumers
Bubblegum rock on plastic transistors
Pop music has replaced punk as the popular genre
Schoolboy sedition backed by big time promoters
Punk was once a rebellious movement, but now it is being promoted by mainstream companies
CBS promoted the Clash
Even the Clash, a punk band known for their political stance, was promoted by a major corporation
But not for revolution, just for cash
The promotion of the Clash was not motivated by a desire for revolution or social change, but rather for profit
Punk became a fashion just like hippy used to be A
Punk has become a trend, similar to how hippies were once in fashion
And it ain't got a thing to do with your or me
The mainstreaming of punk has nothing to do with the original punk community
Movements are systems and systems kill
Social movements can become corrupted and oppressive
Movements are expressions of the public will
Social movements are a manifestation of public desire for change
Punk became a movement cos they all felt lost
The punk community emerged out of a sense of disillusionment and alienation
But the leaders sold out and now we all pay the cost
The leaders of the punk movement compromised their ideology for personal gain, and now everyone suffers as a result
Punk narcissism was a social napalm
The self-centeredness and destructiveness of the punk community was like a social napalm
The Sex pistols started doing real harm
The Sex Pistols, a famous punk band, caused actual damage and violence
Preaching revolution, anarchy and change As they
The Sex Pistols espoused radical and revolutionary ideas
Sucked from the system that had given him his name
The Sex Pistols benefited from the same system that they were supposedly rebelling against
Well I'm tired of staring through shit stained glass
The singer is weary of viewing the world through a negative lens
I'm tired of staring up a superstars ass
The singer is weary of worshipping celebrities and the mainstream media
I've got an ass and a heart and a name
The artist has personal identity beyond the punk movement
I'm just waiting for my fifteen minutes fame
The artist desires fleeting fame and attention
And me, yes, I, do I want to burn?
The artist questions whether they want to self-destruct in the punk tradition
Is there really something I can learn?
The singer is unsure if there is any value in the punk movement
Do I need a business man to promote my angle
The artist questions whether they need mainstream assistance to express their ideas
Can I resist the carrots that fame and fortune dangle
The singer wonders if they can avoid the allure of fame and wealth
I see the velvet zippies in their bondage gear
The singer observes a particular subgroup of the punk community, characterized by their attire
The social elite with safety pins in their ear
Even the privileged members of society have co-opted punk fashion and imagery
I watch and understand that it don't mean a thing
The artist perceives that punk fashion lacks true identity or rebellion
The scorpions attack, but the systems stole the sting
Although the punk community may attack, the larger social systems have rendered their rebellion impotent
PUNK IS DEAD. PUNK IS DEAD. PUNK IS DEAD
The singer reiterates the main thesis of the song that the punk movement is deceased
Contributed by Reagan R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.