Frontman Bryan Jones and rhythm guitar player Dave Aronson left the band early on. Bryan Jones had broken his leg at one of their gigs and his parents denied him permission to play in the band any further. Bassist Rick Jones (Bryan's brother) switched to vocals and Chris Doherty of Gang Green took over on rhythm guitar. It was this line-up that recorded the classic 12 song LP Is This My World? on X-Claim in 1983, featuring songs such as "Cracks In The Wall", "Build Me A Bomb" and "Vietnam Syndrome". They broke up in 1985, but reformed in 1987 with a more speed metal sound and released an LP on Taang! Records entitled Kill Kill Kill. Reflex/Wolfpack Records released a limited re-issue of the Is This My World? LP in 2002. The band reunited again in 2004 and has been playing several shows per year around Boston since then. Their current recording plans, if any, are unknown.
No Time
Jerry's Kids Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I look at the clock and time ticks away
An ichy finger caused this mess
Seconds fly and there's no time left
NO TIME NO TIME LEFT
NO TIME LEFT TO LIVE
NO TIME NO TIME LEFT
My head begins to burn and I hit the floor
I feel the pain, I know the score
The heat begins to rise, my head turns red
You won't recognize me when I'm dead
CHORUS
I feel the pain
Shoot through my vein
The end is near
There is no time
So lock the door, crawl in the corner
But there's no hiding from the master burner
A fine white powder left on the counter
It's no big deal, we'll go in style
The song "No Time" by Jerry's Kids is a raw, punk rock anthem that speaks to the anxieties and desperation of youth. The singer is reluctant to accept death and wants to stay alive, but feels like time is constantly slipping away from them. The opening lines, "I don't want to die, I want to stay / I look at the clock and time ticks away" set the tone for a song that is at once urgent and resigned.
The second verse introduces the concept of addiction, with the singer referencing an "itchy finger" that has caused their current state. The line "you won't recognize me when I'm dead" suggests that the singer's drug use has physically altered them, making them unrecognizable to those who knew them before. In the chorus, the singer emphasizes the idea that there is "no time left to live" and "no time left to give," indicating that they feel like their fate is predetermined.
The final verse takes a dark turn, as the singer seems to suggest that they are going to commit suicide. The lines "lock the door, crawl in the corner / but there's no hiding from the master burner" allude to the use of a gas stove, commonly known as a "master burner," as a means of ending one's life. The reference to "a fine white powder left on the counter" implies that the singer has already consumed drugs, perhaps as a way of numbing themselves to the pain of their impending death. Overall, "No Time" is a hard-hitting song that captures the nihilism and despair of punk rock in the 1980s.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't want to die, I want to stay
The song protagonist wants to live and not die
I look at the clock and time ticks away
The song protagonist is aware of the limited time he has left
An ichy finger caused this mess
The song protagonist believes that his mistake led him into this situation
Seconds fly and there's no time left
Time is running out quickly for the song protagonist
NO TIME NO TIME LEFT
There is no more time left for the artist
NO TIME LEFT TO LIVE
Protagonist feels he will die very soon
NO TIME NO TIME LEFT
There is no more time left for the singer
NO TIME LEFT TO GIVE
The artist cannot give any more of his time
My head begins to burn and I hit the floor
Protagonist is experiencing intense pain and weakness
I feel the pain, I know the score
Protagonist is fully conscious that he is going to die
The heat begins to rise, my head turns red
Protagonist is experiencing intense sensations and showing physical symptoms of an overdose
You won't recognize me when I'm dead
The artist's death will so significantly change him that people will no longer recognize him
I feel the pain
Protagonist is in extreme pain
Shoot through my vein
The drugs appear to be more intense and addictive than the singer anticipated
The end is near
The singer knows that his upcoming death is unavoidable
There is no time
There is limited time left for the artist before he dies
So lock the door, crawl in the corner
The artist may be attempting to hide or shelter himself from the consequences of his actions and choices
But there's no hiding from the master burner
The singer cannot escape the effect of the drug overdose, which may be referred to as the 'master burner'
A fine white powder left on the counter
The song protagonist is likely referencing the substance - the 'fine white powder' - that caused his imminent death, such as heroin or cocaine
It's no big deal, we'll go in style
The artist may be trying to justify his actions and believes that dying from drug overdose is better than dying from other causes
Contributed by Josiah Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.