The band has 11 releases through Fat Wreck Chords: eight studio albums, one EP, one live album and a collection of B-sides, compilation tracks and demos. Lagwagon has never had, nor have they seemed to pursue, strong mainstream success, but they do have a devoted underground following in North America, Europe and Asia. Their moderate success reflected a growing interest in punk rock during the 1990s, along with fellow California bands Rancid, Green Day and The Offspring. Their song 'May 16' was also featured in Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2.
The story about the name Lagwagon is that Joey’s mom was often late picking him and his brother up from school. She drove a station wagon, which his brother dubbed the "lagwagon". After signing to Fat Mike's label Fat Wreck Chords, Lagwagon released their debut album for the label, Duh, in 1992. Frontman Joey Cape commented on how the album was made, "Back then, we were inexperienced in the studio. It was less about the recording process and more about rehearsing. We recorded and mixed Duh in 4 days. There's something to be said for a budget. You have to have your shit together before you go into the studio and the end result is a record that better reflects the band's sound at the time." Two years later, Lagwagon released Trashed, their second record on Fat, which turned out to be highly successful, leading to the eventual production of a video for "Island of Shame." During this time, a number of punk bands, such as Green Day, The Offspring and Rancid, had hit the mainstream and Lagwagon turned down offers to join several major labels. Hoss, the third Lagwagon album, was released on November 21, 1995. After the release of that album and an extensive tour in Europe, Australia, and Japan, both guitarist Shawn Dewey and drummer Derrick Plourde would leave the band and be replaced temporarily by Ken Stringfellow (The Posies) on guitar, and permanently by Dave Raun (RKL) on drums. Shawn Dewey, already in the side project band Buck Wild on Lobster Records would go on to release two full-length LPs Beat Me Silly and Full Metal Overdrive and do two European tours with Good Riddance and Ten Foot Pole.
After two more albums, Double Plaidinum and Let's Talk About Feelings, the band went on indefinite hiatus in 2000, due to all members working on side projects. Lagwagon resurfaced in 2002, and released their sixth album Blaze the following year. In 2004, frontman Joey Cape released a split album with No Use for a Name vocalist Tony Sly featuring acoustic versions of songs by both bands. On November 1, 2005, Lagwagon released Resolve, which is a homage to the life of Derrick Plourde, original drummer for Lagwagon and Bad Astronaut.
In 2008, Lagwagon released an EP titled I Think My Older Brother Used to Listen to Lagwagon. Despite earlier reports that the band would begin recording their next full-length studio album by 2009, Lagwagon had gone on hiatus from touring and writing again, due to Cape launching a solo career, releasing Bridge in 2008 and Doesn't Play Well with Others in 2010.
In January 2010, Joey Cape announced during an interview with Canada's Exclaim! magazine[4] that Jesse Buglione had left Lagwagon, having been with the band since its foundation in 1990. However, Cape dismissed rumors of Lagwagon breaking up. While he was not sure if Lagwagon would record a new album or embark on another full-scale tour, he said that he was open to playing shows and possibly recording and releasing new Lagwagon songs sporadically. Jesse Buglione confirmed his departure on Lagwagon's official message board himself, as reported by sputnikmusic.com and punknews.org. Lagwagon toured with No Use for a Name that summer. In an interview with fasterlouder.com.au Joey Cape, revealed former RKL bassist Joe Raposo is Lagwagon's new bassist. In a June 2011 interview with ExploreMusic however, Joey Cape said that things didn't work out with Raposo, and the band is testing a new bassist. After first announcing Patrick Solem as the new bass player in August 2011, the band decided that Raposo would remain in the band permanently.
On September 22, 2011, Fat Wreck announced they would be re-issuing expanded editions of the first 5 albums on CD, vinyl, and digital download. The albums were available both separately and in a box set titled Putting Music In Its Place. The reissues were released November 22, 2011, with a short line-up of concerts in the USA played in December and January, and a European tour following in April 2012. As of October 2012, Lagwagon is headlining a full U.S. tour titled The Fat Tour 2012, with Dead To Me, The Flatliners, and Useless ID as support.
In October 2012, Joey Cape stated that there will be a new Lagwagon album, which will be their first since 2005's Resolve. While details and release dates are not yet known, the band announced on its Twitter feed that songs are being written for a new album. The September 22 Tweet reads, "Writing, writing, writing. New album... It's gonna happen!"
The band recorded their eighth album, Hang, with Bill Stevenson and Jason Livermore at The Blasting Room, Ft Collins, CO. The album was released on October 28, 2014, and debuted at #95 on the Billboard 200.
On October 4, 2019, the band released their ninth studio album Railer.
Burn
Lagwagon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You won't hear how I feel
Say you've been there before
The holiday's the hardest time
To fill in all the blanks
And you don't need anyone to show you those mistakes
Wrap yourself up in only math of our world
For all the riddles solved and every puzzle you complete
Can't seem to find the pieces to the heart that beats
You'll master every task but always by the book
Then log it in your past with risk that you once took
They left you then, they'll hurt you now
Can't get too close to you or you will cut them down
And any fool can play
I'll raise the stakes with another turn
We risk, we roll, we burn
At arm's length you never get hit
Too much to gamble when you let someone in
My true friend I'm spewing
And only one more positive
I just might spill some notable insight
I didn't think before I purged
So here I am attempting to unlock your closed door
I wouldn't break it down 'cause you'd be gone for sure
You might say something nice of me and send it in a card
Or under whiskey breath slur kind words at the bar
And you're sinking me
While you stay afloat in the tank you built
We drop, we'll never learn
The song Burn by Lagwagon is about a man who is going through a difficult time after a breakup with his lover. He is pleading with his lover not to leave him alone, as he is feeling lost and lonesome without her. He admits that he is a sore loser but he is not too proud to stay with her. The man is still thinking about his lover, and she is constantly on his mind. He is so desperate to hear her voice once again, that he is dying just to hear her call out his name.
The man feels like he has lost his soul, and he is so tightly wound up that he feels like he is in a tomb. When he is near her, he feels like he has clarity, and he is at ease. However, he also feels like he is bleeding from having his heart on his sleeve. The man is desperate for his lover not to leave him behind, and he is pleading with her not to leave him alone with the memories of their past. He is overwhelmed with heartbreak seeing his lover with someone else, and he is willing to burn in his skin to prove his love for her.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh mama don't walk away
The singer is pleading with his lover not to leave him.
I'm a goddamn sore loser
He acknowledges that he may not be the best partner.
I ain't too proud to stay
Despite his flaws, he still wants to be with his lover.
But I'm still thinking 'bout you
He can't get his lover out of his mind.
And I'm so lonesome without you
Without his lover, he feels alone.
And I can't get you out of my mind
His thoughts are consumed by his lover.
Oh mama don't leave me alone
He doesn't want to be abandoned by his lover.
With my soul sat down so tight it's like a stone cold tomb
Without his lover, he feels trapped and hopeless.
Ain't it clear when I'm near you
Being close to his lover makes everything else disappear.
I'm just dying to hear you
He longs to hear his lover's voice again.
Calling my name one more time
He wants his lover to call out to him again.
Oh so don't pay no mind
He doesn't want his crying to be acknowledged.
To my watering eyes
He is crying.
Must be something in the air
He is trying to justify his tears.
That I'm breathing
He is blaming his surroundings for his emotions.
Yes'n I try to ignore
He tries to suppress his feelings.
All this blood on the floor
He may have hurt himself physically or emotionally.
It's just this heart on my sleeve that's a bleeding
His emotions are raw and exposed.
You leave me here bereaving from the words so hard and plain
His lover's words have left him heartbroken.
Saying the love that we had
The relationship he had with his lover was not true love.
Was just selfish and sad
Their relationship was based on selfish motives.
To see you now with him
Seeing his lover with someone else hurts him deeply.
Is just making me mad
His anger is a manifestation of his hurt.
Oh so kiss him again
He wants his lover to prove her loyalty.
Just to prove to me that you can
He wants his lover to show him that she still cares.
And I will stand here
He is willing to endure his emotional pain.
And burn in my skin
He is willing to suffer and bear the scars of his heartbreak.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Joseph R Cape
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@maxinecat3973
maybe the best lagwagon song ever. Love the dynamics of the beginning and end mix with the assult the middle provides.
@johanneshub9280
The bridge before the solo gives me goosebumps...
@youngfellow8
a lot of people overlook this song and album just because its a little more recent but as always it rocks and lagwagon stays completely true to their own original sound
@Shitfrailmachine
The whole album is PERFECT OMG 😍❤️
@toddpacker4683
Sick chord progression during the chorus
@formigatomicaa
i only know one thing .... everybody loves this song ! !
@jossepere789
i just found this band like a couple mins ago and I hooked instantly heheh awesome band:)
@FULOKSB1
THIS SONG'S THA SHIT FOREVER AND EVER! 2012 BOMBIN L.A 24-7...
@fool50
This is my new favorite Lagwagon album. And this is one of my favorite songs of theirs.
@Mustistics
Ok