The band has been cited as a major influence by higher-profile hardcore punk acts such as Hot Water Music and Dillinger Four. Jack Rabid, music critic and publisher of the music magazine Big Takeover, once listed Leatherface's 1992 release Mush as one of the fifty greatest punk albums of all time.
Their ninth full length release ‘The Stormy Petrel’ was released to critical acclaim in February 2010 on their own record label Big Ugly Fish Recordings.
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How Lonely
Leatherface Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And dreamed so many things
He didn't like it in lines he'd refuse to do some things
That weren't what he wanted to know
I don't know why I don't understand the waste
Do nothing ending life
I don't know why you have it all and you hate it all and you spend it
And they walk and they run bullets fly
Where nothing shines bullets fly face down on the ground
He led a normal life he didn't have a wife just yet
But that was alright and I don't know why
And I don't understand the waste do nothing ending of life
How lonely......
How alone and they walk and they run bullets fly
So they're given a gun they're given minds
Where nothing shines bullets fly they're face down on the ground
Then the war came they are not the same couldn't do nothing ending life
And then the war came they are not all a game and you weren't ready
How lonely...
The song "How Lonely" by the punk rock band Leatherface is a powerful commentary on the futility of war and the despair that can result from feeling disconnected from the world around us. The lyrics describe a man who, despite having a "normal life," feels alienated from societal norms and refuses to conform to what he sees as a meaningless existence. However, he is then confronted with the brutality of war and is forced to confront his own mortality and the fragility of life.
The song opens with a description of the man's daily routine, which is contrasted with his dreams of a more fulfilling life. He refuses to "do some things that weren't what he wanted to know," suggesting that he feels a sense of purposelessness and rejection of societal norms. The lyrics then shift to a broader commentary on war, with imagery of bullets flying and people being forced to carry guns and minds that "shine" with nothing but violence and destruction.
The chorus of the song speaks to the deep loneliness and isolation that can come from feeling disconnected from the world and the ways in which war can exacerbate those feelings. The final lines of the song, which describe a man who is forever changed by his wartime experiences and "not all a game," are a sobering reminder of the toll that war takes on those who fight it.
Line by Line Meaning
He led a normal life he went to sleep at night
He lived an average life and went to bed every night.
And dreamed so many things
He had a lot of dreams and aspirations.
He didn't like it in lines he'd refuse to do some things
He didn't follow rules all the time and rejected certain actions.
That weren't what he wanted to know
He only cared about things that interested him.
I don't know why I don't understand the waste
He doesn't understand why people waste their lives.
Do nothing ending life
Living a life of inaction is a waste.
I don't know why you have it all and you hate it all and you spend it
He doesn't understand why some people have everything and still hate it and waste it.
And they walk and they run bullets fly
People walk and run, while bullets fly during war.
So they're given a gun they're given minds
Soldiers are given weapons and training.
Where nothing shines bullets fly face down on the ground
Nothing is bright during war as bullets fly and people fall to the ground.
He led a normal life he didn't have a wife just yet
He lived a typical life and wasn't married yet.
But that was alright and I don't know why
He was content with not being married but didn't know why.
And I don't understand the waste do nothing ending of life
He is confused by people who waste their lives by not taking action.
How lonely......
The loneliness of life is overwhelming.
How alone and they walk and they run bullets fly
People feel alone during war as they walk and run while bullets are being shot.
So they're given a gun they're given minds
Soldiers are given weapons and training for war.
Where nothing shines bullets fly they're face down on the ground
Nothing is bright during war as bullets fly and soldiers fall to the ground.
Then the war came they are not the same couldn't do nothing ending life
War changes people and some struggle to find purpose afterwards.
And then the war came they are not all a game and you weren't ready
The reality of war is not a game and some people are not prepared for it.
How lonely...
The loneliness of life is overwhelming.
Contributed by Elizabeth L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.