Ness was born in Stoneham, Massachusetts and raised in Fullerton in Orange County, California. Kicked out of his parents' home in Fullerton at the age of fifteen, he dabbled in drugs and petty crime, involving himself in the punk scene and founding Social Distortion in 1978. The band signed a contract with Posh Boy Records in 1981, releasing the Mainliner/Playpen 7" record. Then the band moved to 13th Floor Records in 1982 and released the album Mommy's Little Monster (1982).
By this time, Ness's drug addiction and self-destructive behavior had deepened to the point that the band almost broke up. The turmoil was captured on a video, Another State of Mind, which chronicled a cross-country tour. Five years passed before Social Distortion released their next album, 1988's Prison Bound, on Restless Records but Ness emerged from the time off free of his addictions and ready to work.
In 1989, Social Distortion signed a deal with Epic Records and released four albums with that label: the self-titled album (1990), Somewhere Between Heaven and Hell (1992) and White Light, White Heat, White Trash (1996).
The band left Epic Records after White Light, White Heat, White Trash (1996) and joined Time Bomb Recordings, releasing Mainliner: Wreckage From the Past (a collection of old recordings and singles that were done in the early '80s) and Live at the Roxy (1998).
In 1999, Ness released his first solo album, Cheating at Solitaire. Although Social Distortion's music had contained country inflections as far back as Prison Bound, Cheating at Solitaire was an unalloyed expression of Ness's country side. 'Solitaire' included guest appearances by rock icon Bruce Springsteen, former Stray Cat Brian Setzer and drumming legend Josh Freese as well as members of Royal Crown Revue. Springsteen had touted Social D's 'Heaven and Hell' as his favorite record of the year in a Rolling Stone interview in 1992. Ness continued in this vein, releasing a compilation of country covers entitled Under the Influences that same year. Both albums came out on Time Bomb Recordings. Ness toured extensively in the U.S. in support of these albums, backed partially by the present-day (2006) incarnation of Social Distortion; Charlie Quintana (drums) Brent Harding (standing & electric bass) and Johnny Wickersham (guitar tech). Ness and the band played at Woodstock '99. After that, his bandmate and guitarist Dennis Danell died on February 29, 2000 due to an aneurysm, but Social Distortion did not completely disband.
In 2004, Social Distortion came back with a live DVD called "Live In Orange County," and then recorded an album titled Sex, Love and Rock 'n' Roll, which was released on Time Bomb Recordings. These efforts marked the first recordings with a line up consisting of Ness on Guitar and vocals, Wickersham on guitar, and Quintana on drums and also consisted of songs co-written by Ness and Wickersham. This is the first time Ness collaborated with another songwriter since 1990's self-titled album, on which he and then bassist John Maurer wrote 'Let it be Me'. The band's lineup changed twice after Maurer left the band, just a month before the release on Sex, Love and Rock 'n' Roll. He was replaced by Operation Ivy/Rancid bassist Matt Freeman until early 2005 and current member Brent Harding joined as his replacement.
In February 2006, Ness broke his wrist while skateboarding in Las Vegas. T.S.O.L. guitarist Ron Emory is filling in on guitar duties while Mike's wrist heals. Mike is still performing, just not playing guitar.
Social Distortion is currently working on their next studio album, which is due for release in late 2006/early 2007.
Ness currently lives in Santa Ana, California with his wife Christine Marie, and two sons Johnny and Julian. He is also a hot rod enthusiast, driving a chopped 1954 Chevy leadsled, a 1936 Ford, and a 1960 Chevy Impala.
(from Wikipedia : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Ness).
If You Leave Before Me
Mike Ness Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I promise to you I shall keep
I won't fall in love with another one
Over your ashes I shall weep
If you leave before me
A promise I never will tell
About all the things we talked about
[Chorus:]
Aren't you glad, there ain't nobody listening?
Aren't you glad, that no one seems to care what we do?
Aren't you glad there ain't no one here to tell us what's right or wrong?
While we sit and we talk about nothing
What if there's no God in Heaven?
What if there's no God at all?
I promise these last years of loving you
Will be the best years of them all
This don't look like Heaven
I'm surrounded by fiery walls
For if I were to live here without you
, my love
It wouldn't be any kind of life at all
Mike Ness's "If You Leave Before Me" is a song about the kind of love that in which two people are so close and intimate with each other they can share never share their secrets with anyone else. Ness sings about death, life without the other, and God. The singer promises to his lover that if she leaves before him, he shall never fall in love with another one. Ness shows his mourning and grief, saying he will weep over her ashes. He also promises to never tell their dark secrets to anyone else.
In the chorus, Ness questions the idea of morals, and whether anyone is watching or listening to what they do. The lovers can say whatever they want and don't have to hide their feelings or actions. The lyrics of the song suggest that human-made rules and expectations are not always essential in a relationship.
The bridge section addresses existential questions about whether there is a God or not. Ness thinks the last years of loving his partner would be the best years of his life even if there is no God. In the final verse, Ness imagines life without his lover and sees a world full of fiery walls, typically interpreted as hell. He suggests that life would not be worth living if he didn't have his lover by his side.
Line by Line Meaning
If you leave this world before me
If you happen to pass away before me
I promise to you I shall keep
I pledge to maintain my word
I won't fall in love with another one
I won't love anyone else romantically
Over your ashes I shall weep
I'll mourn at your remains
If you leave before me
If you happen to pass away before me
A promise I never will tell
I vow to keep a promise to myself a secret
About all the things we talked about
Concerning everything we discussed
Our dark secrets I'll keep well
I will keep our unfavorable secrets concealed
Aren't you glad, there ain't nobody listening?
Isn't it great that nobody's overhearing our conversation?
Aren't you glad, that no one seems to care what we do?
Isn't it great that nobody is interested in our behaviors?
Aren't you glad there ain't no one here to tell us what's right or wrong?
Isn't it great that nobody is present to inform us what is correct or incorrect?
While we sit and we talk about nothing
As we sit and have a trivial conversation
What if there's no God in Heaven?
Suppose there isn't a higher power living in paradise?
What if there's no God at all?
What if there isn't a divine entity?
I promise these last years of loving you
I pledge that the most recent years of adoring you
Will be the best years of them all
Will be the greatest moments among them all
This don't look like Heaven
This doesn't appear to be paradise
I'm surrounded by fiery walls
I'm enclosed by burning barriers
For if I were to live here without you
Because If I were to exist here without you
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: MICHAEL NESS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind