Formed … Read Full Bio ↴Mustard Plug is a ska punk band from Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Formed in 1991, the band's original members were Dave Kirchgessner, Mike McKendrick, Colin Clive, and Anthony Vilchez. Currently the band consists of Dave (Vocals), Brandon Jenison (trumpet), Jim Hofer (trombone), Nate Cohn (drums), Colin Clive (guitar/vocals), and Rick Johnson (bass). The band has regularly toured throughout the United States, Europe, Japan, and South America. They have toured with the Warped Tour twice, and participated in the Ska Against Racism Tour. As of 2013, the band has released six studio albums and continues to tour actively.
Explaining the band's goal, Jim Hofer said "We may have some messages in our music, but essentially we just do this because we love it and we want people to lighten up and have fun.
In August 2013, Mustard Plug used KickStarter to fund the recording of a new album. Can't Contain It was released by No Idea Records on January 14, 2014.
Box
Mustard Plug Lyrics
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He built it himself of cement and rocks
And he'll never come out though I beg and plead
He's got all that he wants if not all that he needs
You see he couldn't take the world and what it's done to him
He just had to escape, had to shut himself in
Now his walls are his friends so he's never alone
And he's never bothered in his cubic home
Living in a box
Every night and day
Living in a box
And I'm here to stay
Living in a box
There's no escape
And though I try
I can never get away, hey!
Out in my box that is also my van
Just another six weeks of one night stands
And I can't get away, cause it's where that I go
From the van to the club to our nightly hotel
You see it takes me to places, even took me to you
I got no choice, I gotta pay my dues
Worth it or not, there's no escape from my cell
One hour of fun for twenty three of Hell
Living in a box for so long
I got to find my way out to go on
And what I got is no time for you
I'm in my box without a thing to do
Look at yourself, you're living the same
Locked behind walls that your brother has made
You were born in a box, you work in a box, you live in a box and you'll die in a box!
So much more that's outside your sphere
But you walk on by never knowing how near
So much more than the walls do show
But if you're not very careful then you'll never know!
The song "Box" by Mustard Plug speaks about two different individuals, each living in their own form of confinement. The first character is a man who has built a box out of cement and rocks and lives inside it, refusing to leave despite the pleas of those around him. The second character, a musician on tour, lives in a van that is also his "box." He travels from one gig to the next, never able to escape the confines of his vehicle and the mundane routine of touring life.
The lyrics stress the idea that both characters have chosen to live in their respective boxes, and although their circumstances differ, they are both trapped in their own way. The first character has isolated himself from the world, finding comfort in the walls of his box. The second character is trapped by the demands of his career, unable to escape the cycle of touring life. The chorus repeats the phrase "Living in a box," emphasizing the sense of confinement and entrapment.
Line by Line Meaning
I know a guy who lives in a box
I know someone who has isolated themselves from society
He built it himself of cement and rocks
He constructed his own confinement using enduring materials
And he'll never come out though I beg and plead
Regardless of how much I request or plead, they won't leave their confinement
He's got all that he wants if not all that he needs
They have everything they desire, if not everything they require to survive
You see he couldn't take the world and what it's done to him
Their poor experiences in life motivated their need to escape
He just had to escape, had to shut himself in
They had a strong desire to flee and seclude themselves
Now his walls are his friends so he's never alone
They find comfort in their enclosure as if it were a companion
And he's never bothered in his cubic home
They are at peace in their small, confined residence
Out in my box that is also my van
I am confined to my van as if it were a small room
Just another six weeks of one night stands
I am living a monotonous life filled with many short-term stays
And I can't get away, cause it's where that I go
I cannot escape this lifestyle as it is where I must be
From the van to the club to our nightly hotel
My mundane routine consists of moving from my van to performing at the club to staying at a hotel
You see it takes me to places, even took me to you
This way of living has allowed me to go to different locations, including where I met you
I got no choice, I gotta pay my dues
I have no alternative but to continue living this lifestyle to attain success
Worth it or not, there's no escape from my cell
Whether it's worthwhile or not, there is no way out of my confined life
One hour of fun for twenty three of Hell
The majority of my day is filled with unpleasant experiences in comparison to the few enjoyable hours
Living in a box for so long
I have been confined to this limited lifestyle for an extended period
I got to find my way out to go on
I must discover a way to escape this confinement to proceed with my life
And what I got is no time for you
I am too focused on my current way of life to provide attention to you
Look at yourself, you're living the same
You are also confined to a limited lifestyle
Locked behind walls that your brother has made
You are limited by barriers and constraints others have created for you
You were born in a box, you work in a box, you live in a box and you'll die in a box!
You were born into and will be confined to a limited lifestyle from birth until death
So much more that's outside your sphere
There is so much more to the world that you have yet to experience
But you walk on by never knowing how near
You fail to recognize how close you are to experiencing new things
So much more than the walls do show
The world has much more to offer than what you can see based on your current lifestyle
But if you're not very careful then you'll never know!
If you don't take measures to discover new experiences, you may be trapped in a limited lifestyle forever
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Aleph-Noll
I know a guy who lives in a box
He built it himself of cement and rocks
And he'll never come out though I beg and plead
He's got all that he wants if not all that he needs
You see he couldn't take the world and what it's done to him
He just had to escape, had to shut himself in
Now his walls are his friends so he's never alone
And he's never bothered in his cubic home
Living in a box
Every night and day
Living in a box
And I'm here to stay
Living in a box
There's no escape
And though I try
I can never get away, HEY!
Out in my box that is also my van
Just another six weeks of one night stands
And I can't get away, cause it's where that I go
From the van to the club to our nightly hotel
You see it takes me to places, even took me to you
I got no choice, I gotta pay my dues
Worth it or not, there's no escape from my cell
One hour of fun for twenty three of Hell
Living in a box for so long
I got to find my way out to go on
And what I got is no time for you
I'm in my box without a thing to do
Look at yourself, you're living the same
Locked behind walls that your brother has made
You were born in a box, you work in a box, you live in a box AND YOU'LL DIE IN A BOX
So much more that's outside your sphere
But you walk on by never knowing how near
So much more than the walls do show
But if you're not very careful then you'll never know!
@xKrieger88x
I’ve seen them twice, great live. I remember being so into ska from like 16-20 just waiting for that fourth wave. Never really happened...
@wtfsalommy3250
Youtube gives us 20 and 30 years of punk. Our Punk Roots have all washed away to another day.. For they were great and still are. "Life wont wait".. Cheers Punk
@lordmoldybutt6361
We really do all live in boxes...
@Aleph-Noll
I know a guy who lives in a box
He built it himself of cement and rocks
And he'll never come out though I beg and plead
He's got all that he wants if not all that he needs
You see he couldn't take the world and what it's done to him
He just had to escape, had to shut himself in
Now his walls are his friends so he's never alone
And he's never bothered in his cubic home
Living in a box
Every night and day
Living in a box
And I'm here to stay
Living in a box
There's no escape
And though I try
I can never get away, HEY!
Out in my box that is also my van
Just another six weeks of one night stands
And I can't get away, cause it's where that I go
From the van to the club to our nightly hotel
You see it takes me to places, even took me to you
I got no choice, I gotta pay my dues
Worth it or not, there's no escape from my cell
One hour of fun for twenty three of Hell
Living in a box for so long
I got to find my way out to go on
And what I got is no time for you
I'm in my box without a thing to do
Look at yourself, you're living the same
Locked behind walls that your brother has made
You were born in a box, you work in a box, you live in a box AND YOU'LL DIE IN A BOX
So much more that's outside your sphere
But you walk on by never knowing how near
So much more than the walls do show
But if you're not very careful then you'll never know!
@joshjohnson3442
Love the part: were born in a box, we live in a box, we work in a box and we'll die in a box!
@ericisabadbadman3978
Waiting for the death box
@alexanderharris2969
Fucking Classic. Old but surely Gold. <3
@wtfsalommy3250
Half thru watching Office Space...and you know the punk in me had to show up. Cherrs
@davidmiyamoto8928
Awesome sauce from l.a ca8. Thankyousomuch
@fenderman1_407
Best live show I've ever seen was them last year, home town show, fuckin' amazing