MxPx started as three 15-year-old kids calling themselves Magnified Plaid pounding out music inspired by and similar to The Descendents and other Southern California punk rock bands. They didn’t really love their band name, however, which was a tribute to the original guitarist’s penchant for wearing one particularly loud plaid shirt. Consequently, the name was abbreviated to M.P., but in Yuri’s handwriting, periods become “X“‘s and since he made up the show posters for the band, the four-letter moniker stuck.
Andy Husted, the former guitarist, left the band in 1995 to continue college.
Andy was replaced by Tom to solidify the line-up that would take the band into their post-teen years. Maybe Tom’s background as a drummer made up for his relative inexperience playing guitar (he had only played for a year at the time). He and Yuri lock into backbreakingly fast rhythms that rank with vintage Minor Threat for speed and percussive attack. Mike then adds to the mix his signature sing-along melodies that call to mind SoCal punk bands from the early ’80s.
Bremerton had been a town most famous for its naval shipyards until MxPx caught the attention of Tooth & Nail Records when they played a “showcase” for the T&N label in 1993 in Herrera’s parents’ garage. Mike Herrera had practiced so much before the first show, he lost his voice.
MxPx released three albums with Tooth & Nail Records: Pokinatcha in 1994, Teenage Politics in 1995, and Life in General in 1996. After a falling out with Tooth & Nail, MxPx left the label and signed with A&M Records.
In July 2010 drummer Yuri Ruley announced he would be retiring from the band to focus on his family. Ruley played his last show with the band in Las Vegas, Nevada on July 18, 2010. In a recent video message from Mike, he stated that Tom and Yuri have both finished touring full time, but will continue to play one-off shows with the band.
Don't look back
MxPx Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Does it matter to me?
Does it matter to anybody?
Just when you thought it was safe
Just when you thought you were free
Don't look back
We don't have the time to waste it
We've got to make the best of what we have
But you don't know what you have or what you don't have
It's like being tired but you just can't sleep
Your bed is obsolete
It's like finding out the best things in life are free
After you've already paid
In this life we don't have a lot of time
We don't have the time to waste it
We've got to make the best of what we have
But you don't know what you have or what you don't have
I want to make a difference in this world
A choice to a change, to change the choice
I want to take control of my own life, treat everybody right
I'm gonna try, I'm gonna try, gonna try
I want to make a difference in this world
A choice to a change, to change the choice
I want to take control of my own life
Treat everyone right, I'm gonna try
The lyrics to MxPx's song Don't Look Back are a contemplation on the fleeting nature of life and the importance of making the most of the time that we have. The song begins by asking a series of rhetorical questions - "Does it matter to you? Does it matter to me? Does it matter to anybody?" - which suggest a sense of apathy or resignation in the face of life's uncertainties.
The lyrics then take on a more urgent tone, urging the listener not to waste their time and to "make the best of what we have". This sentiment is reinforced through the use of metaphors that evoke a sense of frustration and missed opportunities - "It's like being tired but you just can't sleep" - and a kind of retroactive regret - "It's like finding out the best things in life are free / After you've already paid".
The song's final verses express a desire to make a positive impact on the world and to be kind to others. The repeated refrain of "I want to make a difference in this world / A choice to a change, to change the choice / I want to take control of my own life / Treat everyone right, I'm gonna try" suggests a determination to make the most of the time that one has and to live a life that is meaningful and fulfilling.
Line by Line Meaning
Does it matter to you?
Is it significant or important to you?
Does it matter to me?
Is it significant or important to me?
Does it matter to anybody?
Is it significant or important to anyone?
Just when you thought it was safe
Just when you thought everything was going well
Just when you thought you were free
Just when you thought you had no worries and were in control
Don't look back
Don't dwell on the past or focus on what you can't change
In this life we don't have a lot of time
Our time on earth is limited
We don't have the time to waste it
We shouldn't spend our time on meaningless things
We've got to make the best of what we have
We should strive to make the most of our time and opportunities
But you don't know what you have or what you don't have
Sometimes we are blind to what we possess or lack
It's like being tired but you just can't sleep
It's a frustrating feeling when you are exhausted but unable to rest
Your bed is obsolete
Even the familiar and comfortable things in life may no longer serve a purpose
It's like finding out the best things in life are free
After you've already paid
It's a disappointment to realize that what you thought was valuable and worth paying for is actually available at no cost
I want to make a difference in this world
I have a desire to positively impact the world around me
A choice to a change, to change the choice
I have the power to make choices that can lead to positive change
I want to take control of my own life, treat everybody right
I want to be in charge of my own destiny and treat others with respect
I'm gonna try, I'm gonna try, gonna try
I'm determined to make an effort and do my best
Treat everyone right, I'm gonna try
I will make an effort to treat everyone with kindness and fairness
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: MICHAEL ARTHUR HERRERA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind