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.
The Opposite Of Intellect
MxPx Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
i have to sit right here and watch it all go by
is this really happening? maybe this is just a dream
when i wake up ill be someone else
i don't want to grow up, not just yet
i don't want to have to see your false sense of reality
i don't want to grow up, not just yet
i don't want to have to know how to play in your game show
just don't ask me if you're getting through to me
just don't tell me the way that you want me to be
you say ill fit nicely in society
you only took a superficial look at me
why can't i say i'm sick of you? is it wrong to say what's true?
i'm skeptical about your point of view
teaching us not to reflect, the opposite of intellect
don't resist authority and you'll be fine
you don't want me to speak my mind.
The lyrics to MxPx's song "The Opposite Of Intellect" highlight the struggles of growing up and the pressures to conform to society's expectations. The song begins with the singer feeling trapped in the past, as they struggle to move on from it. The feeling of being stuck in a never-ending cycle of the past and the present is reflected in the line, "it seems so hard to get away from last week and yesterday."
The singer's discontent with society and their expectations is reflected in the line, "you say I'll fit nicely in society, you only took a superficial look at me." The emphasis on superficiality highlights the singer's frustration with society's judgmental nature and their tendency to make assumptions based on appearances rather than getting to know a person on a deeper level. The lyrics also touch upon the suppression of individual freedom and thought, as the line "teaching us not to reflect, the opposite of intellect" suggests.
Overall, the song is a powerful commentary on the struggles of growing up and the pressure to conform to societal expectations. It highlights the importance of individual freedom and thought, and encourages listeners to speak their minds and be true to themselves.
Line by Line Meaning
it seems so hard to get away from last week and yesterday
I feel like my past is always present and it's hard to move on
i have to sit right here and watch it all go by
I feel helpless and stuck in my current situation
is this really happening? maybe this is just a dream
I am questioning my reality and everything around me
when i wake up ill be someone else
I wish I could escape and be someone different
i don't want to grow up, not just yet
I am not ready for the responsibilities and pressures of adulthood
i don't want to have to see your false sense of reality
I am tired of people pretending and not being honest with themselves
i don't want to have to know how to play in your game show
I don't want to conform to society's expectations and play by their rules
just don't ask me if you're getting through to me
I don't want to talk or explain myself to anyone
just don't tell me the way that you want me to be
I don't want to be told how I should act or think
you say ill fit nicely in society
You are trying to fit me into a box or label me that isn't true to who I am
you only took a superficial look at me
You don't really know who I am and only see me at a surface level
why can't i say i'm sick of you? is it wrong to say what's true?
I am frustrated with you and want to speak my mind, but I am not sure if it's the right thing to do
i'm skeptical about your point of view
I don't trust or agree with your perspective
teaching us not to reflect, the opposite of intellect
You are encouraging us to not think critically or question things, which goes against true intelligence
don't resist authority and you'll be fine
You are telling me to just follow the rules and authority without question, as if that is the key to success
you don't want me to speak my mind.
You don't value or respect my opinions or thoughts
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Michael Herrera
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind