NUFAN's debut album, Incognito, was released in 1990 through New Red Archives. The band has released a single and one more full-length on this label, until signing up with Fat Mike's label, Fat Wreck Chords, on 1993. At that year, No Use For a Name released its first record on Fat, The Daily Grind, which turned to be a highly successful album.
In 1995, After the release of Leche Con Carne, their fourth full-length, Chris Shiflett (now in the Foo Fighters and Me First and the Gimme Gimmes) and Matt Riddle (also in Pulley) joined the band to play Guitar and Bass, respectively. In 1997, after the success of Making Friends, the band went on a worldwide tour through U.S., Europe, Australia, Canada, and Japan.
Chris left the band to play in the Foo Fighters, so now they have Dave Nassie playing guitar
The band released their 8th full-length album, titled Keep Them Confused, on June 14th, 2005. It takes a more political, philosophical and religious position than earlier releases.
A greatest hits collection titled All the Best Songs was released on July 10, 2007.
A new fourteen song full-length studio album entitled The Feel Good Record of the Year was released on April 1, 2008. In 2009, when promoting the album in Europe, Dave Nassie left the band to join the ranks of Bleeding Through. In August 2009 the band announced, that they replaced Nassie with Lagwagon's guitarist and founding member of RKL, Chris Rest.
In December of 2010, Rory Koff announced to the band he would need time off from touring to go full time with his snowplow business and eventually was replaced by new full-time drummer Boz Rivera (of King City, RKL, and The Mad Caddies.). Koff was the last remaining member of the original 1987 No Use for a Name line up.
Since 2010, No Use for a Name has been working on a new album.
Tony Sly tragically passed away on August 1, 2012.
secret
No Use for a Name Lyrics
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Mother drinks herself to sleep
Brother's outside fiending with a match
And gasoline
They told her lies and gave her no hope for tomorrow
And all the fairy tales just fade away
The brightest day of all,
Turns to gray
The boyfriend calls her crazy,
Teacher bores us all to sleep
And friends are in the bathroom
Speaking just like enemies
Nobody understands her heart that's left there bleeding
The dirty secret living in her mind
They'll always tell you that you lit the fire you're feeding
Left behind
Nobody understands the shame that you've been feeling
The dirty secret living in her heart
It must be hard to put the pieces back together, torn apart
Always there to make you think that you're no good
There's nothing wrong with what you've done
They just want to lift you up and throw you down
And make you stop when all you want to do is run
Nobody understands the shame that you've been feeling
The dirty secret living in her heart
It must be hard to put the pieces back together
Torn apart
The lyrics to No Use for a Name's "Secret" deal with themes of isolation and confusion, as the singer struggles to find her place in a world that doesn't seem to understand or appreciate her. The verse opens with a description of her dysfunctional family life, with her father working late while her mother drinks herself to sleep, and her brother outside engaging in dangerous behavior. It's clear from these opening lines that she is surrounded by chaos and instability, with no reliable support system to turn to.
As the song progresses, we learn more about the singer's inner life and the challenges she's facing. She feels misunderstood and alone, with nobody to turn to for comfort or advice. Her boyfriend thinks she's crazy, her teacher bores her to tears, and even her friends seem to be speaking a language she can't quite understand. Despite all this, she's determined to keep moving forward and find a way to put the pieces of her life back together.
The chorus of the song is particularly poignant, with the repeated refrain of "nobody understands the shame that you've been feeling." This speaks to a feeling of profound loneliness and isolation, with the singer struggling to find someone who can truly relate to her experiences. Ultimately, the song is a powerful portrayal of the challenges of growing up and coming of age in a world that doesn't always make sense.
Line by Line Meaning
Father works the late shift,
Her father works late hours and is not around when she needs him.
Mother drinks herself to sleep
Her mother has a drinking problem and copes by escaping reality through alcohol.
Brother's outside fiending with a match
And gasoline
Her brother is potentially dangerous and reckless, which adds a sense of danger to her already unstable environment.
They told her lies and gave her no hope for tomorrow
The people in her life have not been truthful with her and have not given her any sense of hope for a better future.
And all the fairy tales just fade away
The optimistic and positive stories and beliefs she once held have vanished and been replaced by the harsh reality of her life.
The brightest day of all,
The one that she's been needing
Turns to gray
Even the rare moments of light and happiness in her life inevitably turn bleak and gray, making it difficult to hold onto any hope or positivity.
The boyfriend calls her crazy,
Teacher bores us all to sleep
And friends are in the bathroom
Speaking just like enemies
Every aspect of her life, from her relationships to her education and social life, feels like a burden and contributes to her overwhelming sense of isolation and despair.
Nobody understands her heart that's left there bleeding
No one is able to relate to or understand the deep pain and hurt she feels inside.
The dirty secret living in her mind
She has a hidden, shameful secret that she is trying to keep hidden from others.
They'll always tell you that you lit the fire you're feeding
People will often blame you for the problems you are facing, even if they are not your fault.
Left behind
She feels abandoned and alone in her pain and struggles.
It must be hard to put the pieces back together, torn apart
Rebuilding and moving on from the hurt and trauma she has experienced is a difficult and painful process.
There's nothing wrong with what you've done
Her thoughts and actions are not inherently bad or wrong, despite what others may say or imply.
They just want to lift you up and throw you down
People in her life seem to have a pattern of building her up, only to tear her down again and again.
Lyrics © CYRIL RAWSON DBA RAWSONG MUSIC
Written by: CYRIL RAWSON, LISA BROKOP, RONALD STEVEN HARBIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind