Theyâve answered their own questions with a resounding yes through a packed itinerary of shows and a handful of recordings that are among the rawest musical experiences of the new decade. Combining reckless improvisational energy with the combined skills of four deadly sharp musicians, OFF! have dug down through a decadesâ worth of accumulated stylistic garbage, and rediscovered the stripped down core of noise, speed, and rock & roll that punk seemed to have lost forever.
Borrow and Bomb
OFF! Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Borrow and bomb!
Is my hart made of stone?
I'm not the only one
I'm not alone
As you borrow and bomb
I wanna' stab your tires!
I know I'm not that special
Set fire to your own lawn
As you borrow and bomb
You called up the Drones
Destroyed beautiful homes
Yeah I know I'm not alone
I know I'm not alone!
The lyrics to OFF!'s song Borrow and Bomb describe a feeling of helplessness in the face of destructive behavior. The repeated phrase "borrow and bomb" refers to the reckless borrowing and spending of money, leading to destructive consequences. The line "is my heart made of stone?" suggests a sense of numbness or desensitization to the violence and destruction caused by this behavior. The following lines "I'm not the only one, I'm not alone" suggest a shared sense of helplessness and frustration.
The lyrics then take a more aggressive turn, with the singer expressing a desire to take action against the source of the destruction. The lines "I wanna' stab your tires! Set fire to your own lawn" suggest a desire to retaliate against the person responsible, even though they may not be personally responsible for the destruction. The final lines "you called up the Drones, destroyed beautiful homes" suggest a larger systemic issue at play, with powerful entities (the "Drones") responsible for the destruction of people's homes and livelihoods.
Overall, the lyrics of Borrow and Bomb convey a sense of frustration and powerlessness in the face of a destructive system, and an underlying anger and desire for revenge.
Line by Line Meaning
Borrow and bomb!
Chanting for those who borrow money to fund bombing-related activities
Borrow and bomb!
Repetition of the chorus to emphasize the theme of borrowing to bomb
Is my hart made of stone?
Am I emotionless and heartless?
I'm not the only one
Others share the same violent thoughts as me
I'm not alone
There are others who support me
As you borrow and bomb
Reminding those who finance bombings that they are responsible for the destruction caused
I wanna' stab your tires!
Expressing a desire to harm someone's transportation
I know I'm not that special
Acknowledging that the desire for revenge is not unique to me
Set fire to your own lawn
Suggesting that the urge to cause destruction should be directed towards oneself instead
You called up the Drones
Referring to the use of unmanned aerial vehicles to conduct bombings
Destroyed beautiful homes
The aftermath of bombings results in the destruction of aesthetically pleasing structures
Yeah I know I'm not alone
Reiterating the fact that there are others who share the same violent thoughts
I know I'm not alone!
Final statement to emphasize that the urge to cause destruction is not an isolated thought
Contributed by Sarah C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@muhfeels
All their video concepts are punk as fuck and clever.
@FranciMatt25
Keith Morris is truly one of the great human beings in punk rock, which sorely needs more of a conscience at this moment.
@GoldandAppel
2023
@Nimwae
One of my all time favorite videos, bc it's so damn 80's & I love OFF!'s humor. They make me feel like I did when I started going to hardcore shows in DC and the Loft in Balto in the 80's starting when I was 14. Being able to have experienced Bad Brains, Minor Threat, Scream, TSOL, Black Flag, Fugazi, COC, Circle Jerks, Dag Nasty, etc helped me deal with the lack of control I felt by awakening something strong & fierce & I felt so powerful! I've seen OFF! live several times and they never fail to amaze me. Super cool& talented guys, every single one!
@anthonysbarat
I'm jelly...I didn't start hitting shows til 92/93 when I was 17...but I grew up listening to Black Flag, Circle Jerks, Suicidal, Bad Brains, Cro-Mags...I was lucky in that I caught all the second wave NYHC bands in their prime and was totally immersed in the scene by the time the third wave (Madball, Crown of Thorns, VOD, District 9, and my fave westcoast band Downset) started firing...back before Rudy killed NYC's scene...
@Nimwae
Anthony Barat -You def were lucky, what an awesome experience. I still go to shows. I was up front at The Descendents show in Philly in Oct & saw Flag (Keith, Chuck, Bill, Dez & Stephen) at the Black Cat DC a few months back & in Balto before that. I hope you still go to some great shows, too. Bc music is life.
@anthonysbarat
Yeah, still get out once in a while...although I don't dance like I used to. LoL
Oh how I miss it...nothing quite like being on the floor at a hardcore punk show. Nowadays I'm (sadly LoL) content on the sidelines watching all the action and thinking "I must have been out of my damned mind!" LMFAO
@miked4309
the coolest bands i got to see back then were fugazi, ramones, the queers, social distortion...in the 90's i was older and went to more shows. i love bands today. there are a lot of good alt rock bands but keith morris will be the greatest punk singer of all time. first black flag, circle jerks and now off!....those are the real punk bands..i went to about 35 shows last year...mostly alt power pop kinda bands....the ones that have a punk sound are potty mouth, second becky, gravel and mannequin pussy. all fronted by awesome women.
@Seth-hc2bj
Could be real interesting to do a video of whole album in this style, at the end of each song the channel changes
@rockinbonesvideo
OFF! + Dave Foley = Excellent