Featuring Stefan Babcock on vocals and guitar, Steve Sladkowski on guitar and vocals, Nestor Chumak on bass and vocals, and Zack Mykula on drums and vocals, all longtime friends who met in elementary school, PUP formed in 2010 under the name Topanga. The original name was a reference to Topanga Lawrence, a character played by Danielle Fishel on the '90s sitcom Boy Meets World, but when the members learned Fishel would be reviving the character in 2014 in a spin-off titled Girl Meets World, they chose to change the name to PUP, standing for "Pathetic Use of Potential." Topanga released a digital EP titled Oceans, and positive press and attention from other bands helped create a buzz about the group. In 2013, they became PUP, releasing their self-titled debut album through the Royal Mountain label. The album was a hit with both critics and fans, with the group being named Best Live Show and Best New Artist by CBC Radio 3. The band toured extensively, playing throughout Canada and making their way to England and the United States. By the end of 2013, PUP had signed a record deal with the well-established punk label Side One Dummy, and spent much of 2014 and 2015 touring in support of Side One Dummy's reissue of their debut LP, launching their first headlining tours of the United States and Canada, as well as making their Australian debut.
In February 2016, PUP teased a new single called "DVP" in advance of their second full-length album, The Dream Is Over. Released in May of that year, the album's title is a reference to a prognosis Babcock received from his doctor: he'd severely damaged his vocal cords after enduring years of non-stop touring. In true punk fashion, PUP used the doctor's glib comment as the rallying cry for another set of hard-hitting, self-deprecating punk tunes. The band promoted the effort with an international tour over the next year before returning to the studio to write and record a follow-up. They spent most of 2018 working on the album, which saw release in April 2019. Titled Morbid Stuff, the record was produced with Dave Schiffman (the Mars Volta, Weezer) and lyrically focused on Babcock's struggles with depression. A year later, PUP offered up their commentary on the state of the world with This Place Sucks Ass, a six-song EP whose title referenced one of their long-standing touring inside jokes. With COVID-19 putting a halt to live performances, the group returned to the studio in 2021 to record their fourth album. Produced by Peter Katis (the National, Frightened Rabbit), 2022's wild The Unraveling of Puptheband saw the group augmenting their normally guitar-based sound with synthesizers, piano, and horns.
Biography by Mark Deming
There is another artist using the same name:
2) PUP is a Chinese-Korean rapper.
Guilt Trip
PUP Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I can't confront you and it's better that way
And how many bulbs must I break
'Till all my filaments rust and decay
And I can't explain
Anything anymore anyway
Now that you're gone
Giving it all up to leave you alone
And if I had my choice
I would come back soon
I never wanted to
How many times have I lied to you
If I was drunk when I said it
It might have been true
I know
Now that you're gone
I'll be back on my own
Giving it all up to leave you alone
And if I had my choice
I would die by your love
I know it wasn't enough
(One two three four five six)
Why would you speak
If you don't know
Got a little bit
Of my self-righteous attitude
Now that you're gone
I'll be back on my own
Felt her up
Fucked her up
Left her all alone
If I had it all
In the palm of my hand
Don't even ask 'cause you won't understand
The lyrics to PUP's "Guilt Trip" depict the aftermath of a broken relationship, where both parties have lied to each other and are struggling to cope with the emotional turmoil that has been inflicted upon them. The opening lines question the number of lies the other person has told and the singer's inability to confront them, allowing the lies to fester and destroy their relationship. The singer lashes out in frustration by breaking light bulbs, as a symbol of their inner turmoil and the decay of their emotions. The chorus declares that the singer is better off alone, despite the pain of letting go, though they acknowledge that their love was not enough to save the relationship.
The bridge of the song is a bitter reminder of the hurtful things that were said during the relationship, questioning the other person's motives for speaking if they didn't truly know or care. Finally, the singer reflects on their past mistakes and the damage they have caused by cheating on their partner and leaving them alone. The song ends with a sense of finality and frustration, as the singer acknowledges that their past choices have led them to a place of isolation and regret.
Line by Line Meaning
How many times have you lied to my face
Questioning the number of times the person has been lied to directly
I can't confront you and it's better that way
Unable to confront the liar and believes it's better that way
And how many bulbs must I break
Wondering how many light bulbs need to be broken
'Till all my filaments rust and decay
Until every part of him is completely broken down and destroyed
And I can't explain
Unable to provide an explanation
Anything anymore anyway
Doesn't feel the need to explain anything anymore
Now that you're gone
The person is no longer there
I'll be back on my own
Will be on their own again
Giving it all up to leave you alone
Giving up everything to be alone
And if I had my choice
If there was an option
I would come back soon
Would return soon
I never wanted to
Didn't want to come back
How many times have I lied to you
Asking themselves how many times they've lied to the person
If I was drunk when I said it
Wondering if the things they said while intoxicated were true
It might have been true
There's a chance that what they said while drunk was true
Now that you're gone
The person is no longer there
I'll be back on my own
Will be on their own again
Giving it all up to leave you alone
Giving up everything to be alone
And if I had my choice
If there was an option
I would die by your love
Would sacrifice everything for their love
I know it wasn't enough
Fully aware that what they did wasn't enough
Why would you speak
Asking why someone would speak
If you don't know
If they don't have an answer
Got a little bit
Has some of
Of my self-righteous attitude
Over-confident and self-righteous attitude
Felt her up
Touched the woman inappropriately
Fucked her up
Physically or emotionally hurt the woman
Left her all alone
Abandoned the woman
If I had it all
If they had everything they wanted
In the palm of my hand
In their control
Don't even ask 'cause you won't understand
Don't bother asking because the person won't understand
Contributed by Kayla I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@toffee1234100
How many times have you lied to my face
I can't confront you and it's better that way
And how many bulbs must I break
'Till all my filaments rust and decay
And I can't explain
Anything anymore anyway
Now that you're gone
I'll be back on my own
Giving it all up to leave you alone
And if I had my choice
I would come back soon
I never wanted to
How many times have I lied to you
If I was drunk when I said it
It might have been true
I know
Now that you're gone
I'll be back on my own
Giving it all up to leave you alone
And if I had my choice
I would die by your love
I know it wasn't enough
(One two three four five six)
Why would you speak
If you don't know
Got a little bit
Of my self-righteous attitude
Now that you're gone
I'll be back on my own
Felt her up
Fucked her up
Left her all alone
If I had it all
In the palm of my hand
Don't even ask 'cause you won't understand
@theneedledrop
I hear this is really how the band met.
@DesertBurst92
please say that you are going to review this album
@dylanjackson2245
Please review this.
@Thomas_Donofrio
theneedledrop you didn't review it? best album of 2014 and you didn't review it?
@JohnMuirheadmusic
+theneedledrop glad that the internet's busiest music nerd still makes time for PUP.
@robertgaudiosi8658
+theneedledrop L
@cannibalcris6875
This deserves it all...recognition, awards, Grammy's.. this song and video are so brilliant, it's a shame that not too many people know about this band. if you actually plan to go to Warped Tour, fill these guys's stage up.
@lucasnixon2008
Corect
@WiseSageTnelis
Cristian Hernandez they are at riot fest in denver this summer, see you there!
@cannibalcris6875
bluehatdude I live in AZ. But have fun.