Sarah Kirsch (guitar, vocals) of Fuel (think Monuments to Excess) was in the band when they first formed in 1991, but eventually left, citing personal differences with Green Day (the band for which Billie Joe Armstrong is most famous).
The band's name comes from a brand of "high octane" green tea discovered serendipitously by Aaron Cometbus during one of his many dumpster diving adventures. Aaron Cometbus, who releases the "Cometbus" fanzine, has played with many other bands, such as Crimpshrine and Cleveland Bound Death Sentence, and has long been a part of East Bay's punk culture.
Pinhead Gunpowder's music has been released through Lookout Records and Adeline Records (the latter co-owned by Billie Joe Armstrong and a major occupation of Jason White).
Swan Song
Pinhead Gunpowder Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Song but you cheapen the passion every
Time you sing along and laugh you take
The photograpgh and recreate it piece
By piece you stand the same way and
Wear the same clothes but you don't see
The desperation and frustration underneath
The pose the real belief
Watered down simulation of the real
Thing and that alone wouldn't bug me
But it's you thinking that everything is
And has always been that same way
Well it almost sounds like anger almost
Looks like passion almost seems like
Real life worth living you congratulate
Yourself for seeming so convincing
Then go home alone and find that
Something's still missing
If this is what you wanted all along I
Guess we don't see eye to eye 'cause I'm looking
Around to figure out what went
Wrong so much potential should've added
Up ever if we'd given up I'd understand
But we tried so hard and got nothing but
A rented Hall with your shitty band
WHo are we kidding we killed our own
Dreams befoire anyone else ever got the chance
And now we don't even dance so
Let's just go home
Well it almost sounds like anger almost
Looks like passion almost seems like
Real life worth living we congratulate
Ourselves for seeming so convincing
Then go home alone and find that
Something's still missing
In the song Swan Song by Pinhead Gunpowder, the lyrics explore the frustration and disappointment that comes with being an artist in today's world. The song starts with the singer feeling defensive about their favorite song, as it seems like others are cheapening its passion by singing along thoughtlessly. The chorus reflects the idea that many artists or musicians face: people try to recreate something that appears easy to do, but they do not see the desperation and frustration underneath the pose. The singer accuses them of being "a second rate imitation" of the real thing.
Furthermore, the song highlights the discrepancy between what we see on the surface and what is happening internally. The line "well, it almost sounds like anger, almost looks like passion, almost seems like real life worth living" suggests that people put up a front, pretending to be happy or successful, when in reality, there is still something crucial missing. Despite trying so hard to succeed, the singer concludes that they have killed their dreams before anyone even had a chance to witness them.
Overall, the lyrics are significant because they depict the struggle that many artists and creatives face – comparing the authentic experience of creating art, versus the public-facing version that is often diluted or misunderstood. Swan Song reflects on the emptiness that comes with chasing dreams that may ultimately not be worth it.
Line by Line Meaning
Maybe I'm defensive 'cause it's my favorite
Song but you cheapen the passion every
Time you sing along and laugh you take
The photograpgh and recreate it piece
By piece you stand the same way and
Wear the same clothes but you don't see
The desperation and frustration underneath
The pose the real belief
The singer is defensive of this song because it deeply resonates with them. However, when others sing along carelessly and recreate the look of the band, they fail to see the desperation and frustration that inspired the song.
'cause you're a second rate imitation a
Watered down simulation of the real
Thing and that alone wouldn't bug me
But it's you thinking that everything is
And has always been that same way
The singer criticizes those who merely imitate the band's look and sound without understanding their true passion. They are irritated by people who believe everything is surface-level and unchanging.
Well it almost sounds like anger almost
Looks like passion almost seems like
Real life worth living you congratulate
Yourself for seeming so convincing
Then go home alone and find that
Something's still missing
The singer observes that people mistake surface-level emotions for true passion and authenticity. They congratulate themselves for seeming convincing, but still feel empty and unfulfilled.
If this is what you wanted all along I
Guess we don't see eye to eye 'cause I'm looking
Around to figure out what went
Wrong so much potential should've added
Up ever if we'd given up I'd understand
But we tried so hard and got nothing but
A rented Hall with your shitty band
The artist doesn't understand how people could be satisfied with surface-level imitations of the band. They wonder why their potential didn't add up, despite their hard work, and are disappointed that all they got was a rented hall with a mediocre band.
WHo are we kidding we killed our own
Dreams befoire anyone else ever got the chance
And now we don't even dance so
Let's just go home
The artist reflects that they killed their own dreams before anyone else had the chance. They don't even dance anymore - they're ready to go home.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind