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).
Without Me
Pinhead Gunpowder Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Places believe me I know worth
Going to worth leaving from but
Please take me when you leave or
Believe in me and stay
If is said I couldn't go on living
Without you now That would be a lie
But if you knew how it looks inside
But this is really bad it's pretty bleak
And I'll be very sad at the least if
You decide to leave
Without me
'cause this only happens once in a great while
While five or ten times in a lifetime
Maybe less I don't know but I don't
Want to blow my chance this time around
I shouldn't be so worried I mean we just met but just like the first time
You saw me you said "now there's a guy
Who never sticks around" I guess we
Have that much in common and that's
Why you hunted me down
Isn't that sweet?
Please don't leave
Without me
The Pinhead Gunpowder song Without Me is a portrayal of the vulnerability that occurs when one enters into a new relationship. The song begins with the recognition that people come and go and there are places that are worth leaving and worth going to. The singer recognizes that the person they are addressing in the song is someone they care about and wants them to take them along as they leave. Alternatively, they could stay with the singer and continue their relationship. The singer acknowledges that they could live without the other person, but their life would be empty and bleak. The lyrics are steeped in insecurity that typifies the beginning stages of a relationship. The singer recognizes that this opportunity may only happen once in a lifetime, and wants to ensure that they don't blow their chance in the relationship.
Throughout the song, the singer recognizes that they have a lot in common with the person they are addressing, which is why the person sought them out. However, the singer struggles with their tendency to not stick around in relationships. This makes them anxious that the person they're addressing will leave them, which would lead them to be sad. The song expresses a desire for the other person to stay with them and not leave them.
Overall, the song is a poignant portrayal of the fear, anxiety, and vulnerability that are prevalent in the early stages of a romantic relationship. The singer is hesitant because they recognize that they have a history of not sticking around, but they are hopeful that this will be the one relationship that they can maintain.
Line by Line Meaning
People came and go there's a lot of
People move around a lot and places change
Places believe me I know worth
There are good places worth visiting
Going to worth leaving from but
But some places are better to leave from
Please take me when you leave or
Can you please take me with you when you leave or
Believe in me and stay
Stay with me and trust me
If is said I couldn't go on living
If someone said I couldn't go on living
Without you now That would be a lie
Without you it wouldn't be true
But if you knew how it looks inside
But if you knew how bad things are inside
My head my house is really bad enough
The state of my mind and surroundings is already bad
But this is really bad it's pretty bleak
But this is even worse, it's horrible
And I'll be very sad at the least if
And I'll be really sad if
You decide to leave
You choose to leave me behind
Without me
Without bringing me along
'cause this only happens once in a great while
This kind of opportunity only comes once in a while
While five or ten times in a lifetime
Maybe five or ten times in a lifetime
Maybe less I don't know but I don't
Or even less, I don't know but I don't want to miss out
Want to blow my chance this time around
I don't want to miss my opportunity this time
I shouldn't be so worried I mean we just met but just like the first time
I know we just met and I shouldn't worry so much but just like the first time
You saw me you said "now there's a guy
You saw me and said "now there's a guy
Who never sticks around" I guess we
Who never stays put", I guess we
Have that much in common and that's
Have that in common and that's
Why you hunted me down
Why you pursued me
Isn't that sweet?
Isn't that nice?
Please don't leave
Please don't go away
Without me
Without taking me with you
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: BURT F BACHARACH, HAL DAVID
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind