Refused's lyrics focus mostly on revolutionary politics, drawing on Marxism and anarchism. Formed from the ashes of Step Forward, by the time of their first album the band already had a strong anti-establishment profile. Members were all vegan straight edge until their last show in 1998. After the initial breakup, Lyxzén formed other bands such as the (International) Noise Conspiracy, AC4, and INVSN.
Current members
Dennis Lyxzén — vocals (1991-present)
David Sandström — drums (1991–present)
Kristofer Steen — guitars (1994–present)
Magnus Flagge — bass (1992–present)
Mattias Bärjed — guitar (2019–present)
Former members
Jon Brännström — guitars (1994–2014)
Jonas Lidgren — bass (1991-1992)
Pär Hansson — guitars (1991–1994)
Henrik Jansson — guitars (1992–1995)
Magnus Höggren — bass (1995–1997)
Ulf Nybérg — bass (1997–1998)
Discography:
1994 - This Just Might Be... the Truth
1996 - Songs to Fan the Flames
1998 - The Shape of Punk to Come
2015 - Freedom
2019 - War Music
www.officialrefused.com
Blind Date
Refused Lyrics
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Watch me get on my knees and bleed?
I stole this scrapbook from you
Doesn't matter 'cause you stole it to
Sugarcoated kisses from my lips
Gives the exitement of a stolen bliss
To create, to love & fight
To create, to love & fight
We won't sleep at all tonight
So you wanna watch me scream,
Dance with me and watch me bleed?
Steal the sound and love it too
Then baby I'll howl for you
Confused & exhausted with a healthy fix
Let's drink some potion and get it over with
Shake it around, shake it around, shake it around
Move across town
Bring their idols down
Shake it around, shake it around, shake it around
Move across town
Kick their idols down
They're screaming about the rock'n'roll
I would say that it's getting old.
Belongs to the museum
It's rotten soul been sold
Explosive &crude
Out of line and out of tune
Somehow knowing that
We'll get the message through
Hang on as the rebirth of cool takes place
You'll know the time, we'll set the pace
So you want to go out with me
Watch me get on my knees and bleed?
I stole this scrapbook from you
Doesn't matter 'cause you stole it to
Sugarcoated kisses from my lips
Gives the exitement of a stolen bliss
To create, to love & fight
We won't sleep at all tonight
Shake it around, shake it around, shake it around
Move across town
Bring their idols down
Shake it around, shake it around, shake it around
Move across town
Kill their idols
Shake it around, shake it around, shake it around
Move across town
Brake their idols down
Shake it around, shake it around, shake it around
Move across town
Kick their idols down
The lyrics to Refused's song Blind Date depict a rebellious and passionate desire to create, love, and fight against societal norms and expectations. The opening lines suggest a masochistic tendency, as the singer questions whether their potential partner wants to see them bleed and suffer. They then reveal that they stole a scrapbook from the other person, but that it doesn't matter because the other person had stolen it first - this suggests a moral ambiguity and a rejection of property ownership in favor of a more chaotic and anarchistic worldview.
The chorus "To create, to love & fight / We won't sleep at all tonight" embodies the band's punk ideology of creating meaningful music, loving and supporting one another, and fighting against injustice and oppression. The following verse encourages the listener to get lost in the music and forget their troubles, expressing a desire for a drug-induced escape from the pressures of daily life.
The final lines of the song express a call to revolution, urging the listener to "move across town / Kick their idols down" and overthrow the established order. The song ultimately encourages a rejection of societal norms and expectations, and a call for a new, more vibrant and exciting way of living.
Line by Line Meaning
So you want to go out with me
Watch me get on my knees and bleed?
The singer questions the listener's interest in them by asking if they are willing to be part of their struggles and pains.
I stole this scrapbook from you
Doesn't matter 'cause you stole it to
The singer admits to stealing something from the listener but implies that it does not matter since the listener has also stolen things from them.
Sugarcoated kisses from my lips
Gives the excitement of a stolen bliss
The singer describes their affection as deceptive, with a forbidden undertone that gives it an exciting feeling.
To create, to love & fight
We won't sleep at all tonight
The artist asserts their dedication to creativity, passion, and conflict, emphasizing that they won't rest until they achieve their goals.
So you wanna watch me scream,
Dance with me and watch me bleed?
Steal the sound and love it too
Then baby I'll howl for you
The artist offers a proposition to the listener, suggesting that if they can appreciate their art and share in their pain, they will howl for them.
Confused & exhausted with a healthy fix
Let's drink some potion and get it over with
The singer acknowledges their state of being overwhelmed but proposes a remedy, suggesting that they should drink something to help them cope.
Shake it around, shake it around, shake it around
Move across town
Bring their idols down
Shake it around, shake it around, shake it around
Move across town
Kick their idols down
The singer calls for action, urging their listeners to shake things up, move, and destroy the old icons and symbols of society that they have outgrown.
They're screaming about the rock'n'roll
I would say that it's getting old.
Belongs to the museum
It's rotten soul been sold
Explosive & crude
Out of line and out of tune
Somehow knowing that
We'll get the message through
The artist comments on the outdated and hollow nature of mainstream culture, suggesting that it belongs to a museum because it has lost its integrity. They express confidence in their ability to convey a message that transcends the empty spectacle.
Hang on as the rebirth of cool takes place
You'll know the time, we'll set the pace
The artist encourages their listeners to hold on as they usher in a new phase of cultural coolness, promising that the time will come, and they will be the leaders.
Shake it around, shake it around, shake it around
Move across town
Bring their idols down
Shake it around, shake it around, shake it around
Move across town
Kill their idols
Shake it around, shake it around, shake it around
Move across town
Brake their idols down
Shake it around, shake it around, shake it around
Move across town
Kick their idols down
The artist repeats their call to action, insisting that they must move across town and destroy the symbols of the old order, even if it means breaking them down, killing them or kicking them down.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: JON ALBIN BRANNSTROM, DENNIS SVEN OLOF LYXZEN, DAVID SANDSTROM, KRISTOFER MARTIN STEEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind