From the beginning, tensions ran heavily through the band as Behemoth's vocals were unlike anything heard before (save Captain Beefheart) and could only be tolerated by Laughner. What's more, RFTT had a thoroughly artistic approach to their music and Laughner and Behemoth, strongly influenced by Lou Reed and later Television, had an even more artistic direction they wanted the band to head in. This clashed with the other members' loud/fast ethos that fell more in the vein of the Electric Eels and the Stooges.
In late 1975 the group would split into two radically different beings. Laughner and Behemoth (now Thomas again) would form the highly artistic punk/experimental band Pere Ubu. Meanwhile, Gene O'Connor and John Madansky would change their names to Cheetah Chrome and Johnny Blitz respectively. They in turn recruited a young man named Stiv Bators (born Steve Bator) who had once auditioned for RFTT as lead singer. Along with bassist Jeff Magnum (born Jeff Halmagy) and second guitarist Jimmy Zero (born William Wilden), these five raucous, bratty kids from the streets of Cleveland would form a fast paced, Stooges-inflected band called Frankenstein, later renamed the Dead Boys.
In 2003, The Day The Earth Met The Rocket From The Tombs, a combination of demos and radio recordings from 1975, was released. RFTT reunited in the new millenium and along with Richard Lloyd (Television) replacing the late Peter Laughner recorded a live album titled Rocket Redux.
Ain't It Fun
Rocket From The Tombs Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ain't it fun when your friends despise what you've become
Ain't it fun when you get so high
Well...that you just can't come
Ain't it fun when you know that you're gonna die young
It's such fun
Ain't it fun when you taking care of number one
Ain't it fun when you feel like you just gotta get a gun
Ain't it fun when you just can't seem to find your tongue
Cause you stuck it too deep into something that really stung
It's such fun
Well, so you come up to me and spit right in my face
I didn't even feel it
It was such a disgrace
I broke the window smashed my fist right through the glass
I didn't even feel it
It happened so fast
Such fun
Ain't it fun when you tell her she's just a cunt
Ain't it fun when you she splits and leaves you on the run
Well, Ain't it fun when you broken up every thing that you ever done
Ain't it fun when you know that you're gonna die young
It's such fun
Such fun
The lyrics to Rocket From The Tombs's song "Ain't It Fun" speak about reckless behavior and living fast with little care for the consequences. The first verse covers the thrill of constantly being on the run and indulging in drugs and alcohol until one reaches a point of no return. The lyrics suggest the singer is in a state of self-destructiveness where they know that they will not live long, but they continue with their ways of living on the edge without a care in the world. The chorus repeats the phrase "It's such fun" — implying that everything the singer is indulging in is enjoyable, despite the perilous nature of their behavior.
The second verse highlights the singer's selfish nature and their willingness to do whatever it takes to take care of themselves — including getting a gun. The lyrics also suggest that the singer has hurt someone so badly that they can't find words to articulate their feelings. The third verse is the most violent of all, with the singer breaking a window and smashing their fists through the glass, with little to no feeling of pain. The lyrics continue to emphasize how they are sending themselves down a path of destruction while having a good time.
In summary, the lyrics of "Ain't It Fun" by Rocket From The Tombs provide a grim commentary on living life to the fullest while recklessly indulging in sex, drugs, and violence with little regard for the consequences. The singer seems to embrace their self-destructive tendencies, despite the pain and suffering it causes others.
Line by Line Meaning
Ain't it fun when you're always on the run
Isn't it enjoyable to always be moving and never settling?
Ain't it fun when your friends despise what you've become
Isn't it thrilling when your loved ones hate who you've transformed into?
Ain't it fun when you get so high
Well...that you just can't come
Isn't it pleasurable when you become too intoxicated to continue normal activities?
Ain't it fun when you know that you're gonna die young
Isn't it exhilarating to know that you'll perish at a young age?
Ain't it fun when you taking care of number one
Isn't it fun when you prioritize your own needs above all else?
Ain't it fun when you feel like you just gotta get a gun
Isn't it satisfying when you feel like you need a weapon for protection?
Ain't it fun when you just can't seem to find your tongue
Cause you stuck it too deep into something that really stung
Isn't it enjoyable when you experience speechlessness due to saying something hurtful or offensive?
Well, so you come up to me and spit right in my face
I didn't even feel it
It was such a disgrace
Isn't it amusing when someone tries to insult you, but it doesn't affect you?
I broke the window smashed my fist right through the glass
I didn't even feel it
It happened so fast
Isn't it thrilling when adrenaline takes over and you feel invincible?
Ain't it fun when you tell her she's just a cunt
Ain't it fun when you she splits and leaves you on the run
Well, Ain't it fun when you broken up every thing that you ever done
Ain't it fun when you know that you're gonna die young
Isn't it enjoyable when you intentionally destroy everything you've built, including relationships and accomplishments, due to a nihilistic outlook on life?
It's such fun
Life is so much fun when it's filled with reckless behavior and destruction.
Such fun
To live life with this attitude of reckless abandon is so much fun.
Lyrics © Downtown Music Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Eugene Richard O'Connor, Peter Laughner
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@diaboloetsatanas
An epic song. I don't know why most people think that this is a Dead Boys song or GNR one ? Please give Rocket From The Tombs the credit they deserved!
@deepacoustics
well coz rocket from the tombs are more or less the dead boys and GNR did a cover of it on the spaghetti incedent... this is a epic masterpiece, protopunk at its best, how guitar and drums ** together is incredible...
@justinmartens9852
This is the original song and it never got better than this.
@masbeer
RIP Peter Laughner. So many of us love what you created.
@stuka97
That opening guitar rift is to die for
@PirateBC
this is real emotion. it gives me chest pain its so raw.
@juelgrace
Nah you're just having a heart attack
@Hister333
Everytime I hear Peter Laughner sing, or play guitar, I wanna cry, knowing he was so young. 24, right? He was BRILLIANT. I wish I could've said something to him, or something...Probably couldn't. If he died that young from alcohol poisoning, nobody could've helped him. But I need to say again that he was MAGIC. Even the people that hated him miss him, and that's what this song illustrates.
@eyehatehippies666
The definitive version of this song. Simply amazing.
@exexalien
The original (and the definitive) version of an incredible song. Thank you!