Say Anything, then called Sayanything, began their career when the band was still in high school. They self-released two EP's and one LP entitled Baseball. Baseball and the band's first EP, Junior Varsity, are both out of print and are no longer available. The band's second EP entitled Menora/Mejorah was released online. All of these early albums have a pop punk sound reminiscent of blink-182 and of Max's favorite band, Saves the Day.
In August 2004 they released ...Is a Real Boy on Doghouse Records. The album was produced by Tim O'Heir (Sebadoh, All-American Rejects, Superdrag) with arrangements by Stephen Trask (Grammy nominated for Hedwig & the Angry Inch). While recording the album Max Bemis had a nervous breakdown during which he took to the streets of New York until his girlfriend found him and ended up in a mental hospital for a few weeks. He attributes the breakdown to stress and bipolar disorder.
Some time after ...Is a Real Boy was released, a set of 8 songs entitled Vs. AIDS Demos were leaked onto the internet by an unknown source. Soon the band told fans that the demos were part of an AIDS benefit album that had been scrapped, and told anyone who had attained them not to distribute them to anyone else (Max Bemis later stated on his website, "that shit sucks," in regard to the demos).
Say Anything signed with J Records (Maroon 5, Alicia Keys), owned by BMG Entertainment, one of the "big four" record labels. Under J Records they re-released ...Is a Real Boy with a bonus disc entitled ...Was a Real Boy containing seven of the eight Vs. AIDS Demos. This album, originally scheduled to be released on October 25th, 2005, was delayed over 4 months to February 28th, 2006. Some copies ended up leaking out through various retailers, notably Tower Records' website. Most leaks occurred due to retailers shipping pre-orders before J-Records had a chance to stop them. Soon copies of the album were selling for over $50 on eBay.
Say Anything released their third album, In Defense of the Genre, under J Records in 2007. Produced by Brad Wood, the album had two discs containing 27 songs, many of them featuring guest appearances by high-profile musicians such as Gerard Way and Hayley Williams.
In November 2009, Say Anything released their fourth full-length studio album, Say Anything. This is the band's first album under RCA Records. It contains 13 tracks, including "Hate Everyone," which was the album's first single.
On August 19, 2010 it was confirmed that Say Anything and RCA Records had parted ways. Soon after (September 29) it was announced via Say Anything's official website that Alex Kent would be leaving the band, and that Kenny Vasoli of The Starting Line would be temporarily taking over as bassist for their upcoming tour. As of so far no permanent bassist has been selected to replace Kent.
In December 2012, Bemis announced that drummer Coby Linder, the only other remaining original member of the band, had left Say Anything on amicable terms to pursue other projects.
Push
Say Anything Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Stitched up eyes and sickle cell
I cannot thaw the lack in me
Submerged in demonology but I hope beyond hope
I will not inflict
The wound that they left when they subtracted six million
So why am I repulsed by change?
And once a thing of beauty
Has been raped and cut to swaths by me
We breed to bloat and come and hate
Have I earned the want to procreate?
If you're in there, so hear me sing:
"I would choke for you, you're everything."
Burned at the stake (push it out)
A gene just a weight (push it out)
When the trauma leaks down (push it out)
And the bombs pepper melon sky
Hand on her skin (push it out)
The heaving begins (push it out)
The pain to which I cling (push it out)
Subsides as a cell divides
Awaken to her moans and pleas
Say, "Absent Lord, put strength in me."
I bend and break the metal bars
I would bleed to know just who you are
Push
Push
Push
(Push) push (push) push (push) push
Push push push push push push push
Push (push) push (push) push (push) push (push) push, push!
There's a cupboard in the parlor with a figure of a man
By the carvings of the tulips and the silhouetted shell
Who sailed a steady harbor with a not-so-steady hand
Naked but his Father's former belt he wears so well
There was a swelling in the threshold and a creaking in the floor
As a thousand thoughtless rhymes assembled on the shelf
While the Son and Heir of Black Holes, locked inside the drawer
With eleven Pilgrim Wives, sang "I refuse to be the twelfth!"
So he started on a plan the moment we first touched
(In the sorrow-ridden kiss of our parlor-ridden lives)
To be the tangle-coated lamb beneath the crooked brush
Of the Pilgrim's wooden fist until the Chimney-Sweep arrived
While attempting an escape through the broken metal bars
He hid behind the tulips, and when the Lord came near
I pressed against the face of the apothecary jars
And dreamt up a proper ending that I don't assume you'd care to hear
The lyrics to Say Anything's song "Push" are complex and full of religious imagery and references to trauma and the human struggle with morality. The opening line, "My God's in hell and all is well," is a direct contradiction - suggesting that things that are typically considered 'good' or 'right' are turning out to be harmful, while things that are seen as 'bad' or 'evil' are bringing peace. The next line, "Stitched up eyes and sickle cell," could be interpreted in multiple ways - one possibility is that the singer is so damaged by their experiences that they cannot see clearly, and the reference to sickle cell could indicate physical suffering.
The following lines about "demonology" and the desire not to inflict wounds on others despite one's own pain suggest that the singer is struggling with their own demons, and is aware that they could pass on their suffering to others if they're not careful. The line "a holy book has been deranged" suggests that even religion has been twisted and turned into something ugly - perhaps referencing interpretations of religious texts that justify violence or hatred. The rest of the verse continues with similar themes of moral ambiguity and pain.
The chorus, "push it out," could be interpreted in multiple ways - one possible meaning is to push out the trauma and pain that has been internalized, to face it and deal with it. The lines "we breed to bloat and come and hate / have I earned the want to procreate?" suggest that the singer is questioning the purpose of existence, and whether they are worthy of continuing their bloodline given their own flaws and the flaws of the world around them.
The latter half of the song includes more intricate storytelling and imagery, including mentions of a "figure of a man" and references to a "Pilgrim's wooden fist". These elements could be interpreted in various ways, but seem to suggest the struggle between seeking refuge and security (represented by the figure of a man and the steady harbor) and the harsh realities of the outside world (represented by the broken metal bars and the Pilgrim's wooden fist). The final lines, "And dreamt up a proper ending that I don't assume you'd care to hear," suggest that the singer has come to terms with the fact that life is messy and complicated, and that there may not be a perfect way to wrap up the story.
Line by Line Meaning
My God's in hell and all is well
Everything is going wrong and there's no hope for improvement.
Stitched up eyes and sickle cell
Metaphorical blindness and physical disease are prevalent.
I cannot thaw the lack in me
There's an internal emptiness that cannot be filled.
Submerged in demonology but I hope beyond hope
Negativity and darkness surround, but there's still hope for a better future.
I will not inflict
The wound that they left when they subtracted six million
I will not cause the same pain and suffering as those responsible for the Holocaust.
So why am I repulsed by change?
Why do I resist change even when things are not going well?
A holy book has been deranged
And once a thing of beauty
Has been raped and cut to swaths by me
A religious text has been damaged and destroyed through personal action.
We breed to bloat and come and hate
Have I earned the want to procreate?
Humanity's reproduction is leading to overpopulation and negativity, and the singer questions their own desire to have children.
If you're in there, so hear me sing:
"I would choke for you, you're everything."
A plea to someone special to hear the singer's feelings, even if it hurts to do so.
Burned at the stake (push it out)
A gene just a weight (push it out)
When the trauma leaks down (push it out)
And the bombs pepper melon sky
Hand on her skin (push it out)
The heaving begins (push it out)
The pain to which I cling (push it out)
Subsides as a cell divides
Various forms of pain and suffering are pushed out and released, allowing for healing and growth.
Awaken to her moans and pleas
Say, "Absent Lord, put strength in me."
I bend and break the metal bars
I would bleed to know just who you are
The singer hears someone in distress and prays for strength to help them, even if it means causing personal harm.
There's a cupboard in the parlor with a figure of a man
By the carvings of the tulips and the silhouetted shell
Who sailed a steady harbor with a not-so-steady hand
Naked but his Father's former belt he wears so well
A figure is depicted in a piece of furniture, representing someone who tries to maintain stability despite personal struggles and has a physical reminder of past discipline.
There was a swelling in the threshold and a creaking in the floor
As a thousand thoughtless rhymes assembled on the shelf
While the Son and Heir of Black Holes, locked inside the drawer
With eleven Pilgrim Wives, sang "I refuse to be the twelfth!"
A strange and unsettling scene unfolds with multiple characters and references to imprisonment and rebellion.
So he started on a plan the moment we first touched
(In the sorrow-ridden kiss of our parlor-ridden lives)
To be the tangle-coated lamb beneath the crooked brush
Of the Pilgrim's wooden fist until the Chimney-Sweep arrived
A plan is formed to endure hardships together until a more promising opportunity arises.
While attempting an escape through the broken metal bars
He hid behind the tulips, and when the Lord came near
I pressed against the face of the apothecary jars
And dreamt up a proper ending that I don't assume you'd care to hear
A plan to escape is attempted, but it doesn't work. The singer daydreams of a better outcome but understands that telling it wouldn't make a difference.
Push
Push
Push
(Push) push (push) push (push) push
Push push push push push push push
Push (push) push (push) push (push) push (push) push, push!
A repeated call to push out negativity and suffering in order to create positive change and growth.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@cacogunky3032
One of the most underated say anything songs, it’s so good
@tonys7342
Just had a baby...this was ringing out in my heart the whole time
@yanderelemming
The visual's so nice ^_^
@itcouldbelupus2842
Pewdiepie should listen to this in fortnite mr algorithm.
More people should listen to this album.
@wafflex7
My wife hated this song. Now I love it even more. 😂😂😂