Scream was formed in Northern Virginia in 1981 by singer Peter Stahl, his brother Franz Stahl on guitar, bassist Skeeter Thompson and drummer Kent Stax. They are considered one of the benchmark bands in the history of the Washington, D.C. hardcore music movement. Along with bands such as Minor Threat and Government Issue, Scream ultimately merged the attributes of the movement, which were blinding speed, heavy political and social connotations in the lyrics, unpretentiousness of attitude, and shunning of commercialism. Their music is faithful to the roots of rock, but spun itself into other genres by employing sounds that predate the raunchiness of grunge, while saluting reggae and speed metal. Scream hated the classification of bands into certain types and considered what they played as simply 'music.' Recording their music in the basement of the now legendary Inner Ear Studios in Arlington, Virginia, Scream became the first band on the Dischord label to release a whole album, Still Screaming, as opposed to singles or 12 inch EPs. Like the hardcore band Bad Brains, they could play clearly at breakneck speed, but also played mid-tempo songs like "American Justice" and "Hygiene," which were metal-tinged reggae.
For their second album Scream added another guitarist to their line-up, Robert Lee "Harley" Davidson, to thicken up the sound in the studio and in their live performances. In turn this eventually led to a powerful dual-lead guitar style, with complex guitar tracking, a more powerful live sound and an over-all crunchier sound for their third album. For a few compilation efforts and some live shows they added a keyboard player, Bobby Madden, who was a colleague of Davidson's from the same metal scene.
After the third album Banging the Drum, Kent Stax left the band for personal reasons and was replaced by local drummer Dave Grohl, who then played on Scream's 4th album No More Censorship. The band then toured Europe; with their May 4, 1990 show in Alzey, Germany being released by Tobby Holzinger as Your Choice Live Series Vol.10. Scream then recorded their fifth and final studio album Fumble, (which was much later released in 1993 on Dischord Records) and then called it quits in late 1990. Pete and Franz moved to North Hollywood and started rock band Wool, while Grohl joined Grunge band Nirvana. In 1997, Franz Stahl joined Dave Grohl's newly formed group, the commercially successful Foo Fighters, for a two year stint. During this time Pete Stahl worked as a road manager for both the Foo Fighters and Queens of the Stone Age, while continuing to record albums with several bands, including the Earthlings? and Goatsnake. Skeeter Thompson remained in the D.C. area and continued to work in bands, as did Kent Stax with the Skinhead/Oi! -tinged bands: the Suspects, United 121, Spitfires United, and Alleged Bricks. Stax has also committed himself to a family life. Davidson continued in the band Angelstorm, (in Huntsville, Alabama), from 1993–1995 and created the new bands Orangahead, Festival of Fools, (with Madden in 1998) and two different bands both named God Is Dead, (one in D.C. and one in Huntsville, Alabama) from 2002-2005.
The original line-up of the band played a reunion show on December 20, 2009 at the Black Cat nightclub in Washington, D.C.
On February 7, 2011, the band supported Foo Fighters on a special show at the Roxy Theatre in Los Angeles, when the Foo Fighters showcased their new album Wasting Light for the first time from beginning to end.
Current members
Peter Stahl – lead vocals (1981–1990, 2009–present)
Franz Stahl – guitar, backing vocals (1981–1990, 2009–present)
Skeeter Thompson – bass, backing vocals (1981–1990, 2009–present)
Kent Stax – drums, percussion (1981–1986, 2009–present)
Former members
Dave Grohl – drums, percussion (1986–1990)
Robert Lee Davidson – guitar, backing vocals (1984–1989)
I Look When You Walk
Scream Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And on the ground
But it makes a nice home
For my friends and me
I'm on my way
So please don't bother me
Can't you see that I'm much too busy?
Too you [x3]
I look when you walk [x2]
I look when you walk by
See my crown
King I've found
And I got a grate for a throne
That you can share with me
Clean up town
So no-one else will see
A service drone in the name of pity
To keep the streets nice and clean for the public to view
And it's all for you
For you
I look when you walk [x2]
I look when you walk by
I look when you walk [x2]
I look when you walk by
[X4]
To see if you're looking
To see if you're looking at me
The lyrics of "I Look When You Walk In" by Scream describe a person who is hesitant to connect with others, preferring instead to keep to themselves and their immediate circle of friends. The line "Looking down/And on the ground/But it makes a nice home/For my friends and me" suggests that the singer is perhaps introverted or shy, and finds comfort in staying within their comfort zone. They are preoccupied with their own concerns and responsibilities, as expressed in the line "Can't you see that I'm much too busy?", and don't have time for extraneous social interactions.
However, despite their reluctance to engage with the world around them, there is one person who catches their attention - the object of their desire. The lines "And a glance is as close as I will get to you/Too you" suggest that the singer is too afraid or unsure of themselves to make a more direct connection with the person they are interested in. Instead, they content themselves with watching them from afar, hoping against hope that they might reciprocate their feelings.
The song also touches on themes of power and hierarchy, with the line "See my crown/King I've found/And I got a grate for a throne/That you can share with me". This may suggest that the singer is using their self-imposed isolation as a way to feel powerful or in control, in contrast to the way they feel when they are around the object of their affection. Additionally, the chorus's repetition of "I look when you walk by/To see if you're looking at me" reinforces the singer's fixation on this person, highlighting their desire for validation and connection.
Overall, "I Look When You Walk In" is a song that speaks to the desire for connection and validation, even when we feel too anxious or overwhelmed to actively seek it out. It is also a reminder that the way we present ourselves to the world - whether consciously or unconsciously - can have a significant impact on how we are perceived by others.
Line by Line Meaning
Looking down
I am feeling down and not interested in interacting with people.
And on the ground
I am not paying attention to what's happening around me.
But it makes a nice home
Being alone and isolated feels comfortable to me and I enjoy it.
For my friends and me
I have a close circle of friends who feel the same way as me.
I'm on my way
I have my own path and goals to focus on.
So please don't bother me
I am not interested in talking or engaging with people at the moment.
Can't you see that I'm much too busy?
I have important things to do and I don't have time for anything else.
And a glance is as close as I will get to you
I am not interested in getting any closer to you or engaging with you on a deeper level, hence just a glance would be sufficient.
I look when you walk
I observe you as you walk by.
See my crown
I feel superior and powerful over others.
King I've found
I see myself as the ruler, above everyone else.
And I got a grate for a throne
My throne is not conventional, but it suits me just fine.
That you can share with me
I am willing to offer you a spot next to me as long as you agree to my terms and conditions.
Clean up town
I am taking matters into my own hands to improve the environment around me.
So no-one else will see
I am doing this not for the public appearance, but for my own satisfaction.
A service drone in the name of pity
I am doing this out of pity for the town, out of a sense of obligation to help.
To keep the streets nice and clean for the public to view
I want people to see me as someone who actively contributes to making the area a better place to be in.
And it's all for you
All of this is for the benefit and approval of others, rather than for myself.
To see if you're looking
I am keeping an eye on you, to see if you are interested in me.
To see if you're looking at me
I yearn for your attention, and I am looking for signs that you are interested in me.
Contributed by Evelyn R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Dwain Farmery
Love this trck, nice one....xx