Screeching Weasel is an American punk band from Chicago, Illinois. They wer… Read Full Bio ↴Screeching Weasel is an American punk band from Chicago, Illinois. They were formed in 1986 by Ben Weasel (aka Ben Foster who also used to be a columnist for the punk fanzine Maximum Rocknroll) and John Jughead (aka John Pierson). The band gained prominence in the early 1990s after signing to East Bay punk label, Lookout! Records and are cited to be a major influence over many bands playing that style of punk music.

Through the years, the band went through many line-up changes, with Ben and John being the only constant members since the band's inception. Screeching Weasel officially broke up for (roughly) the third - and allegedly final - time on July 6, 2001.
The band did a few surprise shows between 2001-2009.

Ben Weasel reformed the group in March 2009 with a new line-up, and without John Jughead. Ben had released solo albums that were the same just in his name. John finally settled for T-Shirt money for being an original member of the band and a royalties for a handful songs he co-wrote, and let Ben play as Screeching Weasel with the hundreds of song lyrics and music has written.

Former Members include renowned punk rock record producer Mass Giorgini on bass guitar, Dan Panic (born Dan Sullivan) on drums, and Danny Vapid (born Dan Schafer,on guitar or bass, depending on the band's necessity. Dan is currently fronting The Methadones and formerly of Sludgeworth)

Members of Screeching Weasel have gone on to form bands such as: The Methadones, The Mopes, Even in Blackouts, and Sweet Black And Blue.

Screeching Weasel has also included members of Green Day, Sludgeworth, Common Rider, Squirtgun, and Teen Idols.

During one of the band's many break-ups, Weasel and Vapid also formed the Riverdales. Additionally, Ben Weasel released a solo record in 2002 entitled Fidatevi.

In 2004 Ben Weasel rescinded all of the Screeching Weasel and Riverdales masters from Lookout! Records in the wake of long-running financial and personal conflicts. The masters were subsequently licensed to and reissued by Asian Man Records.

On December 7, 2010, it was announced that Screeching Weasel will release a new album on March 15, 2011, the band's first album in eleven years. The album will be titled First World Manifesto and will be released on Fat Wreck Chords. It will contain 14 new songs and is produced by Mike Kennerty of The All-American Rejects. It was announced that the label will also be releasing the back catalogs of Screeching Weasel, the Riverdales, and Ben Weasel.

On March 18, 2011, during Screeching Weasel's South by Southwest Festival performance at the Scoot Inn in Austin, Texas, Foster reached from the stage and slapped a female audience member who had spit on him several times. This sent off a fire storm web frenzy from all of the self -righteous non Screeching Weasel fans. Ben apologized for his actions, but all of the perfect people who never loose there cool were not satisfied.

Ben and his hired band had a falling out. He found out who his true friends and fans were. After over a year of spending time with his family and raising a new baby, he released Carnival of Schadenfreude EP in 2011 with huge interest and has resumed his music career again full swing.

53rd & 3rd
Screeching Weasel Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

If you think you can, well, come on man
I was a Green Beret in Vietnam
I said no more of your fairy stories
'Cause I got my other worries

53rd and 3rd
Standin' on the street
53rd and 3rd

I'm tryin' to turn a trick

53rd and 3rd
You're the one they never pick
53rd and 3rd
Don't it make you feel sick

If you think you can, well, come on man
I was a Green Beret in Vietnam
I said no more of your fairy stories
'Cause I got my other worries

53rd and 3rd
Standin' on the street
53rd and 3rd
I'm tryin' to turn a trick

53rd and 3rd
You're the one they never pick
53rd and 3rd
Don't it make you feel sick

Then I took out my razor blade
Then I did what God forbade
Now the cops are after me
But I proved that I'm no sissy

53rd and 3rd
Standin' on the street
53rd and 3rd
I'm tryin' to turn a trick

53rd and 3rd
You're the one they never pick
53rd and 3rd
Don't it make you feel sick

53rd and 3rd
3rd and 3rd and 3rd
53rd and 3rd
3rd and 3rd and 3rd

53rd and 3rd
3rd and 3rd and 3rd
53rd and 3rd
3rd and 3rd and 3rd

53rd and 3rd
3rd and 3rd and 3rd
53rd and 3rd
3rd and 3rd and 3rd

53rd and 3rd
3rd and 3rd and 3rd
53rd and 3rd
3rd and 3rd and 3rd

53rd and 3rd

3rd and 3rd and 3rd
53rd and 3rd

Overall Meaning

"53rd & 3rd" is a song by Screeching Weasel, a punk rock band, which first appeared on the album "My Brain Hurts" in 1991. The song's title refers to one of Manhattan's busiest intersections, located in Hell's Kitchen, and is based on a real-life incident that occurred on that street in the early 1970s. The lyrics are about a male prostitute who stands on the street corner at 53rd and 3rd, trying to turn tricks to make money. The song's narrator, who claims to have been a Green Beret in Vietnam, is angry and disillusioned with life, has bigger problems than turning tricks, and is over fairy tales. The lyrics suggest that the singer feels trapped and hopeless, as he is not chosen by customers, and this drives him to take out his razor blade and carry out an act of violence. However, he reacts defensively when the police arrive, showing that he has a certain toughness that can't be tamed. Overall, the song's message is one of despair, highlighting the darker side of the human necessity to survive by any means necessary.

Line by Line Meaning

If you think you can, well, come on man
Challenge me if you dare.

I was a Green Beret in Vietnam
I have been through real battles.

'Cause I got my other worries
I have bigger concerns.

53rd and 3rd
Location where the artist is standing.

Standin' on the street
Literally standing on the street.

I'm tryin' to turn a trick
Attempting to sell oneself for sex.

You're the one they never pick
People are not interested in buying their services.

Don't it make you feel sick
Isn't it terrible?

Then I took out my razor blade
The artist got aggressive.

Then I did what God forbade
They acted upon their violent impulse.

Now the cops are after me
The singer is now wanted by the police.

But I proved that I'm no sissy
The artist feels they have demonstrated toughness.

3rd and 3rd and 3rd

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DOUGLAS COLVIN, JEFF HYMAN, JOHN CUMMINGS, THOMAS ERDELYI

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS