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In 2004 Ben Weasel rescinded all of the Screeching Weasel and Riverdales masters from Lookout!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.

Making You Cry
Screeching Weasel Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I'm sick of putting you down
pushing you around
I'm tired of making you
feel like you are an eel
I tend to open my yap
and make you feel like crap
and I think you oughtta
kick me out on my ass

cause I'm tired of making you cry
Why do you put up
with my crybaby shit?
I sit there eating your food
I'm in a bad mood
I'm bored or mad
so I verbally harass you
My way of showing my love

I give you a shove
I suck

Overall Meaning

These lyrics from Screeching Weasel's "Making You Cry" are about the singer's realization that they have been treating their significant other poorly. The singer is tired of putting their partner down and pushing them around. They recognize that they often make their partner feel small and insignificant, and that their behavior is not acceptable. They apologize and recognize that their partner deserves better than to be treated poorly. The singer goes on to ask why their partner puts up with their behavior, and admits that they have been verbally harassing them when they are bored or in a bad mood. The singer recognizes that they have been showing their love in a negative and harmful way and they are ready to change their behavior.

The overall message of the lyrics is that sometimes we can get caught up in our own negativity and forget to appreciate and treat our loved ones with respect. The singer recognizes that they have been behaving poorly and wants to make a change to be a better partner. The song serves as a reminder to take responsibility for our actions, and to treat others with kindness and respect.

Line by Line Meaning

I'm sick of putting you down
I am exhausted from constantly belittling and insulting you.

pushing you around
I am done with controlling and manipulating your actions and decisions.

I'm tired of making you
I am worn out from causing you

feel like you are an eel
continuously withdrawing your sense of confidence and self-worth, as if you are a slimy, undesirable creature.

I tend to open my yap
I have a tendency to speak impulsively and speak without thinking.

and make you feel like crap
I end up making you feel terrible about yourself.

and I think you oughtta
I believe that you should

kick me out on my ass
send me away without mercy.

cause I'm tired of making you cry
because I can't stand the fact that I repeatedly cause you to cry.

Why do you put up
Why do you endure

with my crybaby shit?
my immature and overly emotional behavior.