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In 2004 Ben Weasel rescinded all of the Screeching Weasel and Riverdales masters from Lookout!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

My Own World
Screeching Weasel Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I know the sun I'm looking at
Is the same sun seen by the world
And that's a fact
But no one sees it quite the same
And some don't see the sun at all and that's a shame

I know the lies I'm looking at
Are the same lies accepted by the world as fact

But I don't see things quite that way
And I refuse to hide here from another day

Don't try throwing things at me I'm
I'm contradicting myself by letting know
You try to tell me that I
Don't know what I'm doing right
When they say jump
You ask how high

I know the sun I'm looking at
Is the same sun seen by the world
And that's a fact
But no one sees it quite the same
And some don't see the sun at all and that's a shame

And that's a shame [x2]
And that's a shame

Overall Meaning

The Screeching Weasel's song "My Own World" is a song that talks about how people perceive and interpret the world around them. The song starts by stating the fact that everyone sees the same sun, but each person sees it differently. Some may not see the sun at all, which makes it a shame that they cannot enjoy such a beautiful sight. This line can be interpreted as a metaphor to illustrate how people see the world and how some individuals may not appreciate or have the opportunity to see the beauty that surrounds them.

The following lyrics, "I know the lies I'm looking at are the same lies accepted by the world as fact, but I don't see things quite that way, and I refuse to hide here from another day," discuss how the world operates on various lies and misconceptions that people accept as fact. However, the singer does not believe these lies and chooses to see the world differently. The last lines, "When they say jump, you ask how high," can be seen as a rejection of conformity and a desire to question authority.

In sum, "My Own World" is a song celebrating individualism, rejecting conformity and encouraging people to question what is accepted as fact.

Line by Line Meaning

I know the sun I'm looking at
I understand the world around me

Is the same sun seen by the world
Everyone sees the same world

And that's a fact
It's an undeniable truth

But no one sees it quite the same
Perspectives vary from person to person

And some don't see the sun at all and that's a shame
Some people are missing out on the beauty of life

I know the lies I'm looking at
I understand the reality of falsehoods

Are the same lies accepted by the world as fact
People often believe what they're told without questioning it

But I don't see things quite that way
I'm not willing to blindly accept falsehoods

And I refuse to hide here from another day
I'm unwilling to stay quiet or remain inactive

Don't try throwing things at me I'm
I won't tolerate any attacks or attempts to bring me down