Along with such bands as Pavement and Guided By Voices, Sebadoh helped pioneer lo-fi, a style of indie-rock characterized by low-fidelity recording techniques, often on four-track machines. The band's early output, such as Weed Forestin (1990) and III (1992), was typical of this style, and wavered between Barlow's wry, introspective folk and Gaffney's psychedelic noise-rock experiments.
Following 1993's Bubble and Scrape, Gaffney left the band. His replacement, Bob Fay, appeared on the band's most acclaimed and consistent effort, 1994's Bakesale, which saw the emergence of the songwriting talents of multi-instrumentalist Jason Loewenstein, and the follow-up Harmacy in 1996.
Fay left the band before the sessions for The Sebadoh (1999), to be replaced by Russ Pollard. Following the tour to promote this album (2000), the band went on hiatus, with Barlow concentrating on his other project, the Folk Implosion, and Loewenstein working on material for his debut solo album At Sixes and Sevens, released in 2002. The two reunited to play concerts in late 2003 and the spring of 2004.
In 2006, III was reissued with a bonus disc and expanded liner notes. In 2007, the band (reunited with Eric Gaffney) was touring.
In 2013, Defend Yourself was released followed by Act Surprised in 2019.
Discography:
* The Freed Man (1989)
* Weed Forestin' (1990)
* The Freed Weed (1990)
* III (1992)
* Rocking The Forest (1992)
* Sebadoh vs. Helmet (1990)
* Smash Your Head On The Punk Rock (1992)
* Bubble and Scrape (1993)
* 4 Song CD (1994)
* Bakesale (1994)
* Harmacy (1996)
* The Sebadoh (1999)
* Defend Yourself (2013)
* Act Surprised (2019)
License to Confuse
Sebadoh Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm not an Adam or Eve, I'm just a nervous young thing
Hear my voice strain as I sing, my will won't bend and then break
The crate will break and I'll fall, I couldn't help it at all
I've got a license to confuse, what do we got to lose?
A license to confuse
I guess I got what it takes to help me make this mistake
It took a while but I learned, it took a twist but I turned
Another distance to fall, I couldn't help it all
I've got a license to confuse, what have you got to lose?
A license to confuse
I shouldn't sound so forlorn, regret the day I was born
'cause here I am and I've been, I only need a few friends
My hands are sweating all day like I've been letting me down
Like I've been letting me slide, just some nonsense on my mind
And the license to confuse, nothing I can use
Bust it, build it for a year
Here's my license that's my right
The song License to Confuse by Sebadoh is a mantra for all those who find themselves struggling in their daily lives. The opening lines “I’m not attractive today, I’m not a sight for sore eyes” sets the tone of the song, as the singer is not feeling good about themselves. The lyrics talk about the struggle of trying to find one's place in the world, and the feeling of being lost in the crowds.
The singer then talks about how they have a license to confuse, and how it's something that they should embrace. The license to confuse is the ability to make choices that may not seem conventional, but that may lead to a more fulfilling life. The singer recognizes that this license is not something that everybody has, and takes pride in it.
The chorus of the song repeats the phrase “A License to Confuse” multiple times. This repetition serves as a reminder to the listener that it's okay to be confused; that it's okay to make decisions that may not make sense to others. The song ends with the affirmation that the singer has the right to live their life the way they want to.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm not attractive today, I'm not a sight for sore eyes
I don't feel confident or look appealing today
I'm not an Adam or Eve, I'm just a nervous young thing
I don't have perfect looks or confidence, just an anxious individual
Hear my voice strain as I sing, my will won't bend and then break
Listen to my vocals struggling, I won't give up or quit under pressure
The crate will break and I'll fall, I couldn't help it at all
The container will break, I will plummet, all this without my intention
I've got a license to confuse, what do we got to lose?
I am authorized to perplex, do we have anything to risk?
A license to confuse
An authorization to bewilder
I guess I got what it takes to help me make this mistake
Perhaps I possess the ability to assist myself in making this error
It took a while but I learned, it took a twist but I turned
It was a lengthy process but I gained knowledge, it had an unexpected turn, but I altered my path
And now its clear that I'm blind, another mountain to climb
Currently, it is evident that I am unaware; furthermore, another obstacle awaits me
Another distance to fall, I couldn't help it all
Another gap to descend, I couldn't stop or control it
I've got a license to confuse, what have you got to lose?
I have gained clearance to baffle, what do you stand to lose?
A license to confuse
The authority to confound
I shouldn't sound so forlorn, regret the day I was born
I shouldn't sound so sad, but unfortunately, I regret being born
'cause here I am and I've been, I only need a few friends
The reason being; I exist, and I have lived; yet, I only need a handful of friends
My hands are sweating all day like I've been letting me down
My hands perspire throughout the day as if I've been a disappointment to myself
Like I've been letting me slide, just some nonsense on my mind
As if I've been slacking off on myself, only irrelevant thoughts on my mind
And the license to confuse, nothing I can use
And the authority to perplex, nothing I can apply towards anything worthwhile
Bust it, build it for a year
Destroy it and rebuild it for a complete year
Here's my license that's my right
This is my authorization that I am entitled to
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: LOUIS KNOX BARLOW
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Miguel Declercq
I'm not attractive today, I'm not a sight for sore eyes
I'm not an Adam or Eve, I'm just a nervous young thing
Hear my voice strain as I sing, my will won't bend and then break
The crate will break and I'll fall, I couldn't help it at all
I've got a license to confuse, what do we got to lose?
A license to confuse
I guess I got what it takes to help me make this mistake
It took a while but I learned, it took a twist but I turned
And now its clear that I'm blind, another mountain to climb
Another distance to fall, I couldn't help it all
I've got a license to confuse, what have you got to lose?
A license to confuse
I shouldn't sound so forlorn, regret the day I was born
'cause here I am and I've been, I only need a few friends
My hands are sweating all day like I've been letting me down
Like I've been letting me slide, just some nonsense on my mind
And the license to confuse, nothing I can use
Bust it, build it for a year
Here's my license that's my right
Dr. Snorkel
I couldn't believe my ears when I heard this in the new Halloween Ends film - really great use of the song !!!
dummy
Agreed!
phil7101
Haha me too, in that club scene, I was thinking wait...what is this? I KNOW this! Had to check the end credits and instantly recognized it
Khalid Quesada
I literally just revisited this album for the first time (inexplicably) in a very long time like two weeks ago, and immediately recognized it in the movie. I was like, I bet this will be my favorite part of the movie.
And it absolutely was.
Dr. Snorkel
@Khalid Quesada yeh, unfortunately the rest of the film was a bit disappointing XD
pollitofogoso
That’s what brought me here! There wasn’t that very many people in the cinema, so I asked Siri about the author of this song
Miguel Declercq
I'm not attractive today, I'm not a sight for sore eyes
I'm not an Adam or Eve, I'm just a nervous young thing
Hear my voice strain as I sing, my will won't bend and then break
The crate will break and I'll fall, I couldn't help it at all
I've got a license to confuse, what do we got to lose?
A license to confuse
I guess I got what it takes to help me make this mistake
It took a while but I learned, it took a twist but I turned
And now its clear that I'm blind, another mountain to climb
Another distance to fall, I couldn't help it all
I've got a license to confuse, what have you got to lose?
A license to confuse
I shouldn't sound so forlorn, regret the day I was born
'cause here I am and I've been, I only need a few friends
My hands are sweating all day like I've been letting me down
Like I've been letting me slide, just some nonsense on my mind
And the license to confuse, nothing I can use
Bust it, build it for a year
Here's my license that's my right
bryan zautner
I love this album! when it came out I played this shit so loud, but marcosb check the album sales. bigger than Nirvana is a bold statement!!
zac coleman
I have a license to CONFUSE and I like it!!!
Bruno Aziz
iconic record!!!!!