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)
The Freed Pig
Sebadoh Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I was battling you, trying to prove myself
I tried to bury you with guilt; I wanted to prove you wrong
I've got nothing better to do than pay too much attention to you
It's sad, but it's not your fault
Self-righteous and rude
I guess I lost that cool
Tapping 'til I drive you insane
So laid back, but so uptight
Destroying your patience to tolerate me
With all the negative spirit I bring
Right, I was obsessed to bring you down
Watching your every move
Playing a little-boy game
Always with something to prove
Waiting to cut you down, making it hard to live
With only one thing to do
Cut me first, make it easy
Now you will be free
Now that nothing depends on me
Tapping 'till I drive you insane
Now you will be free
With no sick people tugging on your sleeve
Your big head has that "more room to grow"
A glory I will never know
A glory I will never know
The Sebadoh song "The Freed Pig" is a poignant and introspective track that explores the themes of self-doubt and negative behavior towards others. The song's lyrics reveal the singer's realization that they have been unfairly treating someone else, trying to prove themselves and feeling self-righteous while being rude. The singer admits that they have been too focused on the other person and have been trying to bring them down to compensate for their own insecurities. They have been watching their every move, waiting to cut them down and prove their own superiority, making their life hard and difficult.
The chorus of the song, "Tapping 'til I drive you insane" is a metaphor for the singer's persistent negative behavior and the toll it has taken on the other person. It also shows the singer's own self-destructive tendencies and how their behavior has made them lose their cool. Eventually, the singer realizes that they have been holding the other person back and decide to cut themselves out of their life. They believe that it is the best way for the other person to be free of their negative influence.
"The Freed Pig" teaches us that personal growth is not just about fixing ourselves but also acknowledging the harm we may have done to others. It encourages listeners to take responsibility for their actions and make amends when needed.
Line by Line Meaning
You were right
The singer acknowledges that the person they are addressing was correct about something.
I was battling you, trying to prove myself
The singer was in a conflict with the person they are addressing, attempting to prove their worth.
I tried to bury you with guilt; I wanted to prove you wrong
The singer attempted to make the person they are addressing feel guilty, hoping to prove them incorrect.
I've got nothing better to do than pay too much attention to you
The artist has no other worthwhile activities and is overly focused on the person they are addressing.
It's sad, but it's not your fault
The artist acknowledges the unfortunate situation but does not blame the person they are addressing for it.
Self-righteous and rude
The singer is arrogant and impolite.
I guess I lost that cool
The singer admits to no longer being calm or collected.
Tapping 'til I drive you insane
The artist's nervous habit of tapping irritates the person they are addressing.
I'm self-righteous, but never right
The artist is self-important but often incorrect.
So laid back, but so uptight
The artist appears calm but is actually tense or anxious.
Destroying your patience to tolerate me
The singer's behavior is testing the person they are addressing's patience with them.
With all the negative spirit I bring
The artist's presence tends to be negative or draining.
Right, I was obsessed to bring you down
The singer had an unhealthy fixation on undermining or defeating the person they are addressing.
Watching your every move
The singer was monitoring the person they are addressing's actions closely.
Playing a little-boy game
The singer was engaging in immature behavior, likened to that of a child.
Always with something to prove
The artist is constantly attempting to demonstrate their worth or abilities.
Waiting to cut you down, making it hard to live
The artist was anticipating an opportunity to criticize or insult the person they are addressing, making their life difficult.
With only one thing to do
The singer sees no other option.
Cut me first, make it easy
The singer suggests that the person they are addressing should end the conflict by rejecting or abandoning them.
Now you will be free
The person they are addressing will now be released from the burden of the artist's negative behavior.
Now that nothing depends on me
The artist's absence will no longer have any impact.
With no sick people tugging on your sleeve
The person they are addressing will no longer have to deal with the artist's attention-seeking behavior.
Your big head has that 'more room to grow'
The singer suggests that the person they are addressing will have greater potential or opportunities without their interference.
A glory I will never know
The artist acknowledges that they will never experience the same degree of success or satisfaction as the person they are addressing.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: LOUIS KNOX BARLOW
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@MichaelLMe
You were right
I was battling you, trying to prove myself
I tried to bury you with guilt; I wanted to prove you wrong
I've got nothing better to do than pay too much attention to you
It's sad, but it's not your fault
Self-righteous and rude
I guess I lost that cool
Tapping 'til I drive you insane
I'm self-righteous, but never right
So laid back, but so uptight
Destroying your patience to tolerate me
With all the negative spirit I bring
Right, I was obsessed to bring you down
Watching your every move
Playing a little-boy game
Always with something to prove
Waiting to cut you down, making it hard to live
With only one thing to do
Cut me first, make it easy
Now you will be free
Now that nothing depends on me
Tapping 'til I drive you insane
Now you will be free
With no sick people tugging on your sleeve
Your big head has that "more room to grow"
A glory I will never know
A glory I will never know
@MichaelLMe
You were right
I was battling you, trying to prove myself
I tried to bury you with guilt; I wanted to prove you wrong
I've got nothing better to do than pay too much attention to you
It's sad, but it's not your fault
Self-righteous and rude
I guess I lost that cool
Tapping 'til I drive you insane
I'm self-righteous, but never right
So laid back, but so uptight
Destroying your patience to tolerate me
With all the negative spirit I bring
Right, I was obsessed to bring you down
Watching your every move
Playing a little-boy game
Always with something to prove
Waiting to cut you down, making it hard to live
With only one thing to do
Cut me first, make it easy
Now you will be free
Now that nothing depends on me
Tapping 'til I drive you insane
Now you will be free
With no sick people tugging on your sleeve
Your big head has that "more room to grow"
A glory I will never know
A glory I will never know
@grantbeck8482
GoHawksGo Go Flames Go
@slimchance7748
One of my favorite songs of ALL TIME!Took me lots of years to learn it was about J. Mascis - who is also a genius!Super stoked when they reunited!
@oldschoolm8
Sebadoh were awesome. I love em as much as Dino Jr. Lou was no slouch when it came to writing tunes, he was as good as Mascis no doubt. Both captured slackerdom in all its glory, quirky songwriting, indie aesthetic, punk attitude and pop hooks.
@podcastshmodcast
Lou Barlow is the connecting item between the Sebadoh's and the Dino Jr's and is why both bands were and are still a whirlwind worldwide sensation!!
@spicetwo
Thee best Sebadoh song of all time !!!!!!! The golden years of indie rock!
@musikkunstetc.8465
Exactamundo, dude!
@Arno25074
simply one of the best 90's bands!!! Hail to SEBADOH!
@curly_wyn
This is so sad..but so powerful-sounding at the same time!
@kevinmc3252
one of my favorite album covers, its just perfect