There is more than one artist with this name
1. Self, an alternative roc… Read Full Bio ↴There is more than one artist with this name
1. Self, an alternative rock band from Tennessee
2. Self, a melodic, pop punk band from South Carolina.
3. SELF, a dark ambient project from Brooklyn
4. Self, a black metal band from Belgium
5. Self, a lo-fi acoustic project from Adelaide, Australia.

1. Self, sometimes stylized as sElf, is a rock band that is mostly the brainchild of one Matt Mahaffey from Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Mahaffey began his musical career as a drummer, forming his first band at the precocious age of nine or ten with band members twice his age. Having gigged with punk, reggae, and pop bands, and even bluegrass square-dancing bands, Mahaffey went on to produce beats for rap artists out of his college dorm room. His diverse musical tastes would contribute to Self's unique sound. He later founded the indie label Spongebath with his bandmate at the time, Seth Timbs, and manager Rick Williams.

While Mahaffey has received nearly all the attention for the music, he is not the only member of the band, and not the sole songwriter either. Current members of the band include Chris James (keyboards, piano, samplers, guitar, backing vocals), Mac Burrus (bass guitar, keyboards, horns, backing vocals), and Jason Rawlings (drums). Past members include Matt's brother, Mike Mahaffey (lead guitar, keyboards, vocals) and Timm Nobles (bass guitar). Because Matt is proficient in almost all of the instruments that Self uses, he plays most of the instruments on the albums, but the other members do contribute occasional parts on albums, and shine when the band plays live. Seth Timbs has also played a small role in the band's songwriting and contributes vocals to a cover of the song Dizzy, but is not an official member of the band.

Mahaffey's debut Self album, Subliminal Plastic Motives, was released in 1995 on the Spongebath label. It was followed by The Half-Baked Serenade in 1996 and an album released for free via the internet in 1997 called Feels Like Breakin' Shit. An EP titled Brunch (1998) and the album Breakfast with Girls (1999) were co-released by the Spongebath and Dreamworks labels. Back at Spongebath, Self released Gizmodgery in 2000, an album notable for being created entirely with children's toy instruments. That same year, Self released two more free internet-only albums, Self Goes Shopping and Selfafornia.
In 2005, Self again released an album for free on the internet. Porno, Mint, and Grime consists of demos recorded during the 2001-2004 sessions for the unreleased album Ornament and Crime.

Their album Ornament and Crime is fully complete; however, Dreamworks (their record label) has declined to release the album for unknown reasons.
A DVD has also been completed, but due to legal reasons, may or may not be released. The performance includes a cover of AC/DC's hit song Back in Black, which has not yet been approved.
Self also did a cover of Ana Ng, originally done by They Might Be Giants, which is on the album Hello Radio, released July 2006. A new album tentatively entitled Super Fake Nice was announced in 2010 and released in 2014. A single, Could You Love me Now? was released in May 2010 and was later put on the B side for Record Store Day single Monogamy. Later in 2017 their previously never released albumOrnament and Crime was released on CD and vinyl but for legal reasons never put on streaming.

2. Self was a 3 piece melodic pop punk band from Columbia, South Carolina, active in the late 1990s. They released a single album named Codename: Spivey in 1996, which was re-released by Offtime Records in 1998.

3. SELF is the side-project of Brooklyn based True Crime Electronics project SLOGUN, in a dark ambient vein. Released one LP to date, titled The Mind and the Matter in 2004.

4. Self started as a solo project around 1999. Hennix (Demonizer) joined forces for the recordings of Searing Winds but left afterwards (2001-2003). Searing Winds was recorded at the home studio, except for the drums, recorded at Shumcot (http://www.shumcot.be/). Everything mixed and mastered at the home studio. The album never got officially released.
http://www.myspace.com/selfblackmetal

5. Self is an acoustic lo-fi project by Adelaide singer/songwriter Olly Byrne. He released his first album, The Bitter Cold recorded in his bedroom in early 2018.
https://selfselfself.bandcamp.com/releases

Brooklyn
Self Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Wake up
Your life's run amok
No soul left to ante up
We're going broke, there's only this alternative

I'm taking a train to Brooklyn
I'm gonna learn how to rhyme
I'll change my name to M.C. Something

(When I learn how to rhyme)
I...

Way down
Your fears I see through
No luck
Your reputation precedes you
If I sit any longer I'm gonna choke and
If you sent any money I'll still be broke and
You can wait forever for this shite to fly
You're losing your minds, well it's finally time
I'm not so glad I've got my whole life left to live

I'm taking a train to Brooklyn
(To learn how to rhyme)
I'm taking a train to Brooklyn
(To Brooklyn)
I'll change my name to M.C. Something
(When I learn how to rhyme)
I...

You know I can't afford to hate you pretty baby, now
say it now baby, say it now baby
*repeat 4x*

I'm taking a train to Brooklyn
(To learn how to rhyme)
I'm taking a train to Brooklyn
(To Brooklyn)
I'll change my name to M.C. Something

(When I learn how to rhyme)
I...

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to the song Brooklyn by Self speak to the desperation that can set in when life seems to be falling apart. The verses describe a situation of financial ruin and personal failure, where the singer has lost everything and is left with no other choice but to change course and start anew. The chorus provides a hopeful declaration of a new path forward, symbolized by a train to Brooklyn and the opportunity to learn how to rhyme and become an M.C.

The opening line "wake up, your life's run amok" sets the tone for the song's urgent message. The repeated mention of going broke emphasizes the severity of the situation and the need for a radical solution. The image of choking if the singer were to sit any longer highlights the suffocating nature of a situation where there seems to be no way out. However, the refrain of taking a train to Brooklyn and becoming an M.C. reflects a desire for artistic expression and a chance for a fresh start in a new place.

The repeated chorus "I'm taking a train to Brooklyn" emphasizes the idea of leaving behind the past and starting anew. In this case, the trip to Brooklyn represents a symbol of hope, where the singer can discover a new identity as an M.C. and escape their current struggles. In a broader sense, the song's message speaks to the power of artistic expression and the transformative potential of creative pursuits when faced with difficult circumstances.

Line by Line Meaning

Wake up
Time to snap out of it

Your life's run amok
Your life is out of control

No soul left to ante up
You have nothing left to give

We're going broke, there's only this alternative
We're running out of options

I'm taking a train to Brooklyn
Going to start fresh

I'm gonna learn how to rhyme
Going to find my rhythm

I'll change my name to M.C. Something
Reinventing myself

(When I learn how to rhyme)
Once I've figured it out

Way down
Feeling low

Your fears I see through
I know you're scared

No luck
Not having any success