Within the alternative world, Seven Mary Three have often been compared to … Read Full Bio ↴Within the alternative world, Seven Mary Three have often been compared to the mainstream-sounding, garage/arena rock of post-Ten Pearl Jam, but the group insists that their refusal to alienate themselves from the rest of the world makes them different. Instead, Seven Mary Three offer songs concerning self-discovery and true outsiders isolated from society. Based in Virginia (where the bandmates attended the College of William and Mary), Seven Mary Three signed to the Mammoth label after releasing a self-produced album, Churn, in 1994. The album -- particularly its gritty lead single, "Cumbersome" -- generated a healthy buzz in Florida, and radio stations in Orlando began devoting significant airtime to the band. Seven Mary Three relocated to the Orlando area and re-recorded their old songs, which were packaged alongside two new cuts to round out the band's proper debut, 1995's American Standard. With "Cumbersome" enjoying national success, the album went platinum and won the group a contract with Atlantic Records. Rock Crown followed in 1997, and a year later Seven Mary Three returned with their third LP, Orange Ave. Neither record enjoyed as much recognition as American Standard, but the band continued to release albums into the following decade, issuing The Economy of Sound in 2001 and Dis/Location three years later. Seven Mary Three signed with New York's Icon Records in late 2007, and the following year saw the release of their sixth effort, DAY&NIGHTDRIVING. Steve Huey, All Music Guide

Punch in Punch Out
Seven Mary Three Lyrics

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I wake up
To beat the sun, from her glory
I'm only
One cigarette
Away from mobility
It's always
Punch in punch out
Go to work and go back home

There's only
One chance left
And I know
And I know
Where she is waiting

I wake up
To beat the sun from her glory
I'm only one cigarette away from mobility
It's always
Punch in punch out
Go to work and go back home

There's only one chance left
And I know where she is waiting

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Punch in Punch Out" by Seven Mary Three convey a sense of resignation to a repetitive and monotonous daily routine. The singer wakes up early in the morning, trying to beat the sun to her glory and gets a sense of fleeting independence by smoking a cigarette. However, he is quickly reminded of his lack of control and agency as he needs to clock in at work and then punch out and go back home. The cycle repeats, day after day, leaving him with only one chance to break free from the confines of his life. The lyrics are filled with a feeling of longing and desperation for something more, yet capturing the hopelessness of a life bound to routine.

The overall message of the song is that the singer has accepted his fate but is still holding on to a sliver of hope. The idea of being one cigarette away from mobility implies that even in moments of apparent solitude, it is merely a transitional state that cannot be held onto. The hopeless yet determined tone of the lyrics is effectively conveyed through the repetition of the phrase "punch in punch out," which becomes a symbol of the endless cycle of work and routine to which he is bound.

Line by Line Meaning

I wake up
I begin my day

To beat the sun, from her glory
To rise and start my day before the sun does

I'm only
I have nothing else

One cigarette
One addiction

Away from mobility
Away from the ability to move forward

It's always
It is a constant

Punch in punch out
Routine work life

Go to work and go back home
A monotonous cycle

There's only
There is nothing except

One chance left
One opportunity remaining

And I know
I am aware