1) Side by Side was an … Read Full Bio ↴There are two bands who have used this name:
1) Side by Side was an American hardcore punk band on Revelation Records. They were a band from New York that belonged to the youth crew scene. The singer Jules Massey went on to form Alone in a Crowd. Side by Side also consisted of Sammy Siegler on drums, Eric Fink on lead guitar (also in Gorilla Biscuits), Brian Clark on bass and Alex Brown on rhythm guitar. Sammy went on to be in bands such as Youth of Today, Project X, Judge, Civ and others and plays today for a band called Rival Schools. Alex also put out Schizm, a notable magazine, and was in Project X as well before also joining Gorilla Biscuits. Recorded output was limited to a single 7-track 7", You're Only Young Once... (1988), which was re-issued featuring 22 tracks in 1997. This 7" was the fifth record Revelation Records released. Although the band was short-lived, their influence has survived until today, as they are a lot of youth crew kids' favorite band.
2) As of recently, there is another band that uses this name. The streamable tracks on this page are by them. Here is their bio, copied from their homepage, www.sidebysidemusic.net:
Over the course of the past year we’ve experienced a lot of different emotions and events; some negative and some positive. We’ve felt love, love that we all dream of, we felt the loss of that love; we experienced death with all the sadness and tears and everything else that comes with it and we also experienced birth of new lives. There was loneliness, and there was hope. Longing and achieving, worrying and caring. We felt scared and we felt confidence. We felt tears and we saw smiles. Through it all our music and our words were with us. Without them we’re not completely sure how we would have survived. This compilation of songs is a documentation of it all. At root it’s what art and music should be: pure honesty and pure emotion. We ask of you to let every word and every note, every sound, and every instrument run through your mind and take control for a moment. The only thing we can say to you is thank you for listening and supporting. As you listen to these songs take the time to take it all in and hear everything, to study and examine it. It all stands and stems from some emotion and occurrence in our lives that we’re now sharing with you, it makes us vulnerable in every sense of the word. We trust all of you to hear it. Turn the lights down, put on some headphones, close your eyes, turn it up loud and think of someone or something you love…something beautiful. Let it take you over.
Love always,
Side by Side
backfire
Side By Side Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You don't know what it's about
If it keeps up
We're gonna take you out
Trying so hard and playing your part
Cross my line again
I'll tear you apart
What goes up must come down
And you're lying on the ground
You cried for help
No one backed you up
The people knew when enough was enough
You're a sucker
Your life's based on hate
You're gonna fall hard
That's your fucking fate
All this hate
What is it for?
It's not something
That we can just ignore
A waste of energy, a waste of time
You can't see it
'Cause you're so fucking blind
Backfire!
In Your Face
To your level
We'll never bend
'Cause ganging up on guys
Is a fucking trend
You're the disease and we're the cure
Someday we'll take care of you
For sure
In "Backfire" by Side By Side, the singer is addressing someone who hates life and who has crossed the line one too many times. They are warning this person that if they continue to behave in this destructive way, they will eventually face the consequences. The singer is frustrated with this person's negative energy and sees it as a waste of time and effort. They also have a disdain for those who gang up on others and see themselves and their community as the cure for this toxic behavior. The phrase "backfire" reinforces the idea that negative actions will ultimately lead to negative consequences, and the song suggests that those who perpetuate hate will eventually meet their downfall.
Line by Line Meaning
Hating life
Feeling unsatisfied with your life
You don't know what it's about
You are not aware of the reasons for feeling unhappy
If it keeps up
If this feeling persists
We're gonna take you out
You will face the consequences for your negative thoughts and actions
Trying so hard and playing your part
You are making an effort to fit in and follow the expectations of society
Cross my line again
If you do something that violates my boundaries
I'll tear you apart
I will respond aggressively and without mercy
What goes up must come down
Your actions will have consequences
Your turn came
You received the punishment you deserved
And you're lying on the ground
You are experiencing the negative effects of your actions
You cried for help
You asked for assistance
No one backed you up
No one was willing to support you
The people knew when enough was enough
Those around you recognized that your behavior was unacceptable
You're a sucker
You are foolish or gullible
Your life's based on hate
Your existence is fueled by negativity
You're gonna fall hard
You will have a major setback in the future
That's your fucking fate
That is what you have brought upon yourself
All this hate
All of this negativity
What is it for?
What purpose does it serve?
It's not something
It is not a productive or healthy behavior
That we can just ignore
It is not something that can be overlooked or dismissed
A waste of energy, a waste of time
It is pointless and draining
You can't see it
You are unable to recognize the futility of your behavior
'Cause you're so fucking blind
Because you are willfully ignorant
Backfire!
You will experience the negative consequences of your actions
In Your Face
Directly confronting you
To your level
To the same degree of negativity and hostility as you
We'll never bend
We will not compromise or back down from our values
'Cause ganging up on guys
Because attacking someone as a group
Is a fucking trend
Is a popular and destructive behavior
You're the disease and we're the cure
You are the problem and we will provide a solution
Someday we'll take care of you
We will eventually hold you accountable for your actions
For sure
Without a doubt
Contributed by Ethan F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.