From their third album (Neon Ballroom) onward, the band have tried to experiment with slightly more complex song structures, pop influences, and the usage of orchestral backing on a few songs, most notably on their fourth album Diorama with composer Van Dyke Parks contributing to three of the tracks. This change is shown on their performance in their only live album "Live At Faraway Stables" where the band plays two sets - the first comprising newer material where they are backed by two keyboardists to simulate orchestral arrangements, and the second containing their earlier material.
2007 saw the release of the band's latest album Young Modern, featuring the lead single Straight Lines; the song reached number one on the ARIA singles charts. The album was supported by a full tour of North America (their first since 1999), and an extensive tour of Australia and New Zealand with fellow Aussie post-grunge rockers Powderfinger, entitled "Across the Great Divide."
To quote Daniel Johns, "I've been thinking a lot since we finished [[album artist=Silverchair]Young Modern] about where this fits into the other stuff we've done. The way I see it, the first album was naivete, the second one was anger, the third one was depression and the last one was escapism. Young Modern is all about acceptance."
The band announced an indefinite hiatus in May 2011:
"We formed Silverchair nearly 20 years ago when we were just 12 years old. Today we stand by the same rules now as we did back then ... if the band stops being fun and if it's no longer fulfilling creatively, then we need to stop. [...] Despite our best efforts over the last year or so, it's become increasingly clear that the spark simply isn't there between the three of us at the moment. Therefore after much soul searching we wanted to let you know that we're putting Silverchair into "indefinite hibernation" and we've decided to each do our own thing for the foreseeable future".
—Daniel, Ben and Chris, chairpage.com (Silverchair Official Website), 25 May 2011.
Members:
* Daniel Johns (vocals, guitar)
* Chris Joannou (bass)
* Ben Gillies (drums)
Albums:
* Tomorrow (EP) (1994)
* Frogstomp (1995)
* Freak Show (1997)
* Neon Ballroom (1999)
* The Best Of - Volume One (2000)
* Diorama (2002)
* Rarities 1994-1999 (2002)
* Live From Faraway Stables (2CD & DVD) (2003)
* Young Modern (2007)
Freak
Silverchair Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Your baby's got rabies
Sitting on a ball
In the middle of the Andes
Yeah
I'm a freak
Of nature
Yeah
If only I could be as cool as you
As cool as you
Body and soul I'm a freak I'm a freak
Body and soul I'm a freak, I'm a freak
Try to be different
Well get a different disease
Seems it's infectious
To need the cold sore cream
Yeah I'm a freak of nature
Yeah I'm a freak
I don't really know
How to put on a cool show
As boring as they come
Just tell me where to go
If only I could be as cool as you
As cool as you
As cool as you
As cool as you
Body and soul I'm a freak I'm a freak
Body and soul I'm a freak, I'm a freak
Body and soul I'm a freak I'm a freak
Body and soul I'm a freak, I'm a freak
Freak
Freak
Freak
Freak
The lyrics to Silverchair's "Freak" are a candid exploration of alienation and a sense of not fitting in. The opening lines "No more maybes, Your baby's got rabies, Sitting on a ball, In the middle of the Andes" set a chaotic and surreal tone for the song, portraying an image of someone who is out of place and doesn't belong. The repetition of "yeah, I'm a freak" reinforces a feeling of otherness and serves as a mantra for the singer's self-acceptance of their quirks and perceived abnormalities.
The chorus speaks to the singer's longing to be accepted and admired for who they are, but also acknowledges that they don't know how to put on a "cool" show like others can. There's a sense of frustration in the lyrics as the singer is plagued by a desire to fit in, but simultaneously resents and rejects societal expectations. The line "Try to be different, well get a different disease, Seems it's infectious to need the cold sore cream" is particularly poignant, highlighting how society often demonizes and ostracizes those who are different rather than embracing diversity and individuality.
Overall, "Freak" is a powerful commentary on the pressure to conform and the struggle to accept oneself in a world that values conformity over uniqueness.
Line by Line Meaning
No more maybes
No indecisiveness
Your baby's got rabies
Your loved one is infected with rabies
Sitting on a ball
Sitting on a ball
In the middle of the Andes
In the middle of the Andes
Yeah
Yes
I'm a freak
I am a strange and unconventional person
Of nature
Inborn, inherent, a product of natural forces
If only I could be as cool as you
I wish I had your level of coolness
Body and soul I'm a freak I'm a freak
I am different both physically and emotionally
Try to be different
Attempt to stand out
Well get a different disease
You'll end up with a new problem
Seems it's infectious
It's spreading
To need the cold sore cream
To require a treatment for cold sores
I don't really know
I have no knowledge of
How to put on a cool show
How to act in an impressive way
As boring as they come
Extremely dull
Just tell me where to go
Direct me to my next destination
Freak
Strange and unconventional person
Freak
Strange and unconventional person
Freak
Strange and unconventional person
Freak
Strange and unconventional person
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DANIEL JOHNS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Benjamin Skaylad
Nirvana :
-I think im dumb (Dumb)
-I'm a negative creep and I'm stoned (Negative Creep)
-I'm so horny, thats ok my will is good (Lithium)
-gimme back my alcohol - kill a million! (Scoff)
-I was stain (Stain)
And the song I hate my self and I want to die
I think Kurt was mr Depression
-
L D
I'm a grandma, 50 years old, and I'm STILL rocking to this song! 🤟
Ejc Ejc
Noice
SNOWKART
I’m almost 13, and rocking out!
Another one
Hell YEAH!!
Jeremy State
Freak 😉
Ringeistvonmordor
so you were like 25 when this came out?
Douglas
Bought this album back in the 90s without ever knowing what they sounded like. I didn't lose out because every song on this album was a masterpiece
権力暴力
I always love their rock story. They were this young band who won a record deal in a radio show thus the making of frogstomp which is a good record. May not be reinventing the wheel of rock but the song writing was tight. And to be considered a good band that’s good enough and how young they were when they made that record, it was impressive. And the fact that they never had a line up change, same 3 childhood friends stayed loyal to the band for nearly 20 years is inspiring.
brittyn
I don’t think they won a record deal, I think they just got to have one of their songs recorded and music video made! And they got huge with Tomorrow.
Jules
The suite is even more wrecking, highly considering the actual state of the band is foggy, not together but didn’t split up.