Discography:
1995 - Sleater-Kinney (Chainsaw)
1996 - Call the Doctor (Chainsaw)
1997 - Dig Me Out (Kill Rock Stars)
1999 - The Hot Rock (Kill Rock Stars)
2000 - All Hands on the Bad One (Kill Rock Stars)
2002 - One Beat (Kill Rock Stars)
2005 - The Woods (Sub Pop)
2015 - No Cities to Love (Sub Pop)
2019 - The Center Won't Hold (Mom+Pop)
2021 - Path of Wellness (Mom+Pop)
Banned From the End of the World
Sleater-Kinney Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I've no millennial fear,
the future is here, it comes every year
(If you want me there, I'll play forever dear
Open up the box a new life rushes out
Nasty little bug, much work to be done
Eat all the numbers up, we're 00 gone!)
If you want it, I'll come right over
then throw me out when the party�s over
Banned from the end of your world, end of the world, end of the world
We can bottle time and sell it back
it's a nostalgic crime!
(If you want me there, we'll party without fear
A new world rushes on and we'll just play along
A night of revelry spend it here with me
For so many dreams cannot be contained)
Hot, hot, go back, these eyes are shut!
If you want it, I'll come right over
then throw me out when the party�s over
Banned from the end of the world,
The future is here, look in the mirror
(We're the band from the end of the world.)
The lyrics of "Banned from the End of the World" by Sleater-Kinney seem to speak about a rebellious spirit refusing to conform to the norms of society, as if the singer is someone who isn't afraid to go against mainstream conventions. They appear to be welcoming the future with open arms while also depreciating the past, showing a willingness to move forward without sentimentality. The opening line, "Banned from the end of the world," may refer to these societal norms that prevent the individual--who is open to newness-- from participating in it. It may be possible that the singer is proclaiming to have no fear of the apocalypse because they don't belong within the society anyway.
In the first verse, there's a suggestion of the singer being an artist, someone who thrives on creativity and participates in it by bringing new ideas to life. Stuck inside a box, the bug indicates that there are ideas waiting to get outside, and much work needs to be done before they come out. However, once the bug gets out and 'eats' all the numbers, symbolically it could mean that the conventions are gone, and the singer's creating freely. The refrain "Hot, hot, go back, these eyes are shut!" could denote a call for rebellion and willingness to rebel against something expected of society. They're refusing to conform to the society's standards and speaking out in a creative way.
The second verse seems to talk about living in the present moment without losing sight of the past. The idea of bottling time and selling it off may be interpreted as a metaphor for the selling of memories, nostalgia, or perhaps vintage items that replay people's pasts. It demonstrates how the past is a commodity that can be sold and how it still continues to pull at people's hearts. The last line "We're the band from the end of the world" could symbolize how the singer sees themselves and their community as a rejection of society's norms; inclusive, independent and outside of mainstream society.
Line by Line Meaning
Banned from the end of the world, end of the world, end of the world
Excluded from the end of everything, but unafraid of change or the future, which constantly arrives
I've no millennial fear,
I'm not concerned about the apocalypse or the end of the millennium
the future is here, it comes every year
The future is always present and rapidly approaching
(If you want me there, I'll play forever dear
I'll do anything for you, including offering myself up for something permanent
Open up the box a new life rushes out
Anticipation of the unknown brings on a rush of excitement
Nasty little bug, much work to be done
There are unpleasant aspects in even the most enjoyable things in life
Eat all the numbers up, we're 00 gone!)
We're rapidly running out of time and have to make the most of what we have left
Hot, hot, go back, these eyes are shut!
The person's eyes are closed and they're feeling overwhelmed by the heat
If you want it, I'll come right over
I'll be there for you, no matter what
then throw me out when the party's over
After enjoying the celebration, I'll be cast aside
Banned from the end of your world, end of the world, end of the world
Excluded from the end of everything that you hold dear
We can bottle time and sell it back
We can package the past and the memories that come with it to sell as nostalgia
it's a nostalgic crime!
It's unfair to profit off of someone's memories
If you want me there, we'll party without fear
I'll join in the fun with you and face the unknown
A new world rushes on and we'll just play along
The future is quickly approaching and we'll adapt to whatever comes our way
A night of revelry spend it here with me
Join me for a wild, unforgettable night
For so many dreams cannot be contained
There are too many hopes and aspirations to be limited to one reality
Banned from the end of the world,
Excluded from the apocalypse or the end of everything
The future is here, look in the mirror
The future has arrived and we're facing it head-on
(We're the band from the end of the world.)
We're the group of people who are surviving and thriving in a seemingly hopeless situation
Contributed by Sydney K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.