Starting as a hardcore punk band in the late 1970s to the early 1980s, Social Distortion would go on a temporary hiatus in the mid-1980s, due to Ness's drug addiction and troubles with the law which resulted in extended stints in various rehabilitation centers that lasted for two years. Following their reformation, the band has shifted its style to a country, blues and early rock and roll-influenced style of punk. Since its inception, the band's lineup has seen significant turnover, with Ness as the only constant member. After 44 years of performing, Social Distortion continues to tour and record music.
To date, Social Distortion has released seven full-length studio albums, two compilations, one live album, and two DVDs. They released two albums — Mommy's Little Monster (1983) and Prison Bound (1988) — before signing a three-album contract with Epic Records in 1989. Social Distortion rose to fame with their 1990 self-titled third album, which produced their well-known hit singles "Ball and Chain", "Story of My Life", and the cover of Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire", and was certified gold by RIAA. Many of their later albums, including their second gold record Somewhere Between Heaven and Hell (1992), were also well received. Dubbed by Steven Blush as "the Rolling Stones of hardcore," Social Distortion is considered one of the best-selling and most influential punk rock bands, with more than three million albums sold worldwide. The band's most recent studio album is Hard Times and Nursery Rhymes (2011), and they have spent about more than a decade working on new material their forthcoming eighth studio album.
Social Distortion was formed in 1978 by Mike Ness, inspired by the Sex Pistols and many other British punk bands as well as rock acts such as the Rolling Stones. Aside from Ness on guitar and Casey Royer on drums, early members included Mark Garrett on bass and former Cal State Fullerton basketball player Tom Corvin on vocals. Garrett was succeeded by Rikk Agnew in late 1978. On the origins of the band's name, Royer recalled "Mike was like 15, trying to play guitar but he couldn't. Social Distortion was named for my distortion pedal, which I gave to Mike to play 'cause back then he was no good."
Their early music was composed by Ness with lyrics by Royer and sometimes Corvin, and many songs were retired after only a few performances. After Corvin left in the fall of 1979 to attend graduate school at Bob Jones University, Ness recruited his high school friend Dennis Danell to join the band on guitar even though Danell had never played an instrument before. When Danell was brought in, the other members left as they did not want to wait for him to learn. Before joining the Adolescents in 1980, Royer and Agnew played with Garrett in a separate band named Social Distortion consisting of Royer on vocals, Garrett on bass, Rikk Agnew on drums, and Frank Agnew and Tim Maag on guitars. The band's first real show was in early 1979 at the Cuckoo's Nest nightclub on Placentia Avenue in Costa Mesa, California. Mike and Dennis remained the only constant members for the next two decades with bass and drum members changing every few years. The Adolescents song "Kids of the Black Hole" and Social Distortion song "The Playpen" chronicled this period of the band's history.
Its first single, Mainliner/Playpen featuring Ness on guitar and vocals, Dennis on bass, and Carrot on drums was released in 1981 on Posh Boy, the label responsible for releasing the first singles and albums of many of the local O.C. punk bands. Rodney Bingenheimer of KROQ-FM was responsible for much of the radio play in Orange County, California, that punk received in the early 80s, and took a liking to Social Distortion, releasing the single "1945" on his 1981 compilation album, Rodney on the ROQ, Blood on the ROQ in 1983, and The Best Of Rodney on the ROQ in 1989.
In 1982, the band—now consisting of Ness, Danell (who now played rhythm guitar), Brent Liles on bass, and Derek O'Brien on drums—embarked on their first international tour (US and Canada) with fellow punk band Youth Brigade, a trip chronicled in the punk rockumentary 'Another State of Mind', which was not released until 1984.
The band has consistently used as their logo a skeleton holding a cigarette and a martini glass. It was designed by Mackie Osborne, wife of Melvins frontman Buzz Osborne. It is frequently featured in live performances as well as album covers. The logo came from an invitation to a New Year's Eve party that a friend of Ness' had designed. Said Ness in an April 2011 interview with Rolling Stone: "At the time, I saw that, and it just felt like, 'That's it right there. It's life and death, it's celebration.' It just felt powerful."
[Untitled]
Social Distortion Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Chorus:
I feel rich, I feel power and security. And when I am weak you are strong. Once in a lifetime, twice in eternity and guess what? Nothing else matters anyways.
Repeat Chorus
The opening lines of Social Distortion's song [Untitled] paint a picture of a lonely journey on a one-way street in search of a place to meet. The singer is yearning for companionship and hoping for a chance to connect with someone who may be heading in the same direction. The depth of this yearning is underlined by the acknowledgement of the transience of friendships - "friends they come and friends they go, but you were always by my side".
The singer reminisces about a period of desolation in a town without a name, where they were taught how to hide their shame by the person they were addressing. The person may be a dear friend or even a lover, who has been a constant source of support and guidance, earning their gratitude - "thank the stars I'm the lucky one, thanx for the lessons that I have been shown". The chorus brings out the sense of security and strength the singer feels with this person, and how nothing else really matters when this connection is present.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm heading down a lonely highway, I'm running down a one-way street.
I'm feeling lonely and aimless, like I'm stuck on a path with no turning back.
All I wanna know, are you going my way? Is there some place quiet we can meet?
I'm looking for someone to share the journey with, and hoping to find a peaceful place to connect.
And friends they come and friends they go, but you were always by my side.
People can come and go in life, but you've been a constant presence and support for me.
And where it all ends I don't know, don't cry no more just hold on tight.
I'm uncertain about what the future holds, but I'm trying to be strong and hold on to hope.
There was a time when I was desperate, living in a town without a name.
I've been through tough times where I felt lost and disconnected from any sense of home.
And when things got so dark and desolate you taught me how to hide my shame.
You helped me find a way to cope with my struggles and keep my dignity intact.
And kings and queens and millionaires, may never know what I have known.
Even the richest and most powerful people can't understand the depth of the experiences I've had.
And thank the stars I'm the lucky one, Thanks for the lessons that I have been shown.
Despite everything, I feel fortunate and grateful for the wisdom you've imparted on me.
Chorus: I feel rich, I feel power and security. And when I am weak you are strong. Once in a lifetime, twice in eternity and guess what? Nothing else matters anyways.
I feel strong and secure with you by my side, and I know that our connection is rare and invaluable. At the end of the day, nothing else really matters.
Repeat Chorus
Repeating the chorus for emphasis.
Contributed by Mila I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@bigd3886
Yes it was. And even farther back it was even greater. I am gonna be 50 in few months & I remember skateboarding around
downtown Omaha, Nebraska in the Old Market area & being chased out of places we were just trying shred some tailbone
I still have my board.. a Powell Peralta R.I.P w/ the skeleton bursting its way out of the middle. I can't even begin to count how
many tailbones I went through. Growing up in the 70's & 80's were great. I especially loved the 70's!! They had ALL the best stuff
back then: The best music, the best movies, the best comic books, the best candy, the best toys, the best cars, the best & hottest
movie babes(Farrah Fawcett, Jacklyn Smith, Bo Derek just to name a few), the best video games & arcades, the best board games...
etc. Then the 80's happened. Here's my description of the 80's: School, job, cliques, conform, malls, bubblegum , jean jackets, spend,
party, coke(boththe liquid & powder), one-hit wonders, middle-class bourgeoisie exploited worker-class pawns.. Good thing the 90's
were a hell of a lot better. But here's the truth: when the 80's were happing, we were all caught up in it, not knowing exactly wtf we were
doing. Then in the 90's , we looked back at the 80's and thought wtf were we doing? Those clothes? Those hair styles? That music we
listened to?(Well not me, I listened to Punk Rock) While everyone around me were jumping on the bandwagon, I was avoiding it like
it was the plague. Still do. I wanted to do my own thing, and still do. I encourage every one of you who reads this: do your own thing.
Don't ever let someone else decide what you should do. Or tell you what is best for you. Figure it out yourself. You'll be a better person
for it & respect yourself a little more in the long run. I leave you with this: The only person responsible for where you are today in your life...
is you. Take care of you. It's no one else's responsibility. Think for yourself & make your own mind up, and never be afraid of acquiring
the best of something. You'll always be happy with it. And you deserve it. Your happiness is not a destination or a place to arrive at in
your life. Happiness, my friends.. is a "Manner of Traveling".
I'm out.
Late
~ This announcement has been brought to you by big d's Channel of Outspoken Knowledge ! !
@rosentrantz0
@ooOmegAaa Or the entry level jobs asking for a bachelor's degree that don't pay enough to pay off a student loan.
I once witnessed a Walmart manager directing at least 8 workers in chanting and clapping like they did in evangelical Christian school, so I knew the company wasn't on an even footing.
It wasn't a surprise when I found that Walmart was so fucking lazy that employees had to subsidize the company by going to a bulletin board to seek out welfare programs.
Walmart paid shit per hour and expected employees to spend break time searching their bulletin board for local subsidies.
<rant>Maybe the heirs of a wealthy person can literally drag the deceased from Heaven to Hell just because they left money and power to children that weren't taught.
Rest wherever Sam Walton, but your kids didn't carry on what your businesses were built on. I don't think $15 an hour is enough to get you out.</rant>
@thatdarki8266
Story of my life
Well, high school seemed like such a blur
I didn't have much interest in sports or school elections
And in class I dreamed all day
About a rock 'n' roll weekend
And the girl in the front of the room
So close yet so far, you know she never seemed to notice
That this silly school-boy crush wasn't just pretend
Life goes by so fast
You only want to do what you think is right
Close your eyes and then it's past
Story of my life
Story of my life
Story of my life
The story of my life
And I went down to my old neighborhood
The faces have all changed, there's no one there left to talk to
And the pool hall I loved as a kid
Is now a Seven Eleven
And I went downtown to look for a job
I had no training, no experience to speak of
And I looked at the holes in my jeans
And turned and headed back
Life goes by so fast
You only wanna do what you think is right
Close your eyes and it's past
Story of my life
Story of my life
Story of my life
Story of my life
And good times come and good times go
I only wish the good times would last a little longer
And I think about the good times we had
And why they had to end
So I sit at the edge of my bed
I strum my guitar and I sing an outlaw love song
Thinkin' 'bout what you're doin' now
And when you're comin' back
Life goes by so fast
You only wanna do what you think is right
Close your eyes and it's past
Story of my life
Story of my life
Story of my life
Story of my life
Story of my life
The story of my life
@kratheuss.kennedy7121
Lyrics Here!!/ Letras Aqui!!
High school seemed like such a blur,
I didn't have much interest in sports or
school elections.
And in class I dreamed all day,
About a rock 'n' roll weekend.
And the girl in the front of the room, so close yet so far y'know she never seemed
To notice
That this silly school-boy crush
Wasn't just pretend.
Life goes by so fast, you only want to do what you think is right.
Close your eyes and then it's past;
(It's the) Story of my life.
And I went down to my old neighborhood,
The faces have all changed, there's no one left to talk to.
And the pool hall I loved as a kid
Is now a Seven Eleven.
I went downtown to look for a job,
I had no training, no experience to speak of.
I looked at the holes in my jeans
And turned and headed back.
Life goes by so fast, you only want to do what you think is right.
Close your eyes and then it's past;
(It's the) Story of my life.
Good times come and good times go,
I only wish the good times would last a
Little longer.
I think about the good times we had
And why they had to end.
So I sit at the edge of my bed,
I strum my guitar and I sing an outlaw
love song.
Wonderin' bout what you're doin' now
And when you're comin' back.
Life goes by so fast, you only want to do what you think is right.
Close your eyes and then it's past;
(It's the) Story of my life.
@GumboGalahad
I first heard of Social Distortion in high school in 1988-89 but never got into them. Maybe it was the songs I heard. Then in 1990 I was in the Army with this guy from Sacramento. On paper we were complete opposites. He was a skatepunk kid from California and I was a Cajun from a small town on the bayou in Louisiana. But boy did we click and it was magic. Went through basic, AIT, sent to Korea together and kept in touch over the years. He reintroduced me to them and I have loved the band ever since. Unfortunately he got murdered a few years back but every time I listen to this band I think about him. Rest easy Kevin. Our paths will cross again and if you get to the women and booze first just save some for me.
@liamschannel6294
Thought that was such a nice message until i read the last part, sorry to hear that bro! Im sure you’ll meet again in time bud! Hope you had a good Christmas and have a happy new year my guy!💪
@creditreaper5988
Thank you for your service !!
@mars112v
Thank you for your service and I’m sorry for your loss. Music is so powerful and this song is a testament to that.
@jasonbornonthefourthofjuly1351
I was in too deep with Dead Kennedy’s and Bad Brains and Black Flag DOA, etc... to appreciate this group in hs....was working out with buddy in Iraq and he played this song....I felt like I knew this song but was hearing it for the first time..... that was 2003 and i havent stopped blasting this song since
@jasonbornonthefourthofjuly1351
And sorry for the loss of your brother.... RIP Kevin...
@ArZChenemy
This song hits different when you get old...
@prissy1pris
aint that the fuckin truth :/
@int0the3p1t32
Nah. It’s still garbage.
@kath1017
True