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."
Bakersfield
Social Distortion Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Going to tow that heavy load
I can't seem to make it
To make it on my own
Turn the lights down low now
Turn down our bed
I can't seem to get you
Out of my head
[Chorus]
Stranded here in Bakersfield
So close, yet so far, far away
Stranded here in Bakersfield
You're a million miles away
I feel the heat coming down now
Sweat runs down my face
I can hardly make it girl
Fake it through this day
Was it something that I said
Or something I didn't do
Eighteen more hours girl
'Til I'm home to you
[Chorus]
So I walk out, that lonely truck stop
With my head hanging down, wondering
How in the hell I got myself into this mess
And more importantly, how I was going to get myself out of it
So I wrote a song for you baby girl
I hope when I return home the locks ain't changed on the doors
And there's still a spot on that big ol' California king size bed
[Chorus]
Won't you come see me in Bakersfield
I'm not a million miles away
The lyrics to Social Distortion's song "Bakersfield" tells the story of a truck driver who is struggling with being away from his lover. He is trying to make it on his own, but is weighed down by the heavy load he's carrying. He can't seem to get his lover out of his head and is stranded in Bakersfield, feeling so close but yet so far away. The heat is oppressive, and he's barely making it through the day. He wonders if he said or did something wrong to cause his lover to push him away. As he walks out of a lonely truck stop, he reflects on how he got into this mess and how he's going to get out of it. He hopes to return home and find his lover still waiting for him.
The lyrics capture the loneliness and isolation that come with being a truck driver, but more broadly, it can be relatable to anyone who's ever been in a long-distance relationship. The struggle of missing someone and feeling disconnected from them despite being so close is a universal theme that makes "Bakersfield" an emotional and poignant song.
Line by Line Meaning
Take me down that line
Take me on that journey
Going to tow that heavy load
Going to carry that heavy burden
I can't seem to make it
I can't seem to succeed
To make it on my own
To succeed independently
Turn the lights down low now
Dim the lights now
Turn down our bed
Lower the bed's blankets
I can't seem to get you
I can't seem to forget about you
Out of my head
Out of my thoughts
[Chorus]
Refrain
Stranded here in Bakersfield
Stuck in Bakersfield
So close, yet so far, far away
It's close but feels far
You're a million miles away
You feel so far away
I feel the heat coming down now
I feel the hot sun beating down
Sweat runs down my face
I'm sweating profusely
I can hardly make it girl
I can barely cope
Fake it through this day
Pretend to get through the day
Was it something that I said
Did I say something wrong
Or something I didn't do
Or did I not do something right
Eighteen more hours girl
Another 18 hours before I see you
'Til I'm home to you
Until I get home to you
[Chorus]
Refrain
So I walk out, that lonely truck stop
I leave that lonely truck stop
With my head hanging down, wondering
Feeling down and wondering
How in the hell I got myself into this mess
How did I end up in this situation
And more importantly, how I was going to get myself out of it
More importantly, figuring out how to get out of the situation
So I wrote a song for you baby girl
So I wrote a song for you
I hope when I return home the locks ain't changed on the doors
I hope the locks on the doors aren't changed when I get back
And there's still a spot on that big ol' California king size bed
And there's still space for me on the bed
[Chorus]
Refrain
Won't you come see me in Bakersfield
Visit me in Bakersfield
I'm not a million miles away
I'm not as far as it seems
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: MICHAEL NESS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
agung gumelar
Take me down that line
Going to tow that heavy load
I can't seem to make it
To make it on my own
Turn the lights down low now
Turn down our bed
I can't seem to get you
Out of my head
Stranded here in Bakersfield
So close, yet so far, far away
Stranded here in Bakersfield
You're a million miles away
I feel the heat coming down now
Sweat runs down my face
I can hardly make it girl
Fake it through this day
Was it something that I said
Or something I didn't do
Eighteen more hours girl
'Til I'm home to you
Stranded here in Bakersfield
So close, yet so far, far away
Stranded here in Bakersfield
You're a million miles away
So I walk out, that lonely truck stop
With my head hanging down, wondering
How in the hell I got myself into this mess
And more importantly, how I was going to get myself out of it
So I wrote a song for you baby girl
I hope when I return home the locks ain't changed on the doors
And there's still a spot on that big ol' California king size bed
Won't you come see me in Bakersfield
I'm not a million miles away
Dizzle S
So I walk out that lonely truck stop
With my head hanging down
Wondering how in the hell I got myself into this mess
And more importantly how I was going to get myself out of it
So I wrote a song for you, baby girl
And I hope when I return home
The locks ain't changed on the doors
And there's still a spot for me
On that big ol' California king size bed
Gr33n 3ggs
You can't just turn on the radio and they'll play a Social Distortion song .
You have to hit rock bottom & be in a dark place.
Social Distortion's music will find you; in that darkness and pull you out.
Shawn Collins
Ain't that the dam truth 🤘
Freddie Lyttle
Many times social D have pulled me out of that black hole.
Lee Ralph
Well said!!!!!!
Alyxx Morrison
everytime he starts singing i get chills everytime. me and my dad sing this song constantly he plays guitar and i play bass and we harmonize. its the best time we spend together
Doc Rainwater
sooo great
Leo House
We're never alone!!!
TXstang347
That’s badass man!
gsolinas10
If you don't have this CD get it. Easily the album of the year. Punk and Blues meshed perfectly. Nobody else has even come close to achieving that. Ness needs more respect than he gets.
Erin Go Bragh
There's a touch of magic in this song. We've all been to Bakersfield.