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."
Tainted Love
Social Distortion Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Interesting Facts ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Run away I've got to
Get away
From the pain you drive into the heart of me
The love we share
Seems to go nowhere
And I've lost my light
For I toss and turn I can't sleep at night
Once I ran to you (I ran)
Now I'll run from you
This tainted love you've given
I give you all a boy could give you
Take my tears and that's not nearly all
Tainted love
Ooh... Tainted love
Now I know I've got to
Run away I've got to
Get away
You don't really want IT any more from me
To make things right
You need someone to hold you tight
And you'LL think love is to pray
But I'm sorry I don't pray that way
Once I ran to you (I ran)
Now I'll run from you
This tainted love you've given
I give you all a boy could give you
Take my tears and that's not nearly all
Tainted love
Ooh... Tainted love
Don't touch me please
I cannot stand the way you tease
I love you though you hurt me so
Now I'm going to pack my things and go
Touch me baby, tainted love
Touch me baby, tainted love
Touch me baby, tainted love
Touch me baby, tainted love
Once I ran to you (I ran)
Now I'll run from you
This tainted love you've given
I give you all a boy could give you
Take my tears and that's not nearly all
Tainted love
Ooh... Tainted love
Ooh... Tainted love
Ooh... Tainted love
The song Tainted Love by Social Distortion is a cover of the original track by Gloria Jones, released in 1964. The lyrics reflect on a tumultuous relationship where the singer feels trapped and suffocated by their partner's love. The lines "Sometimes I feel I've got to/ Run away I've got to/Get away" convey a sense of desperation and a need to escape from the pain inflicted by their lover. The love they once had has turned into a toxic and tainted one, and the singer can no longer bear it. The lyrics "You don't really want IT any more from me/ To make things right/ You need someone to hold you tight/ And you'LL think love is to pray/ But I'm sorry I don't pray that way" express the singer's realization that their lover needs something else that they cannot provide.
The chorus "Take my tears and that's not nearly all/ Tainted love" highlights the emotional turmoil brought about by the relationship. The lines "Don't touch me please/ I cannot stand the way you tease" reflects the singer's aversion towards their partner's actions, and how their love has become a burden. The final lines "Now I'm going to pack my things and go/ Touch me baby, tainted love" signify the singer's decision to leave the relationship and move on from the tainted love.
Overall, the song portrays the struggles of a toxic and unhealthy relationship where love has turned into a burden instead of a source of joy and harmony.
Interesting Facts:
Interesting Facts
Note: This section uses generative AI, which can be inaccurate.
Line by Line Meaning
Sometimes I feel I've got to
At times I feel obligated to
Run away I've got to
Escape and leave
Get away
Distance myself
From the pain you drive into the heart of me
From the hurt you constantly cause me
The love we share
The love we have between us
Seems to go nowhere
Feels like we're not making progress
And I've lost my light
I've lost my hope and motivation
For I toss and turn I can't sleep at night
Because of you, I have troubles sleeping at night
Once I ran to you (I ran)
In the past, I used to come running to you
Now I'll run from you
But now I'm leaving you behind
This tainted love you've given
The flawed love you offered and gave me
I give you all a boy could give you
I gave you everything I could offer
Take my tears and that's not nearly all
Accept my tears, even though that's not the only thing I gave
Tainted love
Flawed, imperfect love
Ooh... Tainted love
Emphasizing the negativity of this love
Now I know I've got to
I've realized I must
You don't really want IT any more from me
You don't truly want anything from me anymore
To make things right
To fix our relationship
You need someone to hold you tight
You require someone to support you and care for you
And you'LL think love is to pray
And you will think that love means to pray
But I'm sorry I don't pray that way
Regrettably, I cannot agree with this idea of love
Don't touch me please
Please, don't come near me
I cannot stand the way you tease
I can't endure the way you tease me
I love you though you hurt me so
Despite the pain you cause, I still love you
Now I'm going to pack my things and go
Now I'm leaving and taking my belongings with me
Touch me baby, tainted love
This love is now ruined
Contributed by Daniel F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
The Woodmoose
I knew the second I heard it, it is The Best cover of this song. Period. Bass player F*ckin KILLED it.✊🏻😈
Eric Hansen
diversity certainly helps- this stuff shreds no matter what. We will always love these guys
KvnLynch
To those that like this version...Thx. This is not Social Distortion, not Bad Religion, and not Pennywise...It is Shades Apart. Mark, Ed and myself created this cover version sometime around 1994. It was intended for a compilation record of 80's cover songs. The comp never happened so it ended up on our 1995 release called "Save It". If you want to check out our latest song "Thread", go to itunes.apple.com/us/album/thread/id505512997?i=505513072 for a preview. End of Story.
Buddy Clem
Do you have a YouTube channel?
pacoglzh
YEAH!!!!! Finally I can hear it on my spotify list. I had this mp3 that has me first and the gimme gimmes as the cover band, thank you for clarify this confusion after many many years. I never heard of your band, but now that I find it, i like a couple of songs.
Angharad
Yes! I just added this to my sweet playlist. Music rules!
Dale Hunter
I can see how someone who was familiar with Social D but not a big fan could mistake this for Mike Ness, especially in his early days.
The Ones Among Us
Are you guys getting back together, or planning on releasing a new album? I burned a hole in Eyewitness and Sonic Boom, and actually still know all the words to most of those songs. Love the new single, just hoping that there's more to come. :)
Amanda Kay
Going to go see them in about a week. So excited. Awesome cover. :)
Rawk4Life
I remember hearing this cover on a ESPN Extreme Sports compilation. Good stuff!