He's known for his hand-crafted, diverse, and often unpredictable indietronic style, integrating live looping in both his recordings and live performances. All of his songs are free to download and are open source, providing raw materials for hundreds of remix artists to create new works based on his source tracks.
The SongFight! website inspired him to begin recording as State Shirt in 2001. Since then, he has released one EP and five albums: New Planet in 2002, Don't Die in 2004, This is Old in 2008, Let's Get Bloody in 2011, Life is Easy in January 2015, and Lost Hills in August 2015.
All of State Shirt's music is available for free on his website.
This Is Old
State Shirt Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's just a job but that never finds an end
Drained and drunk
Can never give it up
Sell off your friends
Wake up and do it all again
I hate all that I've become
I've tried to drop out of this life
And abandon this divide
This is old, this is getting old
Come down off your ladder
Leave it standing up to nowhere
Drained and drunk
Can never give it up
Beneath this all
Wait for you to fall
It's too late to turn back now
I'm much too old to break now
I hate all that I've become
And I hate every part of you
I've tried to drop out of this life
And abandon this divide
This is old, this is getting old
The rope is so tightly wrapped around my neck
I have nothing left to fight
This is old, this is getting old
The finest things in life I will always refuse
The worst things in life I will always abuse
The song "This is Old" by State Shirt is a powerful statement about feeling trapped in a never-ending cycle of a draining job and a meaningless existence. The lyrics describe a sense of hopelessness and defeat, where the singer is struggling to break free from the monotony of their life. The lines "beaten down for so many years" and "wake up and do it all again" emphasize how this feeling has been present for a long time, and the person is unable to escape it. The theme is reiterated in the chorus, where the repetition of "this is old, this is getting old" emphasizes a sense of desperation and exhaustion.
The lyrics also have a tone of anger and frustration towards someone else - perhaps a boss or authority figure. The line "sell off your friends / wake up and do it all again" suggests that the person is pushed to do things they don't want to do, and there may be ethical compromises. There is also a feeling of bitterness towards oneself in lines like "I hate all that I've become / and I hate every part of you" which create a sense of self-loathing and disillusionment.
Overall, "This is Old" is a statement about the human condition and the struggle to find meaning and purpose in life. It is a protest against the monotony and complacency that can come with a draining job and a sense of being trapped.
Line by Line Meaning
Beaten down for so many years
Feeling worn out and defeated after enduring many hardships and struggles
It's just a job but that never finds an end
The daily grind of work feels endless and unrewarding
Drained and drunk
Exhausted and emotionally spent, turning to alcohol as a form of escape
Can never give it up
Feeling trapped and unable to break free from the monotonous routine
Sell off your friends
Sacrificing personal relationships and connections for the sake of work and success
Wake up and do it all again
Being consumed by the daily grind, unable to escape the cycle
I hate all that I've become
Feeling disillusioned with oneself and the path that has been taken
And I hate every part of you
The resentment extends beyond oneself and towards those who have contributed to the current state of affairs
I've tried to drop out of this life
Making attempts to break free from the endless drudgery and seek a different path
And abandon this divide
Leaving behind the division between the self and the people, places and things that have contributed to the sense of dissatisfaction
This is old, this is getting old
Feeling tired and fed up with the current situation, longing for something new and different
Come down off your ladder
Abandoning the chase for success and status, and taking a step back to reevaluate priorities
Leave it standing up to nowhere
Leaving behind material possessions and career ambitions, and feeling lost and directionless
Beneath this all
Underlying all the struggles and pain is a deeper sense of longing and vulnerability
Wait for you to fall
Others may eagerly wait for one to fail or struggle, adding to the pressure and sense of hopelessness
It's too late to turn back now
The point of no return has been reached, and there is no easy way out of the situation
I'm much too old to break now
The years of struggle and hardship have taken their toll, leaving one feeling broken and worn out
The rope is so tightly wrapped around my neck
A sense of suffocation and feeling trapped, with no clear way out
I have nothing left to fight
Feeling depleted and drained, with no energy or motivation to continue the struggle
The finest things in life I will always refuse
A refusal to be swayed or tempted by material possessions, recognizing that true happiness lies elsewhere
The worst things in life I will always abuse
Using unhealthy coping mechanisms such as alcohol or other vices to escape the pain and struggles of life
Contributed by Scarlett F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Logan Mohler
You have created a whole new genre of beauty and emotion. unlike any I have heard. I'm glad you're still making music, because I can't get enough of your voice and music style.
1
My favorite State song, definitely! The whole This is Old album is just great. Let's Get Bloody seems a bit different from this style, but I'm still excited to see what it has! I'll be buying it straight from your website to show support. Cheers!
Ein_EseL
800 views are definitely not enough for this great song!
Izzy Pena
i love you so freaking much ❤
State Shirt
😍
Czapal
Great song
State Shirt
Thank you!!
JustMeAndTheTrain
greatness!!!! hue hue hue love song!!!
Spirella Por favor
Great :)
State Shirt
+Spirella Por favor Thank you! :)