Their music was characterized by Justin Pearson's spoken/screamed vocals and their melodic/chaotic rhythms & song structures. Swing Kids were most obviously influenced by fellow San Diegan bands Antioch Arrow and Drive Like Jehu. On a broader scale, their music and lyrics were influenced by punk rock and post-punk.
Swing Kids carried the San Diego "art hardcore" movement past the initial wave of Gravity Records bands and through to the late 1990s, releasing a 7" EP and split 10" EP along the way. Despite their importance in a relatively small scene, Swing Kids' impact both during their tenure and after their 1997 breakup was global thanks to many independent Zines and a US/European tour. The sound they pioneered inspired and can be heard in bands such as The Plot To Blow Up The Eiffel Tower, Refused, Orchid, Jerome's Dream and many others.
Swing Kids are also credited with the unintentional creation of the fad Spock Rock during the mid 1990s; largely due to the fact that many of their fans emulated singer Justin Pearson's fashion sense and hair style. The name comes from Leonard Nimoy's character (and more importantly his haircut) Spock from the Star Trek television series & films.
Justin Pearson would later go on to play in other bands such as The Locust, Holy Molar, Some Girls, and The Crimson Curse. Eric Allen, who committed suicide in 1998, played with the seminal hardcore band Unbroken. They have since reformed for several local and international tours under the name Blue Note.
Line 1
Swing Kids Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Just let me feel. Just let me touch. Just let me love. Just let me live.
We've all been fucked up. Twisted lives that we all live.
Twisting the lines that we all take. Sooner or later, we will all die.
The lyrics to Swing Kids' song "Line 1" delve into the struggles of finding meaning and purpose in a world that can often feel overwhelming and numbing. The opening line, "Importance severed from this twisted life," speaks to the idea that in a society where everything seems to evolve and change constantly, it can be easy to lose sight of what truly matters. The repetition of the phrase "Just let me" throughout the lyrics suggests a yearning for deeper human connections, whether through touch or through love.
The line "We've all been fucked up" acknowledges the universality of human struggle and challenges the notion that anyone has it all figured out. The lyrics also touch on the idea of fate or destiny, with the phrase "Twisting the lines that we all take" suggesting that our lives may not be entirely within our control. However, ultimately, the song acknowledges the inevitability of death and encourages listeners to live fully in the present moment.
Line by Line Meaning
Importance severed from this twisted life. Everything evolves, at the same time, numbs.
The importance of life has been lost in this twisted world. Although everything changes, it feels like nothing is really changing anymore and everything has become stale.
Just let me feel. Just let me touch. Just let me love. Just let me live.
All we want is to experience life and its pleasures. We want to feel emotions, love, and be able to live freely without restrictions.
We've all been fucked up. Twisted lives that we all live.
We all have experienced pain, trauma, and difficulties in life. This has led to us living in a twisted world where things aren't always as they seem.
Twisting the lines that we all take. Sooner or later, we will all die.
We often find ourselves going down paths we didn't expect, and life can be unpredictable. But one thing that is certain is that we will all eventually face death.
Contributed by Hunter P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.