As well as being classed as a "punk revival" band (reminiscent of UK 1970s bands such as Stiff Little Fingers, The Damned, Sham 69 and Eddie & the Hot Rods), Swingin' Utters have increasingly shown themselves to be influenced by Irish folk, particularly The Pogues. The Utters paid homage to their influences with a stellar cover of Cocksparrer's I Got Your Number on the Blackout compilation Punk Rock Jukebox.
Members of the Swingin' Utters have been involved in many musical side-projects, most notably Johnny Bonnel and Darius Koski's Filthy Thieving Bastards and Druglords of the Avenue (formed in Oakland, California in 2004), and Spike Slawson's Me First and the Gimme Gimmes (in which he is the singer). Drummer Greg McIntee's side project Viva Hate was founded with Tiger Army bassist Geoff Kresge and singer Matt Wedgley of The Force. Guitarist Jack Dalrymple formed and fronted the Fat Wreck band Dead to Me after One Man Army disbanded. Dalrymple, Slawson and Koski also play together in the Re-Volts.
Swingin' Utters tracks have been used in the soundtracks of computer games including "Five Lessons Learned", which appeared on the soundtrack to the Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 and "Stupid Lullabies" which was used as the title track to Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX.
The Stooge
Swingin' Utters Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
For over twenty fucking years
And all that time washing away
With the stench of my spilt tears
I've lingered on the amorous
Transformed into something hideous
With the love of life felt to new extents
And reaching new heights of ugliness
The Stooge
Stool pigeon of idiots
King of jesters, pawn of comediennes
A pillar that supports my own demise
Believing all thatæ?¯ seen
Throughout my vacant eyes
I'm rewriting paragraphs
In my life that don't read well
Once opposed to editing my regrets
I've grown sick of this denial
Tempted every hour
By the benefits of being a liar
Turning my back at what's at hand
And writing stupid verse to make it all seem grand
Some say there's something to strife
That serves those grieving spineless artists
Transforms shit into a masterpiece
And makes their vain attempt at pain
So fucking romantic
And I'm certain that someday my time will come
I'll crash and burn like everyone
else
And fade into obscurity
Unnoticed like all the rest
But until then I'll keep on playing
My role as the willing stooge
Believing that my sacrifice
Will somehow earn me love and truth
In these lyrics, Swingin' Utters describe the life of a "stooge" - someone who is the butt of jokes, taken advantage of, and used by others for their own entertainment. The singer has been in this role for over twenty years, holding onto a love for life that has turned into something hideous. He feels as though he is a pillar supporting his own demise, constantly believing everything he sees and hears without question.
The stooge is described as a "king of jesters" and a "pawn of comediennes," suggesting that he is often used for comedic purposes regardless of his own feelings. The singer admits to rewriting paragraphs in his life that don't read well, suggesting regret, but has grown sick of living in denial. He is tempted every hour by the benefits of being a liar and writing "stupid verse" to make it seem as though everything is grand.
Despite the bleak message of the lyrics, there is a sense of hope in the singer's belief that his sacrifice will one day earn him love and truth. Overall, the song speaks to the struggles of feeling used and worthless, while still holding onto the idea that one day things might improve.
Line by Line Meaning
I've kept it in my heart
I've held onto this feeling for a long time
For over twenty fucking years
I've been feeling this way for 20 years
And all that time washing away
Over time, the intensity of the feeling has faded
With the stench of my spilt tears
But my sadness about it remains
I've lingered on the amorous
I've held onto my romantic feelings
Transformed into something hideous
But they've turned into something ugly
With the love of life felt to new extents
I've experienced new levels of intensity of feeling
And reaching new heights of ugliness
But that intensity has turned into something negative
The Stooge
I've become a fool
Stool pigeon of idiots
I'm a traitor to my own ideals
King of jesters, pawn of comediennes
I'm playing the fool for others' entertainment
A pillar that supports my own demise
I'm contributing to my own downfall
Believing all that's seen
I'm easily deceived
Throughout my vacant eyes
I'm not seeing clearly
I'm rewriting paragraphs
I'm trying to change my story
In my life that don't read well
Parts of my life story don't make sense
Once opposed to editing my regrets
I used to just live with my regrets
I've grown sick of this denial
But now I'm tired of pretending it's okay
Tempted every hour
I'm constantly facing temptation
By the benefits of being a liar
Lying seems easier than telling the truth
Turning my back at what's at hand
I'm avoiding dealing with reality
And writing stupid verse to make it all seem grand
I'm trying to justify my actions through art
Some say there's something to strife
Some people think there's value in suffering
That serves those grieving spineless artists
It can inspire artists who feel weak
Transforms shit into a masterpiece
It can turn negative experiences into art
And makes their vain attempt at pain
Their attempt to express their pain in art
So fucking romantic
Is seen as romantic by some people
And I'm certain that someday my time will come
I know that someday I'll face the consequences of my actions
I'll crash and burn like everyone
Just like everyone else, my actions will catch up with me
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Le Zarathustra
"and I'm certain that someday my time will come, I'll crash and burn, like everyone..."
OneTerm Loser
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