Teenage Bottlerocket is a pop-punk/punk rock band from Laramie, Wyoming, fo… Read Full Bio ↴Teenage Bottlerocket is a pop-punk/punk rock band from Laramie, Wyoming, formed in 2001. The band was formed by twin brothers Ray and Brandon Carlisle after their previous band Homeless Wonders broke up in 2000, and is completed by Kody Templeman and Miguel Chen. The band's music is heavily influenced by Kody's other band, The Lillingtons.

The band released their debut EP A Bomb on a Laramie communal label, One Legged Pup, in 2002 and soon after on October 31st 2003 the band released their first album, Another Way, on vinyl only through that same label.
After touring through 2004, they set to work on their next release, Total, which was released in April 2005 through Red Scare. After more touring in support of Total, and a spot on the warped tour, they recorded their next LP for Red Scare, Warning Device, which was released on January 8, 2008. A video was released for the song "In the Basement" on December 28, 2007.

On February 10th 2009, Teenage Bottlerocket signed with punk label Fat Wreck Chords, later releasing They Came From The Shadows, their fourth album, on the 15th of September.

The band's most recent album, Tales From Wyoming was released in the spring of 2015 through Rise Records.

On November 7th, 2015 drummer Brandon Carlisle passed away after being hospitalized and comatose for a few days prior. Following the news of his passing, the band was initially ambiguous as to whether or not they would continue on but announced shortly thereafter that, with the addition of Darren Chewka formerly of Old Wives, Teenage Bottlerocket would indeed continue as a band.

Call In Sick
Teenage Bottlerocket Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I didn't feel like going to work today
I called in sick but I feel OK
I'm getting used to the same old thing
Ever since my TV brainwashed me
Tuned me into a stupid jerk
Go to work
Let's go!
I didn't feel like waking up today

I force myself to get up and go
I know my girlfriend's messing around
And I really don't care who she's going down on
As long as I don't have to call her up
Tried to listen to the radio
But I just can't seem to understand it
Man I figured out that one long ago
I'm getting used to the same old thing
But it doesn't mean that I have to stand it
Is there anywhere else that I can go?
Where I want to go
I never thought I would bitch about everything
I never thought I would feel this low
Figure it out because I know you really don't care
Figure it out while I sit here with a blank stare
Tried to listen to the radio
But I just can't seem to understand it
Man I figure out that one long ago
I'm getting used to the same old thing

But it doesn't mean that I have to stand it
Is there anywhere else!

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Teenage Bottlerocket's song "Call In Sick" represent the millennial struggle of feeling trapped in a repetitive and mundane life. The singer is sick of waking up every day to go to a job he hates or dealing with a cheating girlfriend. He craves an escape from the constant frustrations of life but is unable to find it. He notes the brainwashing effects of TV, where he has been tuned in to become a "stupid jerk". The repetition of the phrase "getting used to the same old thing" showcases the monotony of his daily life, but the line "but it doesn't mean that I have to stand it" stands out, as it represents his desire for change. However, he's unsure where to find it, posing the question "Is there anywhere else that I can go?"

Furthermore, the chorus "Tried to listen to the radio, But I just can't seem to understand it, Man I figured out that one long ago" represents the singer's disillusionment with the world. He's lost interest in things that once excited him, like music, expressing his feeling that he's been there and done that. The final lines of the song, "Figure it out while I sit here with a blank stare", portray the singer's apathetic outlook on life, feeling defeated and unable to change his situation.

Overall, "Call In Sick" encapsulates the feelings of disorientation, disillusionment, and hopelessness that many young adults face in the modern world.

Line by Line Meaning

I didn't feel like going to work today
I lacked the motivation to attend work today

I called in sick but I feel OK
Despite feigning illness, I experience a favorable mood

I'm getting used to the same old thing
I've become accustomed to repetitiveness

Ever since my TV brainwashed me
I've become influenced by the television's propaganda

Tuned me into a stupid jerk
It shaped me into a foolish person

Go to work
I must attend work

I didn't feel like waking up today
I lacked the motivation to get out of bed

I force myself to get up and go
I compell myself to rise and commence my daily routine

I know my girlfriend's messing around
I am aware that my girlfriend is unfaithful

And I really don't care who she's going down on
I possess indifference towards her sexual transgressions

As long as I don't have to call her up
I avoid communicating with her