Scared Straigh… Read Full Bio ↴Ten Foot Pole was founded in 1983 as Scared Straight.
Scared Straight was a punk band from Simi Valley, California. The band was formed in 1983 by a group of friends and was originally called S.O.F. Original members were Scott Radinsky, Mike Thompson, Gary Gallanes and Dennis Jagard, who started the band to enter a "Battle of the Bands" competition at a local skate rink. After going through several members and name changes, they began playing with some "Nardcore" bands from nearby Oxnard, California, which helped them gain recognition. All of the Scared Straight records were released by Mystic Records.
In the early 1990s they changed their name to Ten Foot Pole. One of the reasons for the name change was to move away from the "straight-edge" reputation that followed the band with a name like Scared Straight. In the beginning, Ten Foot Pole had a reputation of being a more aggressive, hardcore punk band that likes to party and have fun. The band released two albums under their new name with the old lineup: Swill and Rev. After the release of Rev and a split EP with Sweden's Satanic Surfers, Radinsky was forced to leave the band due to his professional baseball commitments and Ten Foot Pole's desire to be a full-time touring band. From then on Dennis Jagard took over lead vocals for the band.
The next albums, Unleashed and Insider, developed a new fan base but lost some old time fans who preferred Scott's voice. This included decision makers at Epitaph Records, and the next album, Bad Mother Trucker, was released on Victory Records, followed by Subliminable Messages on Go-Kart Records. The band toured Europe to promote the album, along with Phinius Gage. Various musicians joined and left along the way as the band toured heavily in the US and Canada. Various members included Glen "Vegas" Murray Eric Cody, Kris Kwiatkowski, John Chapman, Dan Kelly, Chris Dalley, Keith Divel, Chris Del Rio, and Mike Levy who is a teacher in California, along with Kevin Ruggeri, who is an English teacher for Conestoga High School in Berwyn, Pennsylvania. Lead singer Dennis is a sound engineer, who has mixed for artists including Prince, Beck, AFI and Jimmy Eat World.
On 4 April 2009, the band ended a three-year hiatus with a show at the Riorock festival in Belgium, followed by some shows in California in late 2011 and a short tour in Australia in November 2012.
They were also featured 2000 in the Punk Goes Metal compilations performing a cover of "Love Song" by Tesla.
A.D.D
Ten Foot Pole Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Teacher says I'll never read
She says I need to take a pill
So I can learn to sit real still
The microwaves did something to our brains
We need to take these pills to help us change
Ritalin will make me smart
At least that's what my teacher said
All the other kids take them; I think I am the only one
I need something to slow me down
I talk too much 'cause I am dumb
Mommy, what's a deficit?
I think it means that I can't sit
Disorder of attention
And I don't learn the lesson
Mommy, please, help me see the light
Don't you know my teacher's always right?
Joey's starting on week four
He's not in trouble any more
Susie's ending up week nine
Now she's never out of line
Please, let me take them; I don't want to be an idiot
Now Mommy takes my Ritalin
There's not enough for me, she said
All the other moms take them; I think it's not just mine
I don't know if she's smarter now
But at least she's feeling fine
The Ten Foot Pole song "A.D.D" addresses the controversial topic of Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and the use of Ritalin to treat it. In the first verse, the singer is a child who is struggling in school, and their teacher suggests that they need to take Ritalin in order to "learn to sit real still" and focus better. The child is eager to take the pills, believing that they will make them "smart" and slow down their overactive mind. In the second verse, the child's mother also starts taking Ritalin, indicating a growing trend in society to rely on medication to cope with life's challenges.
The song raises questions about the prevalence of Ritalin use among children and what impact it has on individuals and society as a whole. It suggests that taking pills to cope with restless behavior or difficulty concentrating is not the solution, but rather an easy way out that is contributing to a larger problem.
Overall, "A.D.D" is a thought-provoking commentary on the pressures of modern society, the medicalization of behavior, and the complexities of treating neurological disorders.
Line by Line Meaning
Mommy, what does hyper mean?
The person is struggling with hyperactivity and is asking their mother what it means.
Teacher says I'll never read
The teacher has made a negative comment about the person's ability to read.
She says I need to take a pill
The teacher is recommending medication to help with the person's attention.
So I can learn to sit real still
The medication is intended to help the person focus and sit still.
The microwaves did something to our brains
The person believes that microwaves have had a negative effect on their brain function.
We need to take these pills to help us change
The person believes that taking medication is necessary to fix their attention issues, likely due to the influence of their teacher and other students.
Please, let me take them; I don't want to be an idiot
The person is pleading to be allowed to take the medication, as they believe it will help them avoid feeling stupid.
Ritalin will make me smart
The person believes that taking Ritalin will improve their intelligence.
At least that's what my teacher said
The person seems to have taken their teacher's comments at face value, without questioning them.
All the other kids take them; I think I am the only one
The person is feeling pressure to take medication because they believe everyone else is doing it.
I need something to slow me down
The person is seeking a medication to help them control their attention and behavior.
I talk too much 'cause I am dumb
The person is attributing their tendency to talk too much to a lack of intelligence.
Mommy, what's a deficit?
The person is asking their mother for clarification about the term 'deficit,' likely because it has been used by their teacher or doctor.
I think it means that I can't sit
The person has inferred that having a deficit means they are unable to sit still, based on their understanding of the term.
Disorder of attention
The person is referring to Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD).
And I don't learn the lesson
The person is struggling with learning and retaining information in class.
Mommy, please, help me see the light
The person is pleading with their mother to help them understand their situation and how to improve it.
Don't you know my teacher's always right?
The person appears to have a blind trust in their teacher's opinions and decisions.
Joey's starting on week four
The person is referring to a classmate named Joey who has started taking medication for ADD.
He's not in trouble any more
Joey's behavior has improved since starting the medication, and he is no longer getting into trouble in class.
Susie's ending up week nine
The person is referring to another classmate named Susie who has also been taking medication for ADD.
Now she's never out of line
Susie's behavior has also improved noticeably since starting medication.
Now Mommy takes my Ritalin
The person's mother has begun taking their medication for ADD.
There's not enough for me, she said
The person's mother claims that there is not enough medication for both of them.
All the other moms take them; I think it's not just mine
The person believes that other parents in their community are also taking medication for ADD, perhaps indicating that it is becoming more common or accepted.
I don't know if she's smarter now
The person is uncertain if the medication has actually had a positive effect on their mother's intelligence or behavior.
But at least she's feeling fine
Despite any potential doubts or concerns, the person is content that the medication is making their mother feel better.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DENNIS STEVEN JAGARD, PETER DOUGLAS NEWBURY, STEVEN THOMAS CARNAN, TONY PALERMO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind