We felt we had finally captured our sound, but the band was no more. JZ, Mark, and I had already been playing as The GasHounds, so our attention went there and a whole new batch of songs and recordings.
When JZ and I went through all our studio tapes from start to finish (1985-89), we revisited the thought we had long ago- can we capture our essential sound? We feel these recordings present the band as we always felt we should have been on record.
So, ladies and gentlemen, This Is The Alter Boys!
2) The Alter Boys are an American band including members of the bands Dog Fashion Disco, Mushroomhead, and Unified Culture, as well as MTV's Jackass. They play in various musical styles, and released their debut album in 2005. They are currently on Jason Popson's label "Fractured Transmitter" .
Vocals - Todd Smith, Jason Popson
Additional vocals - Craig Martini, Mike Martini, Ryan Dunn
Guitar - Todd Smith, Mike Martini
Bass - Craig Martini
Keyboards - Matt Rippetoe
Woodwind - Matt Rippetoe
Accordion - Mike Martini
Boy In A Bubble
The Alter Boys Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Safe from a world that momma calls evil
She says she knows what's best for me
And so does my daddy
Trapped in a plastic coccon
It's this sterile womb that keeps me alive
And able to smile though sometimes I'm sad
When all I want to do is go outside and play
Candy fields and sugar trees -- Immune deficiency disease
Windex rain fluorescent sun -- Never touched by anyone
Self-contained in cellophane -- Quarantined yet on display
The TV screen it speaks to me -- It shows me the life I'm missing
Wear my disease on your sleeve -- Mother you're so naive
Can't you see this isn't a life worth living
Don't you find it hard to believe in God
Look what he's done to me
Night and day spent in this cage
Perpetually been disengaged
Can't smell the flowers or your perfume
Can't taste the lips your kiss consumes
My every thought my every dream
Get me out of this goddamn thing
My life's the dark side of the moon
If I had a pin I'd pop this balloon
Candy fields and sugar trees -- Immune deficiency disease
Windex rain fluorescent sun -- Never touched by anyone
The Alter Boys' "Boy in a Bubble" is a song that speaks to the isolation and loneliness of a child whose parents keep him trapped inside of a plastic bubble for fear he will succumb to his immune deficiency disease. The lyrics tell the story of a boy who is confined to a sterile plastic cocoon, locked away from the outside world, unable to experience the simple joys of life outside. The boy's parents, claiming to know what's best for their child, have sheltered him from the evils of the world, but in doing so have also denied him the chance to truly live.
The lyrics of "Boy in a Bubble" paint a vivid picture of the boy's reality - a life lived through a TV screen, where candy fields and sugar trees are seen only through the safety of his containment. The sterile environment serves to protect the boy from the bacteria and germs that could prove fatal, but at the cost of his happiness, independence, and freedom. The song's final lines express a deep despair and condemnation of God, suggesting that the boy sees his imprisonment as punishment from a higher power.
Overall, "Boy in a Bubble" is a poignant commentary on the lengths to which parents will go to protect their child, and the heartbreaking consequences such measures can have on a child's well-being. The song highlights the importance of balance in parenting, and the need for children to be allowed to experience the ups and downs of life in order to grow and thrive.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm a boy in a bubble
I am living in isolation, cut off from the rest of the world in my own personal space.
Safe from a world that momma calls evil
My mother thinks the world is full of danger and bad people, and wants to protect me from harm by keeping me locked away from it.
She says she knows what's best for me
My mother believes she has my best interests at heart and is making decisions to keep me safe.
And so does my daddy
My father agrees with my mother's decisions and believes they are doing what's best for me.
Trapped in a plastic coccon
I am confined in a shell made of plastic, unable to get out or interact with the world around me.
It's this sterile womb that keeps me alive
The plastic bubble is like a womb, keeping me alive and sheltered from the world.
And able to smile though sometimes I'm sad
Despite my isolation, I try to stay positive and find joy, though sometimes I feel sad and lonely.
When all I want to do is go outside and play
I long for the simple pleasures of being able to go outside and enjoy the world like a normal child.
Candy fields and sugar trees -- Immune deficiency disease
The world outside seems like a magical place full of sweetness, but for me, it's dangerous due to my weakened immune system.
Windex rain fluorescent sun -- Never touched by anyone
The outside world seems pristine and beautiful, but I am unable to experience it and have never been touched by anyone outside my family.
Self-contained in cellophane -- Quarantined yet on display
I am like a product on display, quarantined for my own safety but unable to interact with the world beyond my plastic bubble.
The TV screen it speaks to me -- It shows me the life I'm missing
Television is my only window to the outside world, showing me what I am missing and cannot experience for myself.
Wear my disease on your sleeve -- Mother you're so naive
My mother is proud of my condition, believing it makes us special, but she is blind to the suffering it causes me.
Can't you see this isn't a life worth living
I am unhappy in this isolated life, and wish that my parents could understand the toll it is taking on me.
Don't you find it hard to believe in God
I struggle to believe in a higher power that would allow me to suffer like this.
Look what he's done to me
I blame God for my condition and the suffering it has caused me.
Night and day spent in this cage
My days and nights are spent confined to my plastic bubble, without any real freedom or ability to explore the world.
Perpetually been disengaged
I am emotionally and socially detached from the world outside my bubble, unable to connect with others or form meaningful relationships.
Can't smell the flowers or your perfume
I cannot enjoy the simple pleasures of life, like the scent of flowers or the fragrance of perfume.
Can't taste the lips your kiss consumes
I am deprived of basic human connections, unable to experience the intimacy of a simple kiss.
My every thought my every dream
My thoughts and dreams all revolve around escaping my bubble and experiencing the world.
Get me out of this goddamn thing
I am desperate to break free from my plastic prison and live a normal life.
My life's the dark side of the moon
My life is devoid of light or joy, like the dark side of the moon that is never seen.
If I had a pin I'd pop this balloon
I would do anything to escape my bubble, even if it means destroying it and risking my life to experience the outside world.
Contributed by Lillian O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Angel Steele
this was odly my childhood thanks to my mother :)