They made a name for themselves by consistently touring over the United States. Rather than signing with a known label, they initially decided to found their own, Chunksaah Records (named after their long-time friend Timmy Chunks), but are now releasing their albums on Epitaph Records.
The Bouncing Souls are one of the best selling and longest lived of the punk bands from New Jersey, following the legacy of previously successful punk bands Adrenalin OD and the Misfits.
DISCOGRAPHY
Studio albums
The Good, The Bad & The Argyle (1994)
Maniacal Laughter (1996)
Bouncing Souls (1997)
Hopeless Romantic (1999)
How I Spent My Summer Vacation (2001)
Anchors Aweigh (2003)
The Gold Record (2006)
Ghosts on the Boardwalk (2010)
Comet (2012)
Live and Compilation albums
The Bad the Worse and the Out of Print (2002)
Live (2005)
Splits
BYO Split Series, Vol. 4 (With Anti-Flag) (2002)
EPs
The Greenball Crew (1993)
Tie One On (1998)
Fight to Live (1999)
Gone (2001)
DVDs
Do You Remember? 15 Years of the Bouncing Souls (2003)
Live at the Glasshouse (2005)
""7" Records"
Ugly Bill (1991) (pressed on black and also transparent green wax)
"The Argyle e.p. (1993) (pressed on black, yellow, green, and red wax, some had green and yellow covers)
"Tales Of Doomed Romance" (1994) (split ep with the band Buglite pressed on red and black wax)
"Neurotic" (1994) (pressed on black and yellow wax)
"Bouncing Souls/Weston split" (1994) (pressed on black and red wax)
"Split EP" (1995) (pressed on black with the bands basic skills, youth gone mad, and the reviled, some have red stamped cover some black)
"Johnny X" (1995) (pressed on black wax)
"Fight to Live" (1999) (pressed on orange wax, distributed by epitaph europe)
"Tales Of Doomed Romance" (2001) (reissued split ep with the band ZeroZero pressed on yellow and black wax)
"Bouncing Souls/Lucky Stiffs Split" (2005) (pressed on splatter wax and 1500 picture disks)
Born Free
The Bouncing Souls Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
"Don't trust friends or neighbors everyone's your enemy!"
Kidnapped children on tv fear runs through the family
They'll put a chip in your arm.
Keeping track of where you are.
with all of this technology have we come so far?
It's easy to get lost, forget who you are
It's better to die on your feet
than to live on your knees
People are so greedy, it's almost funny
How many ways can they ruin lives for money?
I see the choice to enjoy the truth in life
In the middle of all this deceit and strife
A nation's future stands in doubt
Peace and love are on the way out
Why can't they just let me be?
How I live is up to me
Don't forget that your born free
It's better to die on your feet
than to live on your knees
We get the message loud and clear
we refuse to live in fear!
The Bouncing Souls's song Born Free seems to be a critique on society's increasing paranoia and fear-mongering. The song portrays a world where fear is everywhere, and people are taught not to trust friends or neighbors, and instead see everyone as an enemy. The media is filled with stories of kidnapped children, and the government is even putting chips in people's arms to keep tabs on them. With all of this technology, the song asks, have we really come that far? People are getting lost and forgetting who they are amid all the chaos and mistrust.
Despite all of these challenges, the song encourages listeners to remember that they are born free. It's better to die standing up for yourself than to live on your knees in fear. The lyrics also illustrate how people's greed and desire for power can ruin lives for money. Amidst all of this, the song suggests finding a way to enjoy the truth in life, and rejecting the deceit and strife that surrounds us. Ultimately, we get the message loud and clear and refuse to live in fear.
Overall, the song seems to be a call to action for listeners to stand up for themselves, reject fear and paranoia, and live their lives according to their own principles.
Line by Line Meaning
Fear is in the air thats the way they want it to be
There's a constant atmosphere of fear which is intentionally promoted by those in power
"Don't trust friends or neighbors everyone's your enemy!"
The propaganda tells you not to trust anyone around you
Kidnapped children on tv fear runs through the family
The media creates a climate of fear by reporting on kidnappings and other crimes against children
They'll put a chip in your arm.
Technology is being used for invasive purposes like implanting tracking devices
Keeping track of where you are.
The technology is used to keep tabs on people's whereabouts
with all of this technology have we come so far?
Despite all of our technological advancements, we still have yet to achieve true progress and freedom
It's easy to get lost, forget who you are
Amidst all of the confusion and chaos, one can easily lose sight of their identity and purpose
Don't forget that your born free
Despite all of the restrictions and surveillance, we all have inherent freedom
It's better to die on your feet
It's better to stand up for what you believe in and face the consequences than to compromise and live in submission
than to live on your knees
Than to live a life of acquiescence and submission to those in power
People are so greedy, it's almost funny
The level of greed and corruption is so immense that it's almost comical
How many ways can they ruin lives for money?
People in power are willing to do anything for wealth and power, regardless of the impact on others
I see the choice to enjoy the truth in life
Amidst all of the lies and propaganda, we can still choose to seek truth and find enjoyment in life
In the middle of all this deceit and strife
Despite all of the deception and conflict, we can still strive for truth and peace
A nation's future stands in doubt
The future of the nation is uncertain and precarious
Peace and love are on the way out
The forces of greed and corruption are pushing out the values of peace and compassion
Why can't they just let me be?
Why are those in power so obsessed with controlling every aspect of our lives?
How I live is up to me
Why can't we be trusted to make our own choices and live our lives as we see fit?
We get the message loud and clear
We understand the message being sent to us
we refuse to live in fear!
We will not be intimidated or controlled by fear tactics
Lyrics © TERRORBIRD PUBLISHING LLC
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind