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)
Letter From Iraq
The Bouncing Souls Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Passes Moaning Mosque Spire.
B-company's pinned down
And under heavy fire.
Underneath the palms
There's improvised bombs.
Because Jihad Johnny
Knows- Yankee is a liar.
An eye for an eye.
And blood for Texas Tea.
At the call to prayer
Al Queda's on his knees.
Isac vs. Ishmael.
Allah vs. Christ.
Somebody is on the offense
Picking up the beat.
There's celebratory fire
And a purple thumb vote.
Tom cruise is on a sortie
From a gulf love boat.
Smart bombs are a coming,
See the children running.
The dead are all laughing,
But we don't get the joke.
An eye for an eye.
And blood for Texas Tea.
At the call to prayer
Al Queda's on his knees.
Isac vs. Ishmael.
Allah vs. Christ.
Somebody is on the offense
Picking up the beat.
They lost another friend today.
It's getting rough over there.
They say the whole things fucked.
I wish the boys were back.
At least I know they're still alive.
Another letter from Iraq.
Presents full of Christmas loot.
All that's left of Bullet Billy
Is a pair of bloody boots.
His mom is on the phone,
His girl is all alone.
We all stand in the rain
For a twenty-one gun salute.
The Bouncing Souls' "Letter From Iraq" is a political commentary on the war in Iraq, offering a somber and cynical take on the conflict. The song opens with a description of the hot, oppressive conditions in Iraq, referencing the Moaning Mosque spire and B-company being pinned down under heavy fire. The lyrics then move on to discuss the conflict between Islamic and Western culture, framed as a battle between Isaac and Ishmael, Allah and Christ. The song suggests that neither side is completely innocent, with references to improvised bombs and celebratory fire.
As the song progresses, the lyrics become more personal, with a focus on the experiences of individual soldiers and civilians caught up in the conflict. The chorus repeats the "eye for an eye" phrase, suggesting that the cycle of violence will continue indefinitely. The final verse is particularly poignant, describing the loss of a soldier and the impact on his friends and family. The lyrics capture the sense of isolation and sadness that many soldiers felt while serving in Iraq, and the futility of the conflict as a whole.
Overall, "Letter From Iraq" is a powerful meditation on the human cost of war, and a commentary on the political and cultural divisions that underlie conflicts like the war in Iraq. It's a song that offers no easy answers, but instead invites reflection and empathy for those caught up in the conflict.
Line by Line Meaning
The hot Sunni sun
The sun is scorching, and it's painful, similar to the painful situation in Iraq caused by the Sunni/Shiite divide.
Passes Moaning Mosque Spire.
The sun passes over the mosque, which is likely damaged or destroyed, yet still standing which makes it 'moan'.
B-company's pinned down
B-company, a military unit, is trapped in a dangerous position and can't move forward or backward.
And under heavy fire.
They are being shot at by the enemy and are trying to stay alive.
Underneath the palms
The soldiers are taking cover under the palm trees.
There's improvised bombs.
There are bombs that aren't made by a military, but by the opposition; they are often hidden and can be very dangerous.
Because Jihad Johnny
A nickname given to an Iraqi opposition fighter.
Knows- Yankee is a liar.
Jihad Johnny believes that Americans are deceiving him or are generally dishonest.
An eye for an eye.
Revenge seems to be a common motivation in Iraq right now.
And blood for Texas Tea.
The Iraq War could be seen as being fought to gain control of oil reserves in the region.
At the call to prayer
The Muslim call to prayer is being used as a cover by Al Queda to coordinate their military activity.
Al Queda's on his knees.
Despite their religious claims, Al Queda fighters also suffer and die in the same way that everybody else does.
Isac vs. Ishmael.
A reference to the biblical story of how the children of Isaac and Ishmael would become rivals. It is an analogy to show that it's not just a battle between religions, but between people.
Allah vs. Christ.
The religious conflict isn't black and white, and it isn't just limited to two sides.
Somebody is on the offense
Someone is taking the fight to the opposition.
Picking up the beat.
This line is a metaphor for how the opposition uses violence as a way to maintain control in Iraq.
There's celebratory fire
People are shooting their guns in celebration, but unfortunately, stray bullets can kill innocent people.
And a purple thumb vote.
Purple ink on your thumb used to show that you voted in the first democratic election in Iraq, which was meant to be a sign of positive change.
Tom cruise is on a sortie
A reference to the American movie star who visited troops in Iraq. This line is acknowledging that there's an element of propaganda happening.
From a gulf love boat.
A reference to the USS Constellation, an American aircraft carrier that had been deployed in the Gulf region.
Smart bombs are a coming,
Referring to bombs that are smartly guided to their targets, but also accurate and deadly.
See the children running.
The people in Iraq are constantly on high alert because they never know if they're going to be bombed or attacked.
The dead are all laughing,
A metaphorical line that refers to the sense of hopelessness that many people in Iraq must feel.
But we don't get the joke.
An acknowledgement that despite America's attempts to intervene in the conflict, they may have only made things worse, and people are suffering because of it.
They lost another friend today.
The violence has cost the military personal friends and fellow soldiers.
It's getting rough over there.
Conditions are getting worse, and the opposition is getting more aggressive and brutal.
They say the whole things fucked.
People say the situation is beyond repair and that there's no hope for lasting peace.
I wish the boys were back.
The writer wishes the military personnel fighting in Iraq could come home, safe and sound.
At least I know they're still alive.
The writer is grateful that they are still alive and haven't been killed in action.
Another letter from Iraq.
The writer is receiving another letter from their loved one that is stationed in Iraq.
Presents full of Christmas loot.
Christmas gifts that have been sent to soldiers that are fighting in Iraq.
All that's left of Bullet Billy
A nickname given to a soldier who was killed in action.
Is a pair of bloody boots.
The only thing left of the soldier's remains is his boots, which were likely stained with his blood.
His mom is on the phone,
The mother of the deceased soldier is calling to find out what happened to her son.
His girl is all alone.
The soldier's girlfriend is now living without him and is heartbroken.
We all stand in the rain
A reference to the 21 gun salute that is performed for soldiers who die in action; the rain could represent the sadness and tears that people are shedding.
For a twenty-one gun salute.
A tradition to honor those who have fallen in military actions.
Lyrics © TERRORBIRD PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: Garett Reppenhagen, Michael H McDermott, Bryan T Kienlen, Peter William Steinkopf, Gregory A Attonito
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind