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)
Ship In A Bottle
The Bouncing Souls Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Then throw it all out to the wind
How many mountains will we conquer?
We'll never know till we begin
Oh, begin
Oh my teacher what should I believe in
And how will I stay strong?
How will I carry on?
Oh, carry on
With every peak and valley
With every white knuckled fist
With everything I've lost and learned
I won't let go of this grip
With every storm we weather
I would never miss
I won't give up, I won't let go
I'm going down with the ship, oh
Oh my captain where are we going?
How many battles will we win?
How many brave souls will we lose to the deepest blue?
Will we see our home again?
Oh, home again
With every peak and valley
With every white knuckled fist
With everything I've lost and learned
I won't let go of this grip
With every storm we weather
I would never miss
I won't give up, I won't let go
I'm going down with the ship, oh
I'm going down with the ship,
Whoa
I'm going down with the ship
Oh my good friend let's start something
The Bouncing Souls's song Ship In A Bottle touches on themes of bravery, perseverance, and the unknown future. The lyrics begin with a call to action for a friend to embark on something new and exciting, with the acknowledgement that there will be challenges along the way. The singer turns to a teacher for guidance on how to remain steadfast in the face of adversity, with the repeated question of "How many misfortunes will we conquer?" indicating a sense of uncertainty and trepidation. The chorus speaks to the determination to weather any obstacles, even if it means going down with the ship.
The second verse sees the singer seeking guidance from a captain, who predicts both victories and losses in their journey. The final line "Will we see our home again?" suggests that this adventure is not without risk, and maybe the very survival of the crew is at stake. The chorus repeats, emphasizing the tenacity and loyalty of the singer, who is resolved to stick it out no matter the cost.
Overall, the song speaks to the human desire to seek out new experiences, even when it means facing the unknown and risking everything. It acknowledges the fear and uncertainty that comes with stepping outside of one's comfort zone, but ultimately celebrates the bravery and perseverance that accompanies such actions.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh my good friend let's start something
Let's embark on a new adventure together
Then throw it all out to the wind
Let's take a chance and see where it takes us
How many mountains will we conquer?
How many obstacles will we overcome?
We'll never know till we begin
We won't know until we try
Oh, begin
Let's get started
Oh my teacher what should I believe in
I'm seeking guidance on what to trust
And how will I stay strong?
How can I remain resilient?
How many misfortunes will we conquer?
How many challenges will we face?
How will I carry on?
How can I keep going?
Oh, carry on
Let's keep moving forward
With every peak and valley
Through every high and low
With every white knuckled fist
With every struggle and fight
With everything I've lost and learned
From every experience, good or bad
I won't let go of this grip
I won't give up on this journey
With every storm we weather
Through every challenge we face
I would never miss
I wouldn't want to miss anything
I won't give up, I won't let go
I won't quit, I won't falter
I'm going down with the ship, oh
I'm committed to seeing this through to the end
Oh my captain where are we going?
Where is this journey taking us?
How many battles will we win?
How many challenges will we overcome?
How many brave souls will we lose to the deepest blue?
How many will we lose along the way?
Will we see our home again?
Will we make it back to where we belong?
Oh, home again
I long to return to where I belong
I'm going down with the ship,
I'm committed until the end
Whoa
An expression of determination
I'm going down with the ship
I'm committed until the end
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: DEAN BERNER, HANNAH BLAYLOCK, MCKENNA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
The Evil Drumming Sith Lord
I see absolutely nothing wrong with this song. It's perfect.
Tordar Tømmervik
Mainstream? 4 chord? The Bouncing Souls was created when they were in high school. They wanted to simple 4 chord songs just so they could have something to do. If there's one band who hasn't sold out, it's this one. And how can they be mainstream? Look up some of their other stuff, it's brilliant.
Pisscookie X
The Bouncing Souls have sooooo many good songs...and this is one of their best.
deadpoolnerd
This always hits me when I listen to it. To me it's a ballad of one's dreams and fighting for it. Actually venturing out into the vast unknown not knowing the hardships that may come but staying coarse anyway. Seeing it to the very end because it's worth it for your dreams, one won't give in and let go of those dreams. You'd rather go down with them than to just throw them away.
W
I love this song, easily the best on the album
Porkchopulous
everytime i hear this song i well up a lil bit with tears. the love of friends and never giving up on them is a great message and you guys have always rocked all the time!!! true originals keep it up!
J K
love this song!! such a great song
numnutz78
now I think about it, I don't think it was an interview as such but at a gig. before playing the song, acoustic solo, he told the crowd about how the song came about and how he wrote it. its basically about all the years the band have been touring together. I think its a great song to be honest. there's very few other bands who embody the DIY punk ethic more than the bouncing souls!!!
onlyhorror
i feel some kind of endless sadness in this song.perfect.
Sloppy Dice
Great fucking band and still touring... respect. What a voice. Cool group of guys .. unlike Face to Face’s lead singer who’s a total dooooosh , haha.. Face to Face Live album is one of the best though...