The Briefs are a punk rock band originally consisting of Daniel J. Travanti… Read Full Bio ↴The Briefs are a punk rock band originally consisting of Daniel J. Travanti (guitar/vocals), Steve E. Nix (guitar/vocals), Lance Romance (bass/vocals) and Chris Brief (drums/vocals). The group was formed in 2000 in Seattle, Washington. They play punk music common to the Pacific Northwest independent punk / new wave scene, influenced by acts such as the Buzzcocks, The Undertones and the Adverts. They released their first full length, Hit After Hit, in October 2000 via Dirtnap Records. The band was courted by and reportedly signed with major label Interscope Records following the release of 2002's Off The Charts, but the deal fell through. The Briefs surfaced on California's BYO Records with the release of 2004's Sex Objects and the reissue of their Dirtnap-era full lengths. They most recently released Steal Yer Heart in 2005. The Briefs have released a prolific number of 7" singles in their career for a number of small independent labels.

In 2004, the Briefs went on European tour without Lance Romance, who had stayed behind to get his GED. They took in his place bassist Steve Kicks of Vancouver's New Town Animals. Lance rejoined the line-up for the 2004 release party of Sex Objects, however retired from the band in 2005. Kicks has since become a permanent addition and was a full member for the follow up Steal Yer Heart.

Lyrically the Briefs have carried on many themes prevalent in `77 era punk rock. The Sex Objects single "Orange Alert" gained notoriety as a seething criticism of the Bush administration and the of the culture of fear in post-9/11 America. It is one of a number of songs critical of the U.S. Government, including "No More Presidents" and "Destroy The USA" from Sex Objects, and "We Americans" from Off the Charts. The band has written a number of love songs a consciously off kilter style similar to the Buzzcocks' "Orgasm Addict." Through songs like "Dolly Parton" the band has also shown a penchant for light-hearted absurdity.

The Briefs are currently on hiatus while Chris is in Germany and Daniel continues his quest towards becoming the world's littlest astronaut, training at a secret location underground, possibly in California. Nix and Kicks are both in a new band called Steve E. Nix and The Cute Lepers. They play a very similar style of music as The Briefs with some added power pop drive. They have released a 7" single for the songs "Terminal Boredom" backed with "Prove It" on 1-2-3-4 Go! Records. Two more singles are due on the europeon labels NFT and Drunk'n'Roll records.

I'm a Raccoon
The Briefs Lyrics

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Not a cat
Not a dog
Not a fox but I duno
Rather wait in a hole
I am starting to _____
Search for food
In the lake
_______

I got friends down in the woods
That is why I feel so good hey
Your world is not for me
I'm a racoon see what I see
Your world is not for me
I'm a racoon stay away from me
I got ears
I got claws
I got fleas
I got ___
Lying in a garbage can outside the government
No one man can hold me down
_____________
_____________
Your world is not for me
I'm a racoon see what I see
Your world is not for me
I'm a racoon stay away from me
Your world is not for me
I'm a racoon see what I see

Your world is not for me
I'm a racoon stay away from me

Overall Meaning

The Briefs's song "I'm a Raccoon" is a punk rock anthem about the life and experiences of a raccoon. The lyrics speak to the unique nature of raccoons and their inability to conform to the human world. The song opens with the lines "Not a cat, not a dog, not a fox but I duno, rather wait in a hole," which emphasizes the fact that raccoons are a species unto themselves and cannot be easily classified.

As the song progresses, we see the singer engaging in typical raccoon activities such as searching for food in the lake, and lying in a garbage can outside the government. The line "I got friends down in the woods, that's why I feel so good hey" speaks to the community aspect of raccoons, who often live in groups and rely on each other for survival.

The chorus repeats the line "Your world is not for me, I'm a raccoon see what I see, your world is not for me, I'm a raccoon stay away from me," which emphasizes the idea that raccoons are not meant to live in the human world and should be left alone. The song ends with the lines "I'm a raccoon see what I see, I'm a raccoon stay away from me," which emphasizes that raccoons are independent creatures who are content to live their own lives.

Overall, "I'm a Raccoon" celebrates the unique nature of raccoons and encourages listeners to appreciate these creatures for who they are.

Line by Line Meaning

Not a cat
I am not a feline animal

Not a dog
I am not a canine animal

Not a fox but I duno
I do not know what kind of animal I am, but I am not a fox

Rather wait in a hole
I prefer to wait in a hole or shelter

I am starting to ____
I am beginning to feel a certain way or do a certain thing (left incomplete by the artist)

Search for food
I am looking for something to eat

In the lake
I am looking for food in the lake or body of water

_______
A missing line left incomplete by the artist

I got friends down in the woods
I have companions or allies in the forest

That is why I feel so good hey
Having friends in the woods makes me feel happy and content

Your world is not for me
The human or civilized world is not meant for me

I'm a racoon see what I see
I am a raccoon and I see things differently than humans

I'm a racoon stay away from me
I am a raccoon and humans should stay away from me

I got ears
I have the ability to hear things

I got claws
I have sharp nails used for gripping and digging

I got fleas
I have insects living on me that cause itching and discomfort

I got ___
A missing line left incomplete by the artist

Lying in a garbage can outside the government
I am sleeping or resting in a trash container near government property

No one man can hold me down
I cannot be controlled or restrained by one person

_____________
A line left intentionally blank by the artist