The Dead Milkmen's songs found moderate success on alternative and college radio stations. Videos, notably Punk Rock Girl, even found their way onto MTV in the late 1980s. Topics for their music include satire on the 1980s music scene, toxic waste, jellyfish afterlifes, UFOs, conspiracy theories, and cover bands.
Irreverent absurdity fueled their initial popularity, particularly among college DJs. However, this genre was somewhat abandoned with the 1992 release of Soul Rotation, a much more subtle album.
After the Dead Milkmen went on indefinite hiatus in 1994, Genaro and Sabatino formed a new band, Butterfly Joe. Sabatino was also in the punk rock bands Narthex, Big Mess Orchestra, and Hunger Artists. Genaro was in a band called Touch Me Zoo. Linderman was in a band called Burn Witch Burn. Schulthise left music in the early 1990s after developing tendonitis, preventing him from playing bass, and committed suicide in 2004.
The Dead Milkmen took the stage again for two consecutive nights in November 2004 at the Trocadero Theatre in Philadelphia to play a show in memory of Dave Schulthise. Proceeds were donated to a variety of mental health organizations and to a Serbian monastery that Schulthise supported.
The band reunited in 2008 and released a new album (The King in Yellow) in 2011.
Everybody's Got Nice Stuff but Me
The Dead Milkmen Lyrics
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Everybody's got nice stuff but me
Everybody's got nice stuff but me
Everybody's got nice stuff but me
Look at that girl she makes me sick
She's got a wad of bills 6 inches thick
Got a brand new stereo a new TV
I want a stereo I want a TV
Everybody's got nice stuff but me
Everybody's got nice stuff but me
Everybody's got nice stuff but me
Everybody's got nice stuff but me
People in nice cars how'd they get em?
I close my eyes try to forget em
Went out swimming got hit by a jet-ski
Everybody's got nice stuff but me
I wanna car I wanna jet-ski
Everybody's got nice stuff but me
Everybody's got nice stuff but me
Everybody's got nice stuff but me
Everybody's got nice stuff but me
She's got eyes of deepest blue
He's got hair that's green
Everybody's got nice stuff but me
I wish I had the kind of cash
To make heads turn when I walk past
I wish I could live in luxury
Everybody's got nice stuff but me
I want cash, I want money
Everybody's got nice stuff but me
I want a stereo I want a TV
Everybody's got nice stuff but me
I want a car I want a jet-ski
Everybody's got nice stuff but me
I want hair that's blue or green
Everybody's got nice stuff but me
Everybody's got nice stuff but me
Everybody's got nice stuff but me
Everybody's got nice stuff but me
The Dead Milkmen's song, "Everybody's Got Nice Stuff but Me," is a satire on consumerism and envy that is quite relevant in today's world. The repeated chorus, "Everybody's got nice stuff but me," reflects the common desire to have objects that give us status and admiration but also the underlying feeling that we are lacking in comparison to others. The song mocks this ubiquitous feeling of inadequacy by exaggerating it to absurd levels, with the singer lusting after not just any stereo or TV but the newest and fanciest ones that others seem to have.
The lines "Look at that girl she makes me sick / She's got a wad of bills 6 inches thick" capture the singer's envy of someone who has more money than they do. The jealousy extends to anyone who possesses something desirable, including cars, jet-skis, and a unique appearance. The absurdity of this attitude is highlighted in lines like "She's got eyes of deepest blue / He's got hair that's green," which suggest that even physical traits can be envied in the world of consumerism. The reference to the jet-ski accident brings a dark humor to the song, implying that the pursuit of possessions can often result in negative consequences.
Overall, "Everybody's Got Nice Stuff but Me" is a sharp critique on the consumerist mindset that drives many people to buy things they don't need and base their worth on what they own. The repetitive chorus reinforces the cycle of desire and envy that is promoted by advertising and societal pressure.
Line by Line Meaning
Everybody's got nice stuff but me
The singer is envious of others' possessions and feels left out.
Look at that girl she makes me sick
The singer is jealous of a girl with a lot of money and possessions.
She's got a wad of bills 6 inches thick
The girl has a lot of money.
Got a brand new stereo a new TV
The girl has recently acquired a new stereo and TV.
I want a stereo I want a TV
The artist also wants a stereo and TV.
People in nice cars how'd they get em?
The singer wonders how people acquire nice cars.
I close my eyes try to forget em
The singer wishes they could forget about others' possessions.
Went out swimming got hit by a jet-ski
The artist was involved in an accident involving someone on a jet-ski.
I wanna car I wanna jet-ski
The artist also wants a car and jet-ski.
She's got eyes of deepest blue
The girl has beautiful blue eyes.
He's got hair that's green
A man has green hair.
I wish I had the kind of cash
The artist wants more money.
To make heads turn when I walk past
The singer wants to be noticed and admired for their possessions.
I wish I could live in luxury
The singer desires a life of luxury.
I want cash, I want money
The singer wants more money.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: GENARO, LINDERMAN, SABATINO, SCHULTHISE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind