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.
I Against Osbourne
The Dead Milkmen Lyrics
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I'm a target of the FBI and PMRC
I do not sleep I spend my nights worrying of satellites
They put an eye into the sky and did not tell the people why
I do not sleep I spend my nights worrying about satellites
My neighbors are not the folks they appear to be
I try to get to sleep but it's no good
My coffee does not taste the way it should
I know there's no way to make them stop
My house is surrounded by the cops
They love to plant hidden microphones
I find them when I clean up around my home
I am sorry, yes I am
I do not talk to strangers ma'am
You're part of this giant plot
Please don't tell me that you're not
I am sorry, yes I am
I do not talk to strangers ma'am
My kids must be part of the conspiracy
Mr. Rogers works hand in hand with the KGB
The Dead Milkmen's song "I Against Osbourne" is a paranoid and comical take on being under surveillance by various government agencies, and the feeling that everyone around the singer is not who they appear to be. The song starts off with the singer acknowledging that he knows the CIA and FBI are watching him, and even the PMRC (Parents Music Resource Center, a group that advocated for censorship of explicit music) is targeting him. He spends his nights worrying about satellites in the sky that he assumes are watching his every move, and he cannot trust his neighbors as he believes they have been replaced by the agency. Even his coffee doesn't taste right, which shows the level of paranoia he has reached.
The singer's sense of helplessness is also emphasized, as he knows there's no way to make them (the government agencies) stop. He believes his house is surrounded by the cops, and they love to plant hidden microphones which he finds when he cleans up around his home. The paranoia extends to his interaction with strangers, where he is sorry to not talk to them but believes they are part of the giant plot. In the final line, he even suggests that the beloved tv host Mr. Rogers is working with the KGB, showing the extent of his mistrust.
Overall, the song is a commentary on the feeling of paranoia and surveillance that was prevalent in the 80s and 90s, and even more relevant today with the proliferation of technology that can track our every move.
Line by Line Meaning
I know the CIA is watching me
I am aware of the CIA's surveillance on me.
I'm a target of the FBI and PMRC
I am being targeted by the FBI and PMRC.
I do not sleep I spend my nights worrying of satellites
I stay up all night worrying about satellites.
They put an eye into the sky and did not tell the people why
Someone launched secret satellites into space without any explanation to the public.
My neighbors are not the folks they appear to be
My neighbors are not who they seem.
They've been replaced by the agency
They have been replaced by an undisclosed government agency.
I try to get to sleep but it's no good
I cannot sleep well due to my paranoia.
My coffee does not taste the way it should
I suspect that someone has tampered with my coffee.
I know there's no way to make them stop
I have accepted that I cannot stop the surveillance.
My house is surrounded by the cops
The police have surrounded my house.
They love to plant hidden microphones
The authorities enjoy planting secret microphones.
I find them when I clean up around my home
I discover the microphones when cleaning my house.
I am sorry, yes I am
I express regret for my paranoia.
I do not talk to strangers ma'am
I refuse to speak to strangers due to my fears.
You're part of this giant plot
I suspect that everyone is involved in this conspiracy.
Please don't tell me that you're not
I do not want to hear denial of involvement.
My kids must be part of the conspiracy
I believe that even my children are involved in the conspiracy.
Mr. Rogers works hand in hand with the KGB
I accuse Mr. Rogers, a beloved TV personality, of collaborating with the Soviet Union's intelligence agency.
Contributed by Chase A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.