Circle one
The Germs Lyrics

The lyrics of The Germs's song Circle one, sung by the lead vocalist Darby Crash, are an anthology of contradictory emotions and perspectives. The opening lines suggest that Darby is a social bomb that explodes with chaotic power. He boasts a prophetic stature in which he claims to be the answer to people's needs. He likens himself to a one-way match that no one can extinguish. All of these metaphors suggest Darby's greatness, power, and dominance over others. However, the rest of the song takes a different turn, which complicates these initial impressions.

In the chorus, Darby sings about a deep circular motion that he sees in his eyes. It portrays a cyclical pattern of life that, in contrast to his confident claims, suggests the opposite of control and power. The motifs of a "tame" and "bought" world imply that individuals are caught up in systems, unable to escape or transcend them. In this way, despite the opening lines, Darby emoites a sense of isolation, defeat, and loss of agency. The closing lines of the song, which feature the phrase "snap, crackle, pop," sound like a plea, something that may be seen as a somewhat desperate attempt to intervene in the vicious cycle.

Overall, The Germs's Circle one is a complex song that contains conflicting ideas about social power, individual agency, and cyclical systems. The dichotomous messages in Darby's lyrics reveal a tension between the need for social involvement and the futility of individuality.