The Germs disbanded following Crash's suicide on December 7, 1980. Their music was influential to many later punk rock acts. Pat Smear went on to greater fame performing with Nirvana and the Foo Fighters.
In 2005, actor Shane West was cast to play Crash in the Germs biographical film What We Do Is Secret (named after a song by the Germs). He performed with Smear, Doom, and Bolles at a production party for the film, after which the Germs reformed with West as singer. The new lineup of the band has performed a number of tours in the United States, including performances on the 2006 and 2008 Warped Tours.
On January 16, 2019, bassist Lorna Doom (born as Teresa Ryan) passed away.
Shutdown
The Germs Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And brush the fettered veil away
Shut down in the depths I lay
If you want nothin' then I've got nothin'
I'm your annihilation man
Lemme get control I've got your minds
Now I want your souls, lemme get control
I've got your minds
If you want somethin' then
I've got somethin'
I'm your annihilation man
When I see you on the street
You just stare at your feet
Can't you see, we just don't meet
When I see you all out there
I just grin and I don't care
Can't you see, we really mean it, we really believe
Just close your eyes and let it be
Just close your eyes you'll never see
Can't you see it, we can see it
All you people that I forget
You can just place your fucking bets [?]
We don't need your fucking money
We don't need you sucking on it
Honestly we really believe
Oh old poor Sid what a pity
I can't think of another city that would leave him
When I see Johnny Rose, I just guess that he knows
[?]
And poor JFK, such a smart man blowed away
Belinda
Oh, why did you need her?
She just bled [?]
We don't care how you get your kicks
We just care [?}
Can't you see [?]
And look up there, there, there's Skylab
Piled up in my social fabric
And if I said I came from here
Would you still give me a beer
Can't you see [?]
[?]
Can't you see, it's a flea bargain
Poor Joe[?], poor Joan Jett
Passed out on the fucking set
Can't you see [?]
Oh I'm so free
When I see you on the beach
Kick that [?]
Can't you see [?]
Where I put that in my arm
I know that it does no harm
'Cause you see, it's my personal gender
When we walk on the track
Can't you see we won't be back
You don't think that
I depend [?]
Can't you see, we really mean it, really, really
When I see you on the wall
I know that you just can't fall
You're so small, you're so small
When I see you in a magazine
I just know that you don't look clean
'Cause you know what [?]
[?]
Can't you see
When I see you on my block
I don't even want to talk
Can't you see, take a walk
And when you hear my name out there
I know that you never cared
I don't care, and we don't care
We don't care how [?]
This bleach [?]
Can't you see, we're really [?]
When your mother [?]
Can't you see you're
It's not worth it, [?]
When you give me all your change
I'll just say I need spare change
But [?]
[?]
When I see your hearts on fire
I just want to start a pyre
'Cause you're oh so low
Very low
When I see your name on my list
If you don't hear I guess I just missed
Can't you see [?]
John [?]
[?]
Don't tell [?]
And all you fucking English brats
You don't care where it's at
Don't you know? It always shows
And If all [?]
You don't know it's an accident
You believe you've been deceived
Sorry
The Germs' song "Shutdown" is a stream of consciousness and nihilistic expression from lead singer Darby Crash. The lyrics are a collection of disjointed images and phrases that express a sense of detachment and disaffection from both society and himself. The opening lines, "Let me touch the tips of inculcated desire/And brush the fettered veil away" could be interpreted as a desire to break free from societal expectations and conformity. However, the refrain of "Lemme get control I've got your minds/Now I want your souls" suggests a willingness to take control and manipulate others for his own ends. The repeated phrase, "Can't you see?" underscores a sense of frustration and disconnect, as if others are incapable of seeing the world the way he does.
The lyrics are also permeated with references to famous figures, such as Sid Vicious, JFK, and Joan Jett. These references are often made in passing, and it's unclear what, if any, significance they hold beyond being symbolic of a larger cultural malaise. The lines "And look up there, there, there's Skylab/Piled up in my social fabric" may be an allusion to the 1979 space station crash, or could simply be a metaphor for a sense of societal collapse.
Overall, "Shutdown" is a chaotic and raw expression of disillusionment, frustration, and a desire to break free from societal constraints.
Line by Line Meaning
Let me touch the tips of inculcated desire
Allow me to indulge in my deep-seated desires
And brush the fettered veil away
Eliminate the constraints holding me back
Shut down in the depths I lay
I feel lost and disconnected from the world
If you want nothin' then I've got nothin'
If you want nothing from me, I have nothing to offer
I'm your annihilation man
I am capable of destruction
Lemme get control I've got your minds
Let me take ownership of your thoughts
Now I want your souls, lemme get control
I now want your deepest essence, give me complete control
If you want somethin' then, I've got somethin'
If you desire something, I can offer it to you
I'm your annihilation man
I am capable of destruction
When I see you on the street, You just stare at your feet
When I see you in public, you appear ashamed and defeated
Can't you see, we just don't meet
We are fundamentally incompatible
When I see you all out there, I just grin and I don't care
When I see you in the world, I ignore you completely
Can't you see, we really mean it, we really believe
We are genuine in our actions and beliefs
Just close your eyes and let it be, Just close your eyes you'll never see
Ignore the truth and it will disappear
All you people that I forget, You can just place your fucking bets
For those I have dismissed, you have no value to me
We don't need your fucking money, We don't need you sucking on it
We reject your monetary contributions and influence
Honestly we really believe
We honestly believe in our convictions
Oh old poor Sid what a pity, I can't think of another city that would leave him
Sympathy for Sid Vicious, who was left behind by society
When I see Johnny Rose, I just guess that he knows
When I see Johnny Rose, I assume he understands me
[?]
And poor JFK, such a smart man blowed away
Lamenting the death of John F. Kennedy, a gifted politician
Belinda, Oh why did you need her? She just bled [?]
Questioning the motivations of a person who suffered harm
We don't care how you get your kicks, We just care [?]
We are indifferent to how you entertain yourself, we only care about what matters
Can't you see [?]
There is something important you are missing
And look up there, there, there's Skylab, Piled up in my social fabric
Skylab's crash exemplifies how society crumbles from within
And if I said I came from here, Would you still give me a beer
Would you still accept me if you knew where I was from?
John [?], [?], Don't tell [?]
[?]
Poor Joe[?], poor Joan Jett, Passed out on the fucking set
Empathizing with Joe and Joan Jett, who experienced hardship
Can't you see [?]
You are not seeing the reality of the situation
Oh I'm so free
Celebrating the freedom of expression
When I see you on the beach, Kick that [?]
Encouraging the listener to act on impulse
Can't you see [?]
You are failing to grasp the significance of what's happening
Where I put that in my arm, I know that it does no harm, 'Cause you see, it's my personal gender
Defending drug use as a personal choice
When we walk on the track, Can't you see we won't be back
Indicating a sense of finality in their actions
You don't think that, I depend [?]
Disputing another's assumption about their mindset
Can't you see, we really mean it, really, really
Emphasizing the sincerity of their message
When I see you on the wall, I know that you just can't fall
Observing someone who appears stuck in their ways
You're so small, you're so small
Dismissing someone as insignificant
When I see you in a magazine, I just know that you don't look clean
Noticing the falsity in portrayed images
'Cause you know what [?]
[?]
When I see you on my block, I don't even want to talk
Avoiding interaction with someone in their community
Can't you see, take a walk
Leave me alone
And when you hear my name out there, I know that you never cared
Acknowledging a lack of concern from others
We don't care how [?]
We are unconcerned about how we appear to others
This bleach [?]
Can't you see, we're really [?]
We are actively participating in the transformation of society
When your mother [?], Can't you see you're, It's not worth it, [?]
Discouraging others from engaging in harmful behavior
When you give me all your change, I'll just say I need spare change
Condemning those who ask for money without justification
But [?]
[?]
When I see your hearts on fire, I just want to start a pyre
Feeling animosity toward those with passionate beliefs
'Cause you're oh so low, Very low
Belittling others based on their beliefs or behavior
When I see your name on my list, If you don't hear I guess I just missed
Missed opportunities to connect with others
Can't you see [?]
Understanding something fundamental that you cannot
And all you fucking English brats, You don't care where it's at
Disparaging a group of people for their lack of concern
Don't you know? It always shows
The truth will be revealed regardless
And If all [?], You don't know it's an accident, You believe you've been deceived
Doubting the veracity of an event
Sorry
Apologizing for the message's tone or content
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Darby Crash, Georg Ruthenberg
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@MetalHead8479
Such a bad ass mellow sound
👁🖤🤘long live Rock n roll
@MetalHead8479
Hell yeah classic Punk Metal
@billblake9665
Pinnacle of punk. This is so freaking awesome I can hardly take it.
@ActivistBatonVI
One of my favorite songs
@ryanlaurence569
Always loved how slow and drawn out this song is. Feels like the song equivalent to being strung out.
@kevingruenofficial
The punk grunge blues plus pat making suspenseful alien noises for 10 minutes
@craigwhitman1307
To me it's the most meaningful Germs song ever
@rocksolidlife8730
MASTERPIECE IS AN UNDERSTATEMENT
@manuelkong10
SO true
@rjzz521
No it sucks