Formed in 1985, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones started playing in Boston clubs in the mid-1980s. After a brief period of inactivity due to the schooling commitments of its members, they reformed and released their album Devil's Night Out on Taang! Records. The Bosstones toured relentlessly throughout the 1990s, playing hundreds of shows a year, releasing albums and spinning off the popular rock radio hit "Someday I Suppose". They were eventually signed to Mercury Records. The band appeared in the movie Clueless. In 1997, the success of their single "The Impression That I Get" and its follow up, "The Rascal King" earned them mainstream recognition. In 2000 they put out their critically acclaimed disk Pay Attention. The Mighty Mighty Bosstones released their last album on Side One Dummy Records. They officially went on hiatus in 2003, citing too much time on the road and desire to branch out and do different things. In 2007, the Bosstones announced that they were reforming. They played their 10th Hometown Throwdown in Boston and released a new album, Medium Rare, which consists of rare B-sides, and 3 new songs, including the single, "Don't Worry Desmond Dekker".
The band announced their split in early 2022.
The Package Store Petition
The Mighty Mighty Bosstones Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Unless like me you'd like to see some change
I am the one man coalition with the package store petition
If you'd like to feel free to sign your name
Their match they've met it's not a threat
And we'll knock down every statue that they've put up
Overthrow the powers that exist
And all I need for you to do is sign
My misfortunes made me miss so many chances
Opportunities I'll never get again
But I did happen to find a cause that I can get behind
So if you don't mind would you kindly take the pen
Their match they've met it's not a threat
And we'll knock down every statue that they've put up
Overthrow the powers that exist
Our freedoms are at stake our way of life lies on the line
And all I need for you to do is sign
Without the drive or real ambition or the strength to soldier on
I was the man without a mission till this mission came along
Now I'm the one man coalition with the package store petition
Me and my seven signatures stand strong
Their match they've met it's not a threat
They've met their match it's hell they'll catch
And we'll knock down every statue that they've put up
Overthrow the powers that exist
Our freedoms are at stake our way of life lies on the line
And all I need for you to do is sign
The Mighty Mighty Bosstones' song "The Package Store Petition" is a call for change and a plea for help. The singer is frustrated with the existing powers that be and sees their freedoms and way of life as being threatened. However, instead of succumbing to passivity or apathy, the singer has become a one-man coalition with a petition in hand, urging others to take action and sign their names. The lyrics speak to the idea that change can happen if we stand together and fight for a common cause, even if we feel powerless as individuals.
The verses of the song are introspective, with the singer reflecting on missed opportunities and a lack of drive or ambition. But the chorus is a rallying cry for action and resistance: "their match they've met it's not a threat / and we'll knock down every statue that they've put up / overthrow the powers that exist / our freedoms are at stake our way of life lies on the line / and all I need for you to do is sign."
Overall, "The Package Store Petition" is a powerful song about standing up for what you believe in and fighting for change in the face of oppression or adversity.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't look at me or look in my direction
Please do not pay me any attention or acknowledge my presence
Unless like me you'd like to see some change
Unless you share my desire for change
I am the one man coalition with the package store petition
I am a one-man force advocating for my cause with a petition related to the liquor store
If you'd like to feel free to sign your name
If you agree with my cause, please feel free to sign the petition
Their match they've met it's not a threat
The opposing party has met their match, and there is no intention of any threat
And we'll knock down every statue that they've put up
We will remove every symbol of what we oppose
Overthrow the powers that exist
We will overthrow the current authorities or systems in order to bring about change
Our freedoms are at stake our way of life lies on the line
We are in danger of losing our liberties, and our way of life is in jeopardy
And all I need for you to do is sign
All I request from you is your signature to support our cause
My misfortunes made me miss so many chances
Due to my misfortunes, I have missed many opportunities in life
Opportunities I'll never get again
I will never have these chances again
But I did happen to find a cause that I can get behind
But I have found a movement that I believe in and want to support
So if you don't mind would you kindly take the pen
If you do not object, please sign the petition with the pen
Without the drive or real ambition or the strength to soldier on
I did not have the motivation, ambition, or resilience to pursue any cause or goal
I was the man without a mission till this mission came along
I did not have any purpose or goal in life until I found this cause
Now I'm the one man coalition with the package store petition
Now, I am the only person advocating for this cause with this petition about liquor store
Me and my seven signatures stand strong
I have secured seven signatures that support my cause, and we stand together in strength
They've met their match it's hell they'll catch
The opposition has now met a challenge that will lead to their failure
Contributed by Alyssa P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.