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 meaning
The Mighty Mighty Bosstones Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Could it be worst in the better?
And this scene is mediocre
As all the fucking rest
Is it a no-go and so-so
Above average and labor loaders
Come and show them all that
That all you need to know is that
You don’t have to know the meaning
Just show that there is meaning
In what is being said to you
You don’t have to know
We’ve already said the tone
Has happened and some know
Is it subject for discussing?
Is it better left alone?
Should it be fixed or be nixed?
Is it said or 86ed?
Is this a business?
The one that’s being made is this
You don’t have to know the meaning
Just show that there is meaning
In what is being said to you
You don’t have to know
The friendships in action
Sat all through subtraction
Disturbing emetics
An up-chain reaction
A monetary setback
A minor distraction
A milestone marker
A break in the action
Your inner spirit’s spell
Your side you’d like to tell
How’d you let it go?
Unless you’d rather yell
We’ll dream you, and long you
Remember, we love you
We’ve got to go
But you should now
That we’ll being thinking of you
You don’t have to know the meaning
Just show that there is meaning
In what is being said to you
You don’t have to know
The Meaning by The Mighty Mighty Bosstones is a song that seemingly questions the value of meaning itself. The lyrics question whether it is better to face difficult situations head-on, or is it better to simply accept the mediocre, mundane nature of everyday life. The song also asks whether something needs to have a deeper meaning or whether it is enough to simply find meaning in what is being said.
The chorus repeats the line "You don't have to know the meaning, just show that there is meaning in what is being said to you". This suggests that the value of meaning is not necessarily in understanding it, but rather in finding it and expressing it. The song suggests that it is important to acknowledge that there is meaning in everything around us, even if we don't fully understand it.
Furthermore, the song addresses a number of issues, including the workings of the music industry and the complexities of human relationships. It suggests that there are times when it is better to leave things alone, and times when it is better to take action. Ultimately, however, the song seems to suggest that it is not always necessary to understand the meaning behind something, as long as we can find our own meaning in it.
Line by Line Meaning
Is it better through the worst?
Is it possible to improve despite difficult circumstances?
Could it be worst in the better?
Is it possible for things to appear good on the surface but be bad underneath?
And this scene is mediocre
The current situation is average and unremarkable.
As all the fucking rest
Similar to other situations that are also unremarkable.
Is it a no-go and so-so
Is this not worth pursuing and only average?
Above average and labor loaders
Is it worth pursuing despite being difficult?
Come and show them all that
Demonstrate that it's worth pursuing despite the challenges.
That all you need to know is that
The only thing you need to understand is that it's worth it.
You don’t have to know the meaning
You don't need to understand everything.
Just show that there is meaning
However, it's important to demonstrate value in what you do understand.
In what is being said to you
In the information that you are presented with.
We’ve already said the tone
The mood has already been established.
Has happened and some know
Some people are aware of the situation that has occurred.
Is it subject for discussing?
Is it worth talking about?
Is it better left alone?
Or should it be ignored?
Should it be fixed or be nixed?
Should we try to improve it or abandon it?
Is it said or 86ed?
Should we acknowledge it or reject it?
Is this a business?
Is this a matter of practicality?
The one that’s being made is this
The decision being made is regarding this specific situation.
The friendships in action
The relationships in motion.
Sat all through subtraction
Endured even during difficult times.
Disturbing emetics
Causing discomfort or nausea.
An up-chain reaction
Causing a ripple effect throughout the system.
A monetary setback
A financial obstacle or loss.
A minor distraction
A small disturbance or interruption.
A milestone marker
A significant achievement or turning point.
A break in the action
A pause or interruption.
Your inner spirit’s spell
The magic or essence of your true self.
Your side you’d like to tell
What you want to communicate or express.
How’d you let it go?
How can you release your feelings and move on?
Unless you’d rather yell
Unless you prefer to express your feelings through yelling or anger.
We’ll dream you, and long you
We'll think of you and miss you.
Remember, we love you
Don't forget that we care about you.
We’ve got to go
We have to leave or move on.
But you should now
But you should be aware that,
That we’ll being thinking of you
We'll continue to think of you even after we're gone.
Contributed by Penelope H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.