Black Ball
The Offspring Lyrics

In this world of hate and shallowness
This world is full of hate and superficiality.

Where enemies become your consolation
People rely on their enemies to feel better about themselves.

And those of us who win the game give up their minds
Winning involves sacrificing one's morality and values.

I don't call that winning
Winning at the expense of one's soul is not true winning.

Say this doesn't apply to you
Denial is a common response to personal reflection.

But ask yourself first
Before dismissing, introspect.

What have I done today to win the game
What have I done today to satisfy societal standards of success.

And just what have I sacrificed
What have I sacrificed—morals, values, etc.—to achieve success?

Win the battle or lose the war
Choosing self-preservation can lead to greater losses.

I know I've played this game before
This cyclical behavior always ends in disappointment.

When people were still real
Before society became superficial and fake.

I don't want this anymore
The artist is done with this way of life.

It's time for me to close the door
The singer is moving on and closing the chapter.

There's nothing left to feel
The singer is numb to this way of life.

Reflect on all our yesterdays
Contemplate the past and its influence on the present.

My own words choke me
The artist feels regret for past words and actions.

Why were they spoken
The artist questions why they said and did certain things.

Regret for the things I've said and done
The singer thoroughly regrets past actions and words.

Just can't compare with
But that regret is nothing compared to...

Regret for those that I have never tried
...the regret the artist feels for never attempting certain things.

So blame this world or blame yourself
Acknowledge that the world and personal choices contribute to circumstances.

It's really all the same
Blaming someone or something else still leads to the same outcome.

When you are standing on the precipice
When someone is on the edge of a crisis or change.

From which you just can't return
From a situation in which there is no going back.

In the style of forgotten men
In the way men were forgotten in the past.

I look to my horizon
The singer peers into the future.

I see nothing
The future looks bleak to the singer.

While thoughts of guns and desecration
Despite the bleakness of the future, the artist entertains violent thoughts.

Sweep through my mind
These thoughts consume the artist's mind.

But only coffins and bones remain
At their core, these thoughts of violence only lead to death and loss.

As I look to you
As the singer looks to someone else.

The emptiness behind your eyes
The artist sees a void in the other's gaze.

Seals my decision
This confirms the artist's choice to leave this way of life.

Can't carry on in this world of jugglers
Cannot continue participating in a society that perpetuates shallowness and morality compromise.

Where all this thoughtlessness and bludgeoning
Where people don't think for themselves and just follow the crowd.

Your key to success
This is seen as the way to achieve success.

What kind of tradition to carry on
The singer questions whether this is a worthwhile pursuit.

Blackball! The new disease
Rejecting this way of life completely.

Blackball! Your evil ways
Rejecting these evil thoughts and actions.

Have found their way inside me
Acknowledging the negative influence this societal mentality has had on the artist.

Blackball! For a better life
Choosing to completely reject this way of living in pursuit of a better life.

In this high tech dog eat dog existence
In this highly competitive, tech-obsessed society.