Along with fellow California punk bands Green Day and Rancid, The Offspring have been credited with reviving mainstream interest in punk rock in the United States during the mid-1990s. To date, The Offspring has released eight studio albums, one compilation, four EPs and three DVDs. They have sold over 34 million albums worldwide, making them one of the best-selling punk rock acts of all time. Each album since the release of their 1994 album Smash has sold over a million units.
Since the release of Smash, which is the best-selling independent label album of all time, The Offspring has achieved commercial success over five albums, with singles such as "Come Out and Play", and "Self Esteem". The band’s next three albums, Ixnay on the Hombre, Americana and Conspiracy of One, were also successful, with Ixnay on the Hombre and Conspiracy of One reaching platinum certification, and Americana achieving multi-platinum status. Longtime drummer Ron Welty left The Offspring in early 2003, and was replaced by Atom Willard. Later that year, the band released their next album, Splinter, to moderate sales and fairly warm reviews. In 2005, The Offspring released a greatest hits album and toured in support of the compilation. Their eighth studio album, Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace, was released on June 17, 2008 with the hit singles "You’re Gonna Go Far, Kid" and "Hammerhead."
Days Go By is the band’s ninth studio album and is due to be released on June 26, 2012. The Days Go By Songfacts reports that the title track was released as the first single and was premiered on KROQ on April 27, 2012.
2. Offspring was a short-lived English pop duo of the early 1970s, consisting of Mike Brayn and John Howard, who met at Hurstpierpoint College in Sussex, United Kingdom. They released just one single, 'Windfall' (1972). Their planned studio album was never completed.
Change the World
The Offspring Lyrics
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I stood and watched them as they fell off one by one
And everyone's so blind
They're not to help mankind
Reach into your bag of tricks and pull another one
You don't want to change the world
Like you say
No one else
You're ready
Saving yourself
You're gonna change the world
You're ready
Saving yourself
You're gonna change the world
Now when the day is set they'll line up all the same
In "Change the World," The Offspring addresses the idea of selfish ambition and how the desire for personal gain can prevent people from having a positive impact on the world. The lyrics paint a picture of salesmen staring into the sun – a painful and futile activity – and falling off one by one. This represents how people who are focused solely on their own goals are destined to fail and suffer. The line "everyone's so blind, they're not to help mankind" highlights how many people are self-absorbed and not contributing to the betterment of society.
The chorus of the song critiques people who talk about changing the world but don't actually commit to doing so. The line "reach into your bag of tricks and pull another one" is a reference to how these individuals often manipulate their audience with empty promises. The repeated phrase "you're ready, saving yourself, you're gonna change the world" sarcastically reinforces this point, as the singer is clearly skeptical of their true intentions.
Line by Line Meaning
I see the way the salesmen stare into the sun
The singer observes the reckless behavior of businessmen who are willing to take risks to benefit themselves, even if it ultimately leads to their downfall.
I stood and watched them as they fell off one by one
The singer witnessed the self-destructive nature of these businessmen and how their poor decisions eventually caught up with them.
And everyone's so blind
The general population is oblivious to the salesmen's risky behavior and is not actively seeking ways to improve the world.
They're not to help mankind
The salesmen's motives are purely selfish, with no consideration for how their actions impact others.
Reach into your bag of tricks and pull another one
The singer urges these salesmen to come up with more innovative and ethical ways to make a difference in the world.
You don't want to change the world
The singer calls out the salesmen for not actually caring about making a positive impact on society, despite their claims.
Like you say
The salesmen have previously made empty promises about their intentions to make a difference, but have ultimately failed to follow through.
You're in it for yourself
The salesmen are solely concerned with advancing their own personal gain, with no regard for how their actions impact others or society as a whole.
No one else
The salesmen's selfish behavior and lack of concern for others means that nobody else will benefit from their actions or contributions.
You're ready
Despite their selfish intentions, the salesmen are determined to make a difference, even if it ultimately only benefits themselves.
Saving yourself
The salesmen are focused on advancing their own careers, wealth, or status, rather than focusing on altruistic intentions to make a positive impact on others or the world.
You're gonna change the world
The salesmen believe that their actions will ultimately lead to making a positive impact on the world, even if this is not actually the case.
Now when the day is set they'll line up all the same
Despite their claims to be unique and innovative, the salesmen will eventually conform to the same ideals and behaviors as their peers in order to further their own success.
Lyrics © O/B/O DistroKid, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BRYAN HOLLAND
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind