Following the album's release, the Screaming Jets went to the UK where they based themselves for over two years, touring there and throughout Europe with a variety of hard rock and heavy metal bands. During a series of shows with Ugly Kid Joe, Heaney was fired and replaced for the rest of the tour by one-time Judas Priest drummer Dave Holland.
The band's next album Tear of Thought, which featured Heaney's drumming, was initially slow to gain acceptance until a cover of Boys Next Door's "Shivers" saw the Screaming Jets back in the charts. Heaney was permanently replaced in the line-up by former BB Steal drummer Craig Rosevear and after a US tour with Def Leppard Lara was replaced by Melbourne musician Jimi "The Human" Hocking, who had previously fronted his own band, Jimi Human and Spectre 7, that released an album and two singles at the turn of the decade.
While the Screaming Jets remained only moderately successful overseas, in Australia they were one of the top-drawing live bands of the early-mid 1990s and perhaps the last remaining example of the pub rock acts that had ruled the country's live scene in the late 1970s - mid 1980s. While their single releases rarely scored high on the charts, they won significant airplay on rock radio and the band's tours were wildly successful. In 1995 the Screaming Jets' self-titled album made history when it became the first CD launched via live Webcast.
By the late 90s the Screaming Jets were touring less often and had not released an album of new material since 1996. Hocking had left in 1997 to be replaced by former Judge Mercy guitarist Izzy Osmanovich and after an extensive Australian tour in 2000, Rosevear left to be replaced by Col Hatchman. Although no longer the force they had once been, the Screaming Jets could still draw large crowds and in 2001 were selected to tour with Kiss and Alice Cooper; at the end of that year the band announced an extended break from all touring and recording, playing a final series of shows.
In December 2002, the Screaming Jets did another brief tour in support of a self-financed live album that had been recorded the previous year, but then did not play live again until mid-2004. Since then have continued to record and tour, though more sporadically than during the early 1990s and have also signed a record publishing deal with Universal Records.
No Way Out
The Screaming Jets Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Know every man, woman, child and place,
Don't you think it's time, I've learned
Trapped inside this folk, where nobody's got a clue,
Well, I think I'm getting off this sinking ship of fools
Do you ever feel like blowing it all away,
You couldn't if you try, no way out, no way out
Trapped inside this box with shrinking painted faces,
Malice in Wonderland making the
Rules, well, I think it's time, I left
Which way to turn,
If not running out the door, no decision, straight ahead
I don't believe that there's no way out. Oh no, there's no way out
Do you ever feel just like blowing it all away, well you know,
You couldn't if you try, no way out, there's no, there's no way out
Well, there's no way out
There's no way
The Screaming Jets’ song “No Way Out” is a powerful track that explores themes of frustration, entrapment, and the desire for escape. The opening lines of the song convey a sense of betrayal, as the singer has been lied to repeatedly by people they trusted. Despite knowing the people, places, and children of their community intimately, the singer still feels lost and confused, trapped “inside this folk, where nobody’s got a clue”. They’re convinced that it’s time to get off this “sinking ship of fools” and find a new path.
The chorus drives this point home with a sense of urgency, asking if you’ve ever felt like “blowing it all away” and escaping the pressures of life, only to realize that there is “no way out”. The second verse paints a picture of a society that’s equally oppressive, with people trapped “inside this box with shrinking painted faces”. The reference to “Malice in Wonderland” suggests a world that’s twisted and strange, where the traditional rules no longer apply. The singer affirms that they’re leaving, but they’re not sure which way to turn. Despite the confusion and uncertainty, they refuse to believe that there is truly “no way out”.
Overall, “No Way Out” is a cathartic anthem that speaks to anyone who’s ever felt trapped or confined by the expectations of society. The song acknowledges the fear and uncertainty that comes with taking a new path, but ultimately encourages listeners to find the strength to break free and live life on their own terms.
Line by Line Meaning
I've had a lot of people lie to me and look me in the face,
I have experienced a great number of situations where people have been deceitful to me, even while maintaining eye contact.
Know every man, woman, child and place,
I have become well-acquainted with every person and location in my surroundings.
Don't you think it's time, I've learned
I believe it is an apt time for me to gain more knowledge and insight.
Trapped inside this folk, where nobody's got a clue,
I feel confined within a group of people who are all ignorant and unaware.
Well, I think I'm getting off this sinking ship of fools
I have made up my mind to leave this worsening environment filled with unintelligent and foolish people.
Do you ever feel like blowing it all away,
Have you ever felt the strong desire to abandon everything and start anew?
You couldn't if you try, no way out, no way out
Despite the strong desire to leave, it seems impossible to do so, without a way out of the current situation.
Trapped inside this box with shrinking painted faces,
I feel confined within an unchanging environment filled with people whose faces seem to be gradually getting smaller.
Malice in Wonderland making the rules, well, I think it's time, I left
The environment is filled with ill-intentioned people who are dominating the situation, and I believe it is urgent that I leave.
Which way to turn,
I am unsure of which direction to take.
If not running out the door, no decision, straight ahead
If the only option is not to leave, then I must proceed forward without any hesitation or doubt.
I don't believe that there's no way out. Oh no, there's no way out
I do not accept that it is impossible to escape from this situation. There must be a way out.
Do you ever feel just like blowing it all away, well you know,
Have you ever had the feeling of abandoning everything and starting anew? You may empathize with my situation.
Well, there's no way out
It seems that there is no immediate solution or exit from the current situation.
There's no way
There is no current solution or path towards resolution.
Writer(s): Paul Woseen
Contributed by London L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Earthy Irwin
on Better
Great work Grant Walmsley