The Teen Idles were among the first punk rock groups from the early 1980s hardcore movement to break out of their regional scene to tour and sell nationally. Inspired by other American punk bands like The Cramps, Bad Brains and Black Flag, The Teen Idles' music was an early version of hardcore punk, and an attempt, in the words of MacKaye, "to get away from a really corrupted music". Their appearances, lyrics and musical style sought to revive a punk movement that they believed had lost its original zeal.
Deadhead
The Teen Idles Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Deadhead, deadhead, you're a lousy joke
Friend of the devil, who you trying to kid
Friends of the devil are dead like Sid
I'll be grateful when you're dead
I'll be grateful when you're dead
I'll be grateful when you're dead
So don't stick around too long
The music is really lousy, the fans are a pain
Troubles behind, troubles ahead
The only good deadhead is one that's dead
The Teen Idles's song Deadhead is a short but potent song about the toxic culture surrounding the Grateful Dead's fanbase at the time. The song is aimed at the so-called "deadheads" who followed the band on tour, often indulging in various drugs, particularly cocaine, and making the show experience unpleasant for non-fans. The lyrics imply that deadheads are a joke and a nuisance, and that their fascination with the band and the culture surrounding it may lead to their demise, as symbolized by the death of Sid Vicious, the famous punk rock musician and self-proclaimed deadhead.
The chorus of "Deadhead, deadhead, take another toke" is particularly striking, as it highlights the connection between drug use and the deadhead culture, while also suggesting a lack of self-control and self-respect among the fans. Similarly, the line "friend of the devil, who you trying to kid" references a Grateful Dead song and questions the loyalty of deadheads to the band, implying that they are blindly following a dangerous path. The repetition of the phrase "I'll be grateful when you're dead" further emphasizes the singer's contempt for the deadheads and their behavior.
Overall, The Teen Idles's Deadhead is a sharp critique of a specific fanbase and the problems it creates, but also a more general warning against getting lost in a subculture to the point of losing one's identity and common sense.
Line by Line Meaning
Deadhead, deadhead, take another toke
You're a mindless zombie, constantly smoking weed
Deadhead, deadhead, you're a lousy joke
You're not cool, you're just a foolish and pathetic addict
Friend of the devil, who you trying to kid
You think you're a rebel, but you're really just a pawn of evil
Friends of the devil are dead like Sid
People who associate with evil end up dead like Sid Vicious
I'll be grateful when you're dead
I can't wait for you to die and be gone forever
So don't stick around too long
Leave before you become too much of a burden
Riding that train high on cocaine
You're addicted to drugs and ruining your life
The music is really lousy, the fans are a pain
Your taste in music is terrible and your fellow fans are annoying
Troubles behind, troubles ahead
You're running away from problems instead of dealing with them
The only good deadhead is one that's dead
There's no redeeming quality to being a deadhead, so death is the only solution
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Courtney Dozier
I just can't believe how dope this song is. This is like punk in its finest form, like a standard to measure all other punk. Dead serious, this has to be one of the dopest tracks I've come across this year.
Railfangirl99
Jesus Torres what?
offscreen 6
@Jesus Torres It's hardcore punk.
Justin Lacek
Jesus Torres , i think of pop punk, bands like sum 41, blink 182, bowling for soup, etc come to mind
Matt Sheezy
I think the Minor Threat song "Filler", fits your description. At least there is some hint at something resembling a melody. This is truly, just a pile of shitty noise. I understand the punk rock ethos of remedial musicianship, but songwriting is also included in that. I have all the respect in the world for the old DC scene, & what the boys from Discord were able to accomplish, but at a certain point you have to discern "Shit" from "listenable shit". Part of the reason hardcore punk has been able to flourish, is the poor taste of young people. So much of what I thought of as great as a kid, I now hear as shit. It's only through the youth culture that something like the (overall) punk scene has been able to flourish. I suppose it's all about perspective, was I wrong then (as a young person), or am I wrong now as a 35 year old, jaded Asshole? Who the fuck knows?
Kenneth Lally
Courtney Dozier oh yeah my favorite punk rock bands, grateful dead, pink Floyd, aaa true rebels
Justin Lacek
Probably the best punk rock song I've ever heard. This the type of track you hear in a game like sunset overdrive. What happened to this genre?
hela2
long live jerry garcia and hardcore punk, boths are dead hahahah
Isa DELqueens
<3 <3
Max Seuberlich
kinda reminds me of Drug Me by Dead Kennedys for some reason.