The Vindictives are a Chicago-based punk pop group formed in 1990, and were… Read Full Bio ↴The Vindictives are a Chicago-based punk pop group formed in 1990, and were active through 1996. They are peers with Screeching Weasel, The Queers and other bands from the era, they are also heavily-influenced by the Ramones. Joey Vindicitive's characteristic nasal melodies often told the story of alienation, psychosis, social-ills, and contiunally rejected rules of politeness. The lyrics are often intelligent outrages communicated through intentionally immature self defeating soliloquies.

They began their career in 1991, cutting their first 7" record later that year with the lineup of Joey Vindictive (vocals), Johnny Personality (bass), Billy Blastoff (guitar), Dr. Bob (guitar), P.J. Parti (drums) and Erik Elsewhere (drums). The band would end up releasing 12 albums until July of 1996, when Joey Vindictive revealed that his health issues would prevent the band from going on. Luckily for him, he overcame his ailments to re-form the band in 2000, cutting a new album and overseeing the re-release of a significant part of their catalog. Dr. Bob died in 2003 due to a heroin overdose. Their song "The Invisible Man" was featured in the Ubisoft game Watch Dogs, where it attracted attention to restart the band once more in 2013, releasing a new EP titled Mono-Flexi, and to remaster most of their previous songs as Songbooks coming in volumes starting from I to III.

The Vindictives' website is currently down indefinitely.

Alarm Clocks
The Vindictives Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Revising my old schemes Residing in a dream In disguise
All that I despise in everybody's eyes lives inside
Cuz hating what I hate is what makes me relate to this life
Feeling full of nothing turns me into something full of fire

and if I wanna die die die then I'll die
and if I wanna cry cry cry then I'll cry
so I try and I try and I try oh yeah

cuz I'm alive live live I'm still alive

Believing night and day because of yesterday goes away
reality brought faith is all that you create from inside
If all you say you see is something wrong with me you're a liar
You gotta find a way to hear what people say to survive

And if I wanna die die die then ill die
and if I wanna cry cry cry then I'll cry so I try

and I try and I try oh yeah
cuz I'm alive live live I'm still alive

Overall Meaning

The Vindictives' song "Alarm Clocks" is a powerful representation of emotional struggles that many people face in their lives. The opening verse talks about the singer revising their old schemes and residing in a dream in disguise. This could be interpreted as the singer coming face to face with their past mistakes and attempting to move forward from them. The second line "All that I despise in everybody's eyes lives inside" suggests that the singer is battling with themselves internally, and that their self-loathing is projected onto others.

The chorus, "And if I wanna die die die then I'll die, and if I wanna cry cry cry then I'll cry, so I try and I try and I try oh yeah, cuz I'm alive live live I'm still alive" could be a coping mechanism for the singer. They acknowledge that they have the power to choose their path, to die if they want, to cry if they want, but they choose to keep going, to keep trying, to keep living. This shows that despite feeling like they are full of nothing, they are determined to be something full of fire.

The second verse talks about how reality brings faith and that what we create from inside is what we believe in. The line "If all you say you see is something wrong with me you're a liar" addresses how people's negative opinions can create unnecessary thoughts for oneself. One has to find a way to listen to others and still survive. Overall, the song highlights the importance of self-acceptance, perseverance, and finding your own path in life.

Line by Line Meaning

Revising my old schemes
I am rethinking my past plans and strategies

Residing in a dream
I am living in a make-believe world

In disguise
Hiding my true self from others

All that I despise in everybody's eyes lives inside
I see what I dislike in others within myself

Cuz hating what I hate is what makes me relate to this life
What connects me to this life is the hatred I have for things

Feeling full of nothing turns me into something full of fire
When I feel empty, I become very passionate and driven

And if I wanna die die die then I'll die
I will choose death if I desire it

And if I wanna cry cry cry then I'll cry
I will cry if I need to release my emotions

So I try and I try and I try oh yeah
I keep making an effort to live my life the way I want to

cuz I'm alive live live I'm still alive
I am still alive and I will continue to exist

Believing night and day because of yesterday goes away
Having faith because of past experiences doesn't help in present