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.
Carbona Not Glue
The Vindictives Lyrics
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Wondering what I'm doing tonight,
I've been in the closet and feel all right
Ran out of Carbona Mom threw out the glue
Ran out of paint and roach spray too
It's TV's fault why I am this way
Mom and pop wanna put me away
After it's over nowhere to go And I'm not sorry for the things I do
My brain is stuck from shooting glue,
I'm not sorry for the things I do.
Carbona not glue
The Vindictives's cover of the Ramones's song "Carbona Not Glue" is a punchy and energetic take on a track that was banned from airplay in the UK for almost 20 years due to its references to substance abuse. The song's protagonist is a disaffected youth who is struggling to find purpose or direction in their life; the lyrics reveal a disconnection from mainstream culture and a reliance on drugs and other vices to get through the day. The repetition of the phrase "Carbona not glue" throughout the song serves as a kind of mantra, reflecting the singer's fixation on substance abuse and his lack of remorse for his actions.
The lyrics present a bleak vision of contemporary youth culture, with references to the emptiness of modern media and the feelings of alienation that many young people experience. The singer's disaffection is exacerbated by his lack of ambition and his tendency to "shoot glue" and engage in other forms of reckless behavior. Despite the severity of the subject matter, the song never loses its sense of energy or humor, with the Ramones's trademark harmonies and catchy hooks driving the track forward.
Line by Line Meaning
Wondering what I'm doing tonight
I'm uncertain about what I should do tonight.
I've been in the closet and feel all right
I've hidden in the closet and I'm okay.
Ran out of Carbona Mom threw out the glue
I am out of Carbona and my mother threw out the glue.
Ran out of paint and roach spray too
I have also run out of both paint and roach spray.
It's TV's fault why I am this way
Watching TV has caused me to behave this way.
Mom and pop wanna put me away
My parents want to have me institutionalized.
From the early morning movie to the late late show
I watch movies from morning until night.
After it's over nowhere to go
When the movies end, I have no place to go.
And I'm not sorry for the things I do
I don't regret anything I've done.
My brain is stuck from shooting glue
I've used so much glue that my brain has stopped working.
Carbona not glue
I don't want any more glue, but I want Carbona.
Contributed by Anthony D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.