(guitars) and Steven (vocals). As soon as they started going to hardcore shows, they had the dream of being in a band of their own. After some
line-up changes things stabilised when Ken (drums) and Roeland (bass) joined the ranks.
In December '96 they got to play their first show as support for the infamous Sick Of It All.. At that point the ball started rolling : Thumbs
Down began playing shows almost every week-end. A live demo-tape of dubious quality became a much sought after item.
Soon after that the boys started to fine-tune their songs and after playing a crazy show at the '97 Vort 'n Vis-festival, they headed for the studio. In
one week-end they recorded 12 songs at 'Studio 195' under guidance of Patrick Delabie. At the end of '97 'Genet Records' released the 9-song 7" /
mcd called 'Going For Gold'. This recording made sure Thumbs Down's name was well know across Europe, hence more shows followed.
In the first months of '98 Thumbs Down played with bands as Ensign, Ten Yard Fight, One King Down, Hands Tied and a lot more. A tour of The Netherlands,
Belgium and Germany followed with the Finnish band Endstand. This tour ended at the Geleen-festival, where both bands played incredible shows. In April
'98 the band had enough material to record a full-length.
Once again they went to 'Studio 195' where they recorded 20 songs over a two-week period. Things then slowed down until the '98 Vort 'n Vis-festival,
where the release-party of 'Crossroads' was held. More than a thousand kids from all across Europe were dancing and singing along, making it one of the
most unforgettable Thumbs Down shows ever.
With the release of 'Crossroads' Thumbs Down proved they could mix intelligent song-writing with their trademark catchiness. The 16 songs on
this recording display a wide range of possibilities within the hardcore-genre. Rave reviews, a small tour of Spain and more insane shows
followed during 1999.
This same year Thumbs Down signed a new record deal with I Scream Records and recorded their new record "Reality Check" at Andre Gielen's Hautregard
studio.
Now in the year 2000 it is with great pleasure that I Scream Records is releasing the new Thumbs Down recorded with great old school hardcore songs,
Steven's voice also and a much more mature sound "Reality Check" holds all the ingredients for a great hardcore record.
The Game
Thumbs Down Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The lyrics of Thumbs Down's song "The Game" appear to be about the emptiness of modern communication and the facade of caring that we often put up. The repetition of "yeah yeah yeah whatever you say man" and "no no no I've got to go" suggests a dismissive attitude towards conversation and a desire to break away from it. The line "our empty words mean nothing" highlights the hollowness of our interactions and the fact that we often say things we don't really mean. Similarly, "these shallow thoughts get us nowhere" suggests that our communication lacks depth and substance, leading to a sense of stagnation or lack of progress.
The chorus of "play the game" adds a layer of critique about the way we navigate social interactions. It suggests that we are all participating in some sort of game where empty words and shallow thoughts are the norm. The phrase "it's so easy...to say that we don't care" underscores the ease with which we can pretend to care about someone or something without actually doing anything to back it up. Overall, the lyrics of "The Game" seem to be a commentary on the state of modern conversation, calling out the lack of depth and the ease with which we can slip into insincerity.
Line by Line Meaning
Yeah yeah yeah whatever you say man
I am indifferent to your words and do not believe them to be true
no no no I've got to go
I must leave this conversation or situation
our empty words our empty words mean nothing
The words we speak hold no weight or value
these shallow thoughts get us nowhere
Superficial ideas lead us to no progress or significant outcome
yeah yeah yeah whatever you say man
I remain skeptical of your words and intentions
no no no it's time for me to go
I must depart and move on from this situation
it's so easy so easy to say that we don't care that we don't care
We find it effortless to express a lack of concern or interest
play the game
Participate in the facade or charade that is being presented
Contributed by Owen E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.