Drummer Victor DeLorenzo said that he would be open to recording new material with the Violent Femmes, but on July 15, 2013, it was announced that Dresden Dolls drummer Brian Viglione would be replacing DeLorenzo as the band's drummer. In a statement, DeLorenzo said "It's always hard to write a eulogy for a lost loved one. In this case, I sadly lament the loss of a dream and an ideal that was once Violent Femmes." Viglione is credited as the drummer on the 2016 release We Can Do Anything but would later be replaced by John Sparrow, who had played in the Violent Femmes backing band previously.
Their music is an innovative combination of American folk music and punk rock. The lyrics mix common adolescent themes like yearning for love, sex and affection with explorations of sin, death, and the hope of salvation. Their songs often express both a lyrical and musical sense of humor. Critics often attribute the Violent Femmes as laying the groundwork of dynamicism for the 90s grunge movement.
In its early days, the band frequently played coffee houses and street corners. They were discovered by James Honeyman-Scott (of The Pretenders) on August 23, 1981, when the band was busking on a street corner in front of the Oriental Theatre, the Milwaukee venue that The Pretenders would be playing later that night. Chrissie Hynde invited them to play a brief acoustic set after the opening act. The band signed to Slash Records and recorded their eponymous debut in July 1982.
The group quickly gained a small cult following after the release of their self-titled album that never burgeoned into widespread popularity, although a few songs from this album did get some recognition ("Add It Up", "Blister in the Sun" and "Gone Daddy Gone"). The debut album Violent Femmes went platinum ten years after its release, and "Blister in the Sun" has become an alternative rock radio staple.
Bad Dream
Violent Femmes Lyrics
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They're supposed to be here by now.
What the hell is taking them so long?
I parked the car just like they said.
Now, I'm sitting, waiting for a bullet in my head.
I'm living in a bad dream.
I'm living in a bad dream.
I'm living in a bad dream gone bad.
I'm living in a bad dream
I'm living in a bad dream that's sad.
I'm supposed to be feeling better by now.
What the hell is taking me so long?
I hit the hay just like they said.
Now, I'm sitting, waiting for a bell in my head.
I'm living in a bad dream.
I'm living in a bad dream.
I'm living in a bad dream gone bad.
I'm living in a bad dream.
I'm living in a bad dream
I'm living in a bad dream that's sad.
On a curve, lost control.
On a cliff, lost control.
This is not happening to me.
I say so.
I'm supposed to be a better person by now.
What the hell is taking me so long?
Dying saviors off sum cross.
Now, I'm hoping and I'm praying that they'll nullify my losses.
I'm living in a bad dream.
I'm living in a bad dream.
I'm living in a bad dream gone bad.
I'm living in a bad dream.
I'm living in a bad dream
I'm living in a bad dream that's sad.
I'm living in a bad dream.
I'm living in a bad dream.
I'm living in a bad dream gone bad.
I'm living in a bad dream.
I'm living in a bad dream
I'm living in a bad dream that's sad.
I'm living in a bad dream.
The lyrics of Violent Femmes’ “Bad Dream” seem to describe a feeling of despair and anxiety. The repeated line “I’m living in a bad dream” suggests that the singer is trapped in a dark and unsettling state of mind. The song starts with the singer anxiously waiting for someone, presumably a group that they are supposed to meet. The urgency in their voice creates an eerie sensation that something bad is about to happen. When they say, “Now I'm sitting, waiting for a bullet in my head,” it adds to the suspense and fear that something terrible is going to happen to them.
The song seems to be about the feeling of being stuck in a cycle, unable to break free or move on. The singer is supposed to be feeling better by now, but they are still stuck in this dream-like state of mind. The use of the phrase “bad dream gone bad” suggests that there was a point where the bad dream was just a dream, but now it’s become a reality. The line, “I hit the hay just like they said,” gives the impression that the singer followed instructions, but it was all for naught as they are still stuck in this nightmare. The verses seem to be discussing the singer's internal struggles, while the chorus is more focused on the external traumas they are facing.
Overall, the song seems to be a powerful representation of the struggles of our minds and how hard it can be to break free from internal and external obstacles.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm living in a bad dream.
The singer is experiencing a nightmare-like reality.
They're supposed to be here by now.
Someone or something was expected to arrive, but has not yet showed up.
What the hell is taking them so long?
The singer is frustrated and confused as to why the expected arrival has been delayed.
I parked the car just like they said.
The artist followed directions given to them by someone else.
Now, I'm sitting, waiting for a bullet in my head.
The artist is afraid and paranoid, expecting harm to come to them at any moment.
I'm living in a bad dream gone bad.
The singer's nightmare has worsened and become more intense.
I'm living in a bad dream that's sad.
The singer is experiencing an upsetting and unpleasant reality.
I'm supposed to be feeling better by now.
The artist expected to feel an improvement in their mental state.
I hit the hay just like they said.
The artist followed directions given to them by someone else, likely related to sleep or rest.
Now, I'm sitting, waiting for a bell in my head.
The artist is afraid and paranoid, expecting harm to come to them at any moment.
On a curve, lost control.
In a situation where things were uncertain or dangerous, the singer lost their sense of control.
On a cliff, lost control.
The artist was in a precarious situation and lost their sense of control.
This is not happening to me. I say so.
The singer is in denial about their current situation, refusing to accept it as reality.
Dying saviors off some cross.
The singer references a religious image or motif of a dying savior on a cross.
Now, I'm hoping and I'm praying that they'll nullify my losses.
The singer is seeking salvation in hopes that their losses will be negated or reversed.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: GORDON GANO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Dee OlderMusicGeek
This song is a strong part of what got me through my depression!
pandalambert56
Violent Femmes is so awesome!
ruprect
I was at a drive through COVID testing site today listening to the femmes and didn’t understand why the testers were acting so strange. Good time had by all.
matt price
this song COUNTRY DEATH SONG-HELD HER IN MY ARMS -Eep Opp Ork Ah-Ah-WANNA SEE U AGAIN-CHILDREN OF THE REVOLUTION= SWEET WORLDS OF ANGELS- all Belong to my 2 angels my wife 36 years 2006 last time I HELD HER IN MY ARMS-my Daughter 5yrs old-1994 SHE SANG IM FREE ALL THE WAY up. ANd every once in awhile I HAVE THESE GOOD FEALINGS