Violent Femmes is an alternative rock band, formed in Milwaukee, Wisconsin,… Read Full Bio ↴Violent Femmes is an alternative rock band, formed in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States in 1980. The band originally consisted of Gordon Gano (vocals, guitar), Brian Ritchie (bass), and Victor DeLorenzo (drums), with Guy Hoffman replacing DeLorenzo following his departure starting in 1993 and up until his return in 2002. The band split in early 2009, their last recording being a cover of the Gnarls Barkley song "Crazy", a response to Gnarls Barkley's cover of the Femmes song "Gone Daddy Gone" released the previous year. In January 2013, it was announced that the Violent Femmes would be reuniting and performing at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in April. They performed there, the Bottlerock Napa Valley in May and Milwaukee's Summerfest in June. The band is also on the bill for Riot Fest, which will take place in Chicago in September.
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.

I Wanna See You Again
Violent Femmes Lyrics

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I want to see you again.
I don't care where and I don't care when.
I want to see you again,
Cause this beginning will have no end.
Bring your whips, bring your chains.
We can exchange names.
I want to see you again.
I want to see you again.

I feel a feeling since I don't know when.
I want to see you again,
So you can know you have a friend.
You're so passive.
I'm filled with wrath.
We could take a bath.
I want to see you again.
Oh, there's talk of the lights on Broadway
And hearts intertwining high above,
And if frankly we'll see things my way,
We will climb the heights of love.
I want to see you again.
It doesn't matter where or when.
I want to see you again.
I'm just beginning to have no end.
Perfect love.
Cast out fear.
Let me, buy you a beer.
I want to see you again,
And again,
And again.
I want to see you again.
I want to see you again

I want to see you again
I want to see you again

Overall Meaning

The song "I Wanna See You Again" by Violent Femmes expresses the desire to reunite with a past lover, regardless of the circumstances. The lyrics reveal a sense of longing and hopefulness for a second chance, as the singer yearns to see their former partner again. The first verse sets the tone for the rest of the song, with the repetition of "I want to see you again" conveying the singer's urgency to reconnect. The following lines suggest a willingness to explore new experiences and to embrace whatever the encounter may bring, even going so far as to invite the other person to bring their "whips" and "chains."

The third verse, with its description of a feeling that has persisted "since I don't know when," sheds light on the depth of emotion that the singer still holds for their former partner. Additionally, the lines "you're so passive / I'm filled with wrath / we could take a bath" illustrate the potential for contrast and tension in their encounter. The lyrics move towards a more romantic and optimistic tone in the final verse, with a reference to the "lights on Broadway" and a nod towards a "perfect love" that can "cast out fear." The repeated refrain of "I want to see you again" emphasizes the singer's persistence in wanting a reunion and underscores the sense of hope that permeates the song.

Line by Line Meaning

I want to see you again.
The singer wants to meet with the listener again.

I don't care where and I don't care when.
The singer is flexible about the time and place of the meeting.

Cause this beginning will have no end.
The singer feels like their relationship has the potential to last indefinitely.

Bring your whips, bring your chains.
The artist is open to exploring the listener's kinks.

We can exchange names.
The artist sees the potential for getting to know the listener better.

I feel a feeling since I don't know when.
The singer has been experiencing a strong emotional response to the listener for an extended period of time.

So you can know you have a friend.
The singer wants the listener to know they care about their relationship as a friendship.

You're so passive.
The artist perceives the listener as being non-confrontational.

I'm filled with wrath.
The artist is feeling angry.

We could take a bath.
The artist is suggesting a possible activity for when they meet.

Oh, there's talk of the lights on Broadway
The singer is referencing the romanticized idea of Broadway as a place where love can thrive.

And hearts intertwining high above,
The artist is describing the idealized image of people's hearts connecting.

And if frankly we'll see things my way,
The singer is suggesting that if the listener agrees with them, they can experience this idealistic romance.

We will climb the heights of love.
The singer is describing their ideal vision of their relationship.

Perfect love.
The singer is referencing the concept of unconditional love.

Cast out fear.
The artist is referencing the idea of overcoming fear in relationships.

Let me buy you a beer.
The artist is offering to buy the listener a drink.

And again, And again.
The singer wants to see the listener repeatedly.