In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
I can't believe it
The way you look sometimes
Like a trampled flag on a city street
Oh yeah
And I don't want it
The things you're offering me
Symbolized barcode, quick I.D
Oh yeah
'Cause I'm a twenty-first century digital boy
I don't know how to live but I got a lot of toys
My daddy's a lazy middle-class intellectual
My mommy's on Valium, so ineffectual
Ain't life a mystery, yeah?
I can't explain it
The things you're're saying to me
It's going yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Oh yeah
'Cause I'm a twenty-first century digital boy
I don't know how to read but I got a lot of toys
My daddy's a lazy middle-class intellectual
My mommy's on Valium, so ineffectual, oh
Ain't life a mystery, yeah?
Tried to tell you about no control
But now I really don't know
And then you told me how bad you had to suffer
Is that really all you have to offer?
'Cause I'm a twenty-first century digital boy
I don't know how to live but I got a lot of toys
My daddy's a lazy middle-class intellectual
My mommy's on Valium, so ineffectual, yeah
(Twenty-first century digital boy) cats, sports, iron claw
(Twenty-first century digital boy) neurosurgeon screams for more
(Twenty-first century digital boy) innocents raped with napalm fire
(Twenty-first century digital boy) everything I want, I really need
Ain't life a mystery, yeah?
The way you look sometimes
Like a trampled flag on a city street
Oh yeah
And I don't want it
The things you're offering me
Symbolized barcode, quick I.D
Oh yeah
'Cause I'm a twenty-first century digital boy
I don't know how to live but I got a lot of toys
My daddy's a lazy middle-class intellectual
My mommy's on Valium, so ineffectual
Ain't life a mystery, yeah?
I can't explain it
The things you're're saying to me
It's going yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Oh yeah
'Cause I'm a twenty-first century digital boy
I don't know how to read but I got a lot of toys
My daddy's a lazy middle-class intellectual
My mommy's on Valium, so ineffectual, oh
Ain't life a mystery, yeah?
Tried to tell you about no control
But now I really don't know
And then you told me how bad you had to suffer
Is that really all you have to offer?
'Cause I'm a twenty-first century digital boy
I don't know how to live but I got a lot of toys
My daddy's a lazy middle-class intellectual
My mommy's on Valium, so ineffectual, yeah
(Twenty-first century digital boy) cats, sports, iron claw
(Twenty-first century digital boy) neurosurgeon screams for more
(Twenty-first century digital boy) innocents raped with napalm fire
(Twenty-first century digital boy) everything I want, I really need
Ain't life a mystery, yeah?
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Great version of a great song,
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I think people take this song the wrong way. People assume that he's distracted and made complacent by his "toys". That since he doesn't know how to read or live then he's fucked. It's the opposite. He's rallying against conformity.
He's disapointed by what the world (or America) has become, and he rejects the invitation to conform ("Symbolized bar code, quick ID"). He rejects attempts to tell him how to live properly ("I can't explain it, the things they're saying to me, It's going yayayayayayaya").
He slams his parents as being lazy and ineffectual, it could be to explain his rebellion, show that they didn't have the power to stop him.
He a 21st Century digital boy. He's part of the new generation of malcontents. He doesn't know how to live or read, but he's got a lot of "toys" (instruments, maybe) that will help him get by.
"I tried tell you about no control, But now I really don't know, And then you told me how bad you had to suffer, Is that really all you have to offer? "
"No Control" and "Suffer" are the two Bad Religion albums that were released before this this album (Against the Grain). Nobody seems to pick up on that.
Ditto! Rated +