The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
We can control the medium
We can control the context, the presentation
Well, is there anybody on the receiving end
Reaching out for some kind of connection?
Come on and wash these shores away
Come on and wash these shores away
I'm looking for the crest
Looking for the crest of a new wave
We can be the bands we want to hear
We can define our own generation
Well, is there anybody on the receiving ends?
Are you ready to brave new directions?
Come on and wash these shores away
Come on and wash these shores away
I'm looking for the crest
Looking for the crest of a new wave
Let breathe new dawn - this art is dead
No sense of original thought in the mainstream
So, is there anybody on the receiving ends?
We can eclipse all that came before us
Come on and wash these shores away
Come on and wash these shores away
I'm looking for the crest
Looking for the crest of a new wave
We can control the context, the presentation
Well, is there anybody on the receiving end
Reaching out for some kind of connection?
Come on and wash these shores away
Come on and wash these shores away
I'm looking for the crest
Looking for the crest of a new wave
We can be the bands we want to hear
We can define our own generation
Well, is there anybody on the receiving ends?
Are you ready to brave new directions?
Come on and wash these shores away
Come on and wash these shores away
I'm looking for the crest
Looking for the crest of a new wave
Let breathe new dawn - this art is dead
No sense of original thought in the mainstream
So, is there anybody on the receiving ends?
We can eclipse all that came before us
Come on and wash these shores away
Come on and wash these shores away
I'm looking for the crest
Looking for the crest of a new wave
Lyrics submitted by CowardOfTheYear
New Wave Lyrics as written by Lonnie Rashid Lynn Ahmir K. Thompson
Lyrics © ROUGH TRADE PUBLISHING, Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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There is still an amazing amount of hope and will in the lyrics; and the lyrics themselve rank and easy five. If only music was stronger it would be one of those great radio songs that you hear once a week 20 years after it was released. The imagery is almost tear-jerking ("City lights lay out before us", "Speeds so fast felt like I was drunk"), and the idea of starting from nothing and just driving and working and denigrating yourself for a chance at being just above poverty, then losing in the end is just painful and inspiring at the same time.
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This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
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Music is music, dudes. A music label has no effect on a band's sound, especially not a band like Against Me!. Tom's got a family, I can't really speak for the other band members..., and he should be able to support them however he wants. Don't even dare blame them for being successful, you're the worst kind of jealous, fair-weather friend. I think the only people able to make reasonable judgements are the ones that began listening to them after this label switch because they're not attached to a "scene". And I'll be the first to admit that Axl Rose was my favorite album, but New Wave is splendid as well and well deserving of every fan they get for expanding their audience base.
Basically, this song seems to be about the mediocre-at-best mainstream music scene, and searching for that one original band that stands out among the cliched musical prototypes.
i think its an explanation of why they eventually decided to leave underground and make the move to sire records. he talks about how the mainstream music scene today is dog shit (1) and that their decision isnt so much a betrayal of punk ideals as it is an attempt to invade the mainstream (2) and popularize a movement of music thats actually worth listening to (3). it almost sounds like he's asking their original following to get over the fact that theyve committed the most unforgivable of all punk scene faux pas and accept their intentions as honorable (4).
Against me is now totally mainstream, which could be a good or bad thing. Alot of people hate them for selling out since they are an amazing band. I think Tom just wants to take this band as far as he can. Hopefully they can wash these emo shores away. Against me is here to define a generation!
definately is referencing their move to mainstream.
probably the only song i can actually listen to on the new album
i'm not really sure if i like this song but i agree with AnchoviSmegma's explanation cause i wasn't sure how to explain it myself.
It seems to be mostly aimed at elitist 'old-school' AM! fans. Kinda like a "hey, heres our shot at change" message. If only the medium would've been something a little deeper than a hollow rock record, complete with enough cliches that could make even the cheesiest of senior citizens feel uncomfortable.
Regardless of the band's politics or there income, this record is not an AM! record, it is not a punk rock record, and they are certainly no longer the 'saviors of punk', but the heroes of 14-year old alternative kids desperately trying to be different than their friends and/or siblings.
Yeah I understand, everyone needs money. Shit, given the chance I think anyone would go for a multi-million dollar record deal.
Really, I'm sure these guys aren't much different maybe except for the fact they drink bottled water and not Blue Ribbon, but really constant Anarchist themed songs, records, conversations, messageboard manifestos, and lyric booklets get old after awhile. Personally I really liked their Fat Wreck releases, simply because they're weren't just against the system albums, they projected thoughts that you'd encounter when bullshitting with a guy at a bar at 1 am.
I'll end my ranting there a suppose. Sorry for the unprovoked bigoted opinions.
bfcobblerman08,
I think you should listen to their older stuff. smAM!1992 is right, they were all about never selling out. Now look at them. There are other ways of making ends meet than disregarding the values you live by and throwing them out the door.
AnchoviSmegma, you may be right, but as an old school against me fan, I think Tom's words are shot to hell now, and in the end he may defend his actions but its a silly thing to try and justify, when its more so a matter of principal.
I hate it when people criticize AM! for 'selling out'. So what if they've signed to a bigger label? Shouldn't fans of AM! support them and be happy for them when they've gained more fans and more airplay? They're still an amazing band in the end. Trying to keep them from appealing to a larger audience is just stupid. Stop being so damn elitist!