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.
You found a way to draw a line,
between the world and you.
Faking your identity it's true.
Did you think the word "alternative",
was only meant for the likes of you?
Do you think that they're too cool now?
Being popular is lame.
You're the one who made them popular,
all their songs are still the same.
You found them first,
it made you stand apart, you know?
But then everyone jumped on the same bandwagon,
making you an average Joe,
A lemming for the mediocre,
you were just a plain old joker
status quo.
Blame it on the band now.
If you pick them do they bleed?
What's the point in playing what they want,
if you won't let them succeed?
Do you remember where we all came from?
Do you remember what it's all about?
When you made a point to be objective,
before you started writing Handbook for the Sellout?
You sunk your worth in being different,
just to be like your own kind.
You traded in objectiveness,
for the underground you follow blind.
between the world and you.
Faking your identity it's true.
Did you think the word "alternative",
was only meant for the likes of you?
Do you think that they're too cool now?
Being popular is lame.
You're the one who made them popular,
all their songs are still the same.
You found them first,
it made you stand apart, you know?
But then everyone jumped on the same bandwagon,
making you an average Joe,
A lemming for the mediocre,
you were just a plain old joker
status quo.
Blame it on the band now.
If you pick them do they bleed?
What's the point in playing what they want,
if you won't let them succeed?
Do you remember where we all came from?
Do you remember what it's all about?
When you made a point to be objective,
before you started writing Handbook for the Sellout?
You sunk your worth in being different,
just to be like your own kind.
You traded in objectiveness,
for the underground you follow blind.
Lyrics submitted by ThreeMilesDown
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I cry for humanity. This song is about people who have the type of conversation going on above me.
If only every person in the world read this and actually got it. So many people are so pathetic about.."OMG...now their Gasp! cool! Now I can't like them...I hvae to like some unknown band..." It's really pathetic. I mean, yes, bands have sold out...but just b/c they are suddenly liked...they may be playing the same stuff...but they become popular and it's like they can't like the song that used to be their favorite. Whatever...I wish people would grow up.
i disagree i hate sell out bands they really piss me off.. then they r hard to go to shows cuz everyone wants to see them and it cost more money and everything and then they drop different tours..thats why i dont like jimmy eat world, nfg and unwritten law.. no one has ever heard of five iron frenzy and thank god for that
man, those second two notes sound like traitors to music, and ignorant of music, not to mention immature. Why would someone making money from it lessen their worth? Really. If your current favorite "underground" song suddenly became popular, you'd probably say how much that song sucks, just because it's popular.
if people are gonna talk the sellout example you need a good example...i can honestly say i hate blink182 now because they're just watered down teeny-boppy crap now. Call me a "traitor to music" lol... but they aren't any good anymore, and no one will argue that with me (Even tho i can still listen to reel big fish and bosstones even tho they sold out.) When you sell out and your music changes to fit the average 15 year old girl listening to the radio eh... no i dont think thats my kinda music buddy, so i guess i'm guilty of this music treason you speak of.
This song is about people that get mad because a band suddenly got popular and they call them a sellout. true sellout is when a band changes their style in order to make more money
This song is about the thing you guys are arguing about. A band "sells out" when they change their music to sell more copies, not when they become popular. Five Iron Frenzy is an awesome band and I'm glad they haven't sold out. Neither has Reel Big Fish either, so what are you talking about orgnized?
Feel free to get our the torches and pitchforks, but I'd have to say that when a band "sells out", it's when it betrays the fans in order to make more money. I mean, I have no problems with them making money (how else are they gonna support themselves?), or having lots of fans, it's the attitute they have about it. Blink182, for example. They watered down their music to essentially pop, simply for easier mass consumption to make more money, screwing their fans. On the other hand, take Less Than Jake. Their first couple of albums are standard (I love it, but it is) repetitive ska punk, but with Hello, Rockview (their best CD by far) and B&B, their style has changed quite a bit, and I would hardly call it selling out. This sellout mania kina of reminds me of the whole punk 'nonconformity' bit that usually just results in another kind of conformity, but I won't get into that right now... yeah.
this is such an awesome song!!! It's so true to cuz so many people hate music just cuz it's cool!!! that's so stupid!!!! i hate people who are like that!!!
This song is just about how lame people are that talk about how they "knew the band first" but once the band becomes big they stop liking them and calling them "sellouts" even though the music sounds the same. They just have trouble accepting that something they thought was "thiers" is now being exposed to others.
Oh, and please stop with the Blink 182 stuff... "Watered down"... I hate to break it to you kids, but well, Blink has ALWAYS BEEN A POP PUNK BAND. They didn't change their sound, they're just more popular. This song is about how lame you people are that say that crap.