Back To The Motor League

I would like to clarify some things in the debate about the meaning of this song and add in some of my own views. "I like to party fucking hard. I like my rock and roll the same. Don't give a fuck if I burn out. Don't give a fuck if I fade away." -- I am not sure what to make of this line. Chris may be speaking sarcastically... "So back to the Motor-League with me before I'm forced to face the wrath of a well-heeled buying public who live vicariously through tortured-artist college-rock and floor-punching macho pabulum." -- According to some of the posts below, Chris used to work at a travel agency called the Motor League in his hometown. He would apparently prefer to work there than feel pressure from record executives to sell "music" to a decadent population with too much extra spending money and nothing to do (which is what many "sensitive artists", "indie" bands, and what are according to Chris intellectually devoid New England hardcore bands). "Back to the Motor League I go. Once thought I drew a lucky hand. Turned out to be a live grenade of play-acting "anarchists" and Mommy's-little-skinheads, death-threats and sycophants and wieners drunk on straight-edge." -- Chris thought he got lucky when he discovered the punk scene, but it turned out that many people involved participated without substance. Not just little kids but people of all ages get into stupid movements because they are bored or feel the need to belong; oftentimes, this is accompanied by totalizing systems of thought that eliminate the individual's ability to think critically and independently. "Fuck off. Who cares? I'd rather hi-lite Trip-Tiks than listen to your bullshit. Fuck off. Who cares about your stupid scenes, your shitty zines, the straw-men you build up to burn." -- According to the below posts, Trip-Tiks are the maps travel agencies give you so you know where you are driving (in the days before Google maps and smartphones). Also, the straw men burning line is a reference to the Burning Man Festival. It began as an unsanctioned gathering of artists in the desert but has since become a part of the system in two ways: its growing popularity means many people attend because it is trendy, and because it is officially regulated by local and state laws which allow the authorities to control the event. "It never ceases to amaze me and as I'm suffering your perfection it reminds me of my own race to redress my own sad history of mouthed feet. Eaten hats. Teated bulls. Amish phone-books. Drunken brawls." -- Don't forget, Chris (he says to himself), you too have plenty of regretted statements and things you said were impossible but happened anyway. His life is full of contradictions and shortcomings he is constantly dealing with. "But what have we here? 15 years later it still reeks of ‘Swill and Chickenshit Conformists with their fists in the air; like-father, like-son "rebels” bloated on korn, eminems and bizkits." -- Best line of the song! 15 years after what? Two things. First, Propagandhi formed in 1986, fifteen years before this album was released. Second, Dead Kennedys released Bedtime for Democracy in 1986, which featured songs like “Triumph of the Swill”, “Chickenshit Conformists”, and “Anarchy for Sale”, all of which expressed lament for the corporate direction punk was moving (i.e. punk was being co-opted into the capitalist system by major labels and moderate politics). Chris obviously believes that nu metal and other mainstream rock music is just the latest incarnation of "government music". "Lord, hear our prayer: take back your Amy Grant mosh-crews and your fair-weather politics." -- This line criticizes christian hardcore bands with a reference to the "The Queen of Christian Pop". "Blow-dry my hair and stick me on a ten-speed. Back to the Motor League. I guess life is just a popularity contest. Success, the ability to perform within a framework of obedience. Just ask the candy-coated Joy-Cam rock-bands selling shoes for venture-capitalists, silencing competing messages, rounding off the jagged edges." -- A Joy-Cam is an easy to use Polaroid camera that prints instant photos; the metaphor here is that government music bands just crank out "hits", which are essentially carbon copies of each other, unoriginal and vacuous. Silencing competing messages means marginalizing critical voices so people primarily hear messages approved by the system; rounding off the edges is a metaphor that means making something smooth, reducing friction, and making something "pleasant" or non-confrontational. "Today is good day to die." -- Just see the Wikipedia entry on this quote. This song is so awesome.

I think this song is about how most scenes are filled with kids who represent false ideals or just don't live up to what they speak, and how much negative implusles are lived out when their are better things to do than just burn out. in the beginning of the song jord is talking in first person point of view as a rock and roll kid feeding off impluse, just impluse. like, "I like to party fucking hard. I like my rock and roll the same. Don't give a fuck if I burn out. Don't give a fuck if I fade away." I think it's showing how stupid that shit is, to just... not care about anything and burn yourself out on stupid shit. they also go into how a lot of kids say they are this and they are that, but not only never live up to it but that it wasn't them in the first place. "play-acting 'anarchists' and Mommy's-little-skinheads, death-threats and sycophants and wieners drunk on straight-edge. Fuck off. Who cares? I'd rather hi-lite Trip-Tiks than listen to your bullshit. Fuck off." i think the main message is to be yourself and don't be a slave to anything, espically stupid ego bullshit. "But what have we here? 15 years later it still reeks of ‘Swill and Chickenshit Conformists with their fists in the air"

"i'd rather hilite trip-tiks than listen to your bullshit" the motor league is a place where the singer, chris, used to work, where he would hilite trip-tiks and shit.

Thanks for the info about Tip-tiks! I thought it had something to do with the Motor Leagues, but how the fuck was I supposed to know what Chris was talking about? My take on "Today is a good day to die:" Chris often ends lyrics (in the liner notes) or interview questions with funny or depressing non-sequitors like this. I think it comes out of writing words that make you more and more depressed about the world or yourself and suddenly you just think: kill me. It's kind of black humor, not necessarily serious. I think this is an instance of that. Read some of their written response interviews or the liner notes to their old records on Recess Records (I still have mine somewhere) to see other examples. A trajectory?: Anti manifesto -> Less Talk, More Rock -> Motor Leagues -> Rock for Sustainable Capitalism

This is about the music industry for the most part. But it also address the fact that a lot of people just like certain music to conform.

i love this song. but i wonder why the lyrics... even the lyrics in the cd-cover say 'today in a good day to die' when he doesnt say it. unless im deaf.

I must be deaf too.

I must be deaf too.

jord isnt the singer dude he's the drummer.chris sings.anyway this song is kind of along the same lines as anti-manifesto except this song isnt about people who like them because its cool, without actually listening to what they're talking about.it's about kids who listen to "korn, eminems and bizkits" and think they're "rebels" when in all actuality theres nothing rebllious about said bands, they're "conforming to anti-conformity" in a way (see:Just ask the candy-coated Joy-Cam rock-bands selling shoes for venture-capitalists, silencing competing messages, rounding off the jagged edges).anyway this is a fucking great song and absolutely love the "But what have we here? 15 years later it still reeks of ‘Swill and Chickenshit Conformists with their fists in the air; like-father, like-son "rebels” bloated on korn, eminems and bizkits. Lord, hear our prayer: take back your Amy Grant mosh-crews and your fair-weather politics. Blow-dry my hair and stick me on a ten-speed. Back to the Motor League." part.

here here skunk.. Once thought I drew a lucky hand. Turned out to be a live grenade of play-acting "anarchists" and Mommy's-little-skinheads, death-threats and sycophants and wieners drunk on straight-edge. yay we have a band - yay we can make a change oh wait whats happening now all these people are little pussys who talk big - are part of the scene - do fuck all with their lifes - and are now grown up and part of the system ... that kinda thing :) and btw - "today is a good day to die" prop often have lil comments in their lyrics to explain them a bit more that are not always sung.... they also leave out bits that dont fit into the music sometimes feel free to msg me anyone :)