So, about the song. Superstar carwash was a major steppingstone in their aforementioned transition. That's apparent in some of it's great songs such as this one. It's fast-paced with a great hard guitar solo near the end. He's not screaming cuss words and blatant insults. He's definitley making jabs at some things most people do and Hollywood, but it's done much better. He makes jokes and turns a girl's pathetic attempt to impress or woo him against her. He seems to give up on the jokes when he gets to Hollywood, but the lyrics and rhyme work well so it's better he didn't try to force a joke.
Most of Johnny's songs can't really be summarized into meaning any one thing. Not to mention, most of the meaning can be found in the music and his voice, too. If you've ever seen them perform a song live, you know how it just brings everything home.
This song comes off as just a shot at life and all the things about it that he's sick of. It's not angry or screaming, though. It's much calmer and accepting of the fact that you could revolutionize the whole world, but you can never change basic human nature. He seems mellow and very over it, laid back and sarcastic. it's a look-back on adolesence: "And I never got serious/Til everything went black./And I ain't so curious/About ever going back." He sees mistakes he made and his silly behavior in these other people, but merely watches and responds cynically to their predictable behavior. He knows they'll get over it eventually.
Meaning of "On the Lie"? I'm not really sure. Teenage idols these days encourage teens to rebel against their parents and high school, despite how good or bad they are to them. They tell them to question everything incessently except, of course, the idols themselves. They create this cult-like world where "If you do what my lyrics say, you'll be unique and your life will suddenly have purpose". These kids are conforming to and living on this lie, being just like everyone else their age, but thinking they're doing the exact opposite.
So, about the song. Superstar carwash was a major steppingstone in their aforementioned transition. That's apparent in some of it's great songs such as this one. It's fast-paced with a great hard guitar solo near the end. He's not screaming cuss words and blatant insults. He's definitley making jabs at some things most people do and Hollywood, but it's done much better. He makes jokes and turns a girl's pathetic attempt to impress or woo him against her. He seems to give up on the jokes when he gets to Hollywood, but the lyrics and rhyme work well so it's better he didn't try to force a joke.
Most of Johnny's songs can't really be summarized into meaning any one thing. Not to mention, most of the meaning can be found in the music and his voice, too. If you've ever seen them perform a song live, you know how it just brings everything home.
This song comes off as just a shot at life and all the things about it that he's sick of. It's not angry or screaming, though. It's much calmer and accepting of the fact that you could revolutionize the whole world, but you can never change basic human nature. He seems mellow and very over it, laid back and sarcastic. it's a look-back on adolesence: "And I never got serious/Til everything went black./And I ain't so curious/About ever going back." He sees mistakes he made and his silly behavior in these other people, but merely watches and responds cynically to their predictable behavior. He knows they'll get over it eventually.
Meaning of "On the Lie"? I'm not really sure. Teenage idols these days encourage teens to rebel against their parents and high school, despite how good or bad they are to them. They tell them to question everything incessently except, of course, the idols themselves. They create this cult-like world where "If you do what my lyrics say, you'll be unique and your life will suddenly have purpose". These kids are conforming to and living on this lie, being just like everyone else their age, but thinking they're doing the exact opposite.