Punk is musical freedom. It's saying, doing and playing what you want. In Webster's terms, 'nirvana' means freedom from pain, suffering and the external world, and that's pretty close to my definition of Punk Rock.
Kurt Cobain
Kurt Cobain
Punks
History
The beginnings of Punk started in a sixties counter culture in the Detroit, Michigan by two bands better known as MC5 and the Stooges (A Brief History of Punk Rock). "The Stooges were OG nihilists - they played because they didn't care less. The MC5 maintained a hodgepodge pro-revolution, prodrug philosophy, embodied their white panther party, which made them one of the first white bands to assume something resembling a political stance" (A Brief History of Punk Rock)."Punk, started out in the music scene as a new subculture. "Punks was created by youths who identified themselves not primerally as artists but as bored working class youths looking for entertainment" (No Future). Punk music was created by experiences, either with government authority, or with someones experiences with drugs. The Punk music gave people a way to cope with the bad things going on in their lives. There are two types of punk : Classic and Glitter or Glam Rock. "Glitter rock served as a bridge between mainstream and extreme subculture scene that would become punk in the mid 1970's, presenting socially unacceptable ideas in the context of music that sounded familiar, for the most part, adhering to established musical form" (No Future). According to the documentary Punk Attitude, the real punk movement began with the Velvet, and "the dressing of black, the wrap around shades, the literary mechanism...the drugs" and some people were starting to love it because it was saying "fuck off to the Hippie Movement." The Punk movement was about being against the government, standing up for the rights of the people through the music and not giving a fuck to anyone who didn't agree with their opinions. For Example; when the Sex Pistols didn't like the government in England they made a song called God Save the Queen, basically saying that someone needs to save our country before in goes right into the ground. "Punk rock was starting to become something that anyone could do, it didn't matter if you could play well or look pretty in order to preform punk rock, what mattered was that one would get up and play" (A Brief History of Punk Rock). Finally, towards the end of the 80's and beginning of the 90's, punk was becoming more punk was becoming more popular, I believe, because bands like Rancid and Green Day were touring with the Sex Pistols, and all three are still popular even though the three bands haven't toured recently. The punk movement may have disappeared a little but the Punk movement will always be an influence in every musical subculture.
Lyrical Analysis:
Fuck Authority, Pennywise.
Someday you gotta find another way, you better right your mind and live by what you say Today is just another day unless you set your sights and try to find a way I say fuck authority Silent majority Raised by the system Now it's time to rise against them We're sick of your treason Sick of your lies Fuck no, we won't listen We're gonna open your eyes Frustration, domination, feel the rage of a new generation, we're livin', we're dyin' and we're never gonna stop, stop tryin' Stop tryin' Stop tryin', stop tryin' You know the time is right to take control, we gotta take offense against the status quo No way, not gonna stand for it today, fight for your rights, it's time we had our say I say fuck authority Silent majority Raised by the system Now it's time to rise against them We're sick of your treason Sick of your lies Fuck no, we won't listen We're gonna open your eyes Frustration, domination, feel the rage of a new generation, we're livin', we're dyin', we take the time and will endless try and destroy, enjoy, you fight the world, become a new toy, dominate, eliminate, do you feel the wrath, wrath of hate? Fuck authority Silent majority Raised by the system Now it's time to rise against them We're sick of your treason Sick of your lies Fuck no, we won't listen We're gonna open your eyes Frustration, domination, feel the rage of a new generation, we're livin', we're dyin' and we're never gonna stop, stop tryin' Stop tryin' Stop tryin', stop tryin' |
The song Fuck Authority by Pennywise, is the definition of punk music going against any type of authority. This song explains that some day we have to find another way to be true to ourselves, and to live by our own rules. It describes that "today is just another day..." unless we look beyond the bullshit and lies that authority is giving us, and say Fuck you. We are bigger than the government. We can take a stand against the government if we join together. We are sick of all the hiding, and lies. We are done listening, and we are going to revolt and show you how we feel, trying to stand behind and support the government. We are angry, determined, "...feel the rage of the new generation," because the generations are just going to sit back and watch. We are going through life, living and dying without a purpose, but NOW we aren't going to STOP TRYING. We know that you it's our time to take control, "...we are going to take offense to that status quo," we aren't going to stand for the bullshit, we are going to stand up for our rights, because it's our time to be heard. Fuck authority, we grew up in the system, of a shitty government, now its time that we are heard, open your eyes, and realize that the new generation is coming, we are living and dying all around, so we will endlessly try and destroy you. You enjoy sending other people to fight for you, and become 'your little minions' to dominate and eliminate the competition, but we won't let that happen, don't you see the hate against you? We are tired of your authority, your lies and bullshit, but now we are rising against you and we won't stop trying.
(credits: Pennywise) |