It wasn't until Lady Sunshine suggested I listen to Bad Religion (see Jan. 14 post) that I gained a fuller appreciation for the punk genre and what is going on with it. The album opens with an in-your-face thrash with "Nitro" and rocks hard all the way through. There are some very strong punk elements on this disk, but also some "back-beat" rock and roll songs as well.
One of those songs, and the reason I bought this album, is what I consider to be the best song ever written about a dysfunctional relationship, "Self-Esteem":
I wrote her off for the tenth time today
And practiced all the things I would say
But she came over
I lost my nerve
I took her back and made her dessert
Now I know I'm being used
That's okay man cause I like the abuse
I know she's playing with me
That's okay cause I got no self esteem
The frustration really comes through in the instrumentality and Dexter Holland's vocals. The reason this song is such a psychological anthem is because of the following line, which I think pretty much sums up all the angst and denial in just about every relationship, good and bad:
Well I guess I should speak up for myself
But I really think it's better this way
The more you suffer
The more it shows you really care
There is no perfect relationship. There is no perfect marriage. This song makes you think, when is forgiveness healthy and when is it just rolling over? All "functional" relationships are dysfunctional to some extent.
Right? yeah yeah yeah
cds
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