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Angry Samoans. 1982. Second album. Los Angeles. Hardcore punk. That's all that needed to be written for this record.
The stereotype of American punk music of the period can be described with "Back from Samoa." Hard and furious music, tracks that barely exceed a minute in length, simple and bold graphics, and an independent label (Triple X).
I consider Angry Samoans to be a somewhat underrated band, although they can't be considered just your common group of good unknowns. They received praise at the right times, but after their breakup, they were gradually forgotten. Most likely because, apart from this album, only "Inside My Brain" (their debut album) was a great work, after which all other records lacked great ideas and were a mess of stuff already heard.
"Back From Samoa" cannot be considered a work of genius or innovation; their music remained rather direct and concise, not excessively noisy but with arrangements that remain catchy in their genre. We know that at the time, bands like the Dead Kennedys were opening new paths with innovative and unusual variations, so I believe that many of the rightful rewards of the Angry Samoans were taken away due to the lack of a real musical personality.
As I’ve always thought, true bands are born only if they have a charismatic singer, something this band certainly doesn't lack. Mike Saunders is an excellent singer; he plays well with the vocal lines and has a pleasant voice with a distinctive tone. Instrumentally, there are no particular flaws to note. The guitars are set with raw distortions, occasionally attempting basic but sincere solos. Rhythmically, this is not the usual extremely fast punk album, you can listen to this record without becoming seriously dazed. All the tracks have their own reason, there aren't those filler pieces in the middle, and I must admit that all the tracks are distinct from one another, not making "Back From Samoa" one of those "heard one, heard them all" records.
My favorite tracks are "Gas Chamber," "Light Out", the very famous "Time has come Yoday" and the outrageous "They saved Hitler's cock".
In conclusion, I say that this album is one of the fundamental "works" of American punk, and I believe all enthusiasts of the genre should have it in their collection.Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Gas Chamber (01:02)
Gas chamber!
Where's the light?
Stay at home
Don't feel right
I'm in my room
All the time
Trapped inside
This twisted mind
Gas chamber!
Cannot breathe
Time for lunch
Cannot leave
I'm in my room
All the time
I'm trapped inside
This fucking mind!
No action
No no!
No action
Gas chamber
No
No action!
02 The Todd Killings (00:39)
Skipper Todd likes girls,
It's his idea of killing time,
Skipper Todd likes girls,
It's his idea of killing time.
He's killing time, Todd killings!
He's killing time, Todd killings!
No saying on the wall,
My head on the stove
I feel so confused.
Oh no!
He's killing time, Todd killings!
He's killing time!
03 Lights Out (00:52)
There's nothing more you can leave behind
So forget about seeing, get into your mind
Everything looks better when the world is black
Grab a fork, make the first attack
Lights out!
Poke poke, poke your eyes out
Lights out!
Put a pen in your hand, poke your eyes out
I can't see too well, what's it all about?
Well I dunno man, did you poke your eyes out?
Sure thing, I did it today, startin' to get hip to the lights out way
Lights out!
Poke poke, poke your eyes out
Lights out!
[Put yourself on the floor], roll all about
If you poke too far you reach the front of your brain
Fork in your mind can drive you insane!
Don't worry much, just let it rip, today your eyeballs do the lights out trip
Lights out!
Put a pen in your hand, poke your eyes out
Lights out!
Poke poke, poke your eyes out
Lights out!
Put an ax in your head, poke your eyes out!
04 My Old Man's a Fatso (01:32)
Locked inside my bedroom
Looking at the pictures up on the wall
I need a little elbowroom
I need space man that ain't all
Get home first thing you know
My folks jump on my case
Get a job, take the dishes out
Put the trash back in its place
Someday when I'm a man
I'm gonna put them in their place
'Coz my old man's a fatso
He's got a pot, baby for a mouth
Baby, my old man's a fatso
But you know he owns this house, yeah
Locked inside the classroom
Staring at the dots up on the wall
My teachers all are retards
I need out baby that ain't all
I don't care about textbooks
Or the Jews that discovered Spain
I gotta gotta gotta leave this town
I'll take the bus, I'll catch a plane
'Coz my old man's a fatso
He's got a bathtub for a mouth
Baby, my old man's a fatso
But ya know he owns this ...house
Yeah
Two, three, four
Cruisin' on the highway
It feels so good to see open space
I don't feel like a prisoner
I don't feel like a basket case
I turn the radio up to ten
And you know I've found my place
Yep, get a job, put the dishes out
Put the trash back in its place
Now that I'm a man
I'm gonna put them in their place
'Coz my old man's a fatso
He's got a bathtub for a mouth
Baby, my old man's a fatso
But you know he owns this house
06 They Saved Hitler's Cock (01:40)
They saved Hitler's cock, They hid it under a rock.
I discovered it, last night. I couldn't even, believe my eyes.
If Hitler's cock could start to talk, it would say: To kill today.
If Hitler's cock could choose it's mate, it would ask, for Sharon Tate!
They saved Hitler's cock. They stuffed it in Mengele's sock.
They saved Hitler's cock, and now it wants to talk.
Now it's starting to get hard, I found it in my backyard.
Every night it kills a dog, and now it wants, some night and fog
Hitler's cock is on the move, and now I'm scared of what it's gonna do!
07 Homo-Sexual (00:52)
Screw your wife in the behind
Tell your kids you're doing fine
Goddamn no good stupid liar
Sucking dick your pants on fire
HOMOSEXUAL - up the ass
HOMOSEXUAL - make it last
HOMOSEXUAL - jerk me off
HOMOSEXUAL - go get lost!
Found out that your dad was gay
Living life a brand new way
John Lennon was a queer
He screwed Brian up the rear
HOMOSEXUAL - I'm one too
HOMOSEXUAL - so are you
HOMOSEXUAL - kill Dan White!
HOMOSEXUAL - was it right?
Don't like boys, you like girls
Living in your faggot world
Talking shop with lawyers' wifes
Sneaking out to meet the guys
HOMOSEXUAL - I'm ashamed
HOMOSEXUAL - that's your game
HOMOSEXUAL - where's the blame
HOMOSEXUAL - I can't explain
HOMOSEXUAL - we love you
HOMOSEXUAL - up the ass!
HOMOSEXUAL - Darby Crash
HOMOSEXUAL - make it last
08 Steak Knife (01:01)
Steak knife - there's a hole in my head
Steak knife - you're gonna be dead
Steak knife - it's a heavy change
Steak knife - say goodbye to your brain
There's a hole, there's a hole in my heart
Dick hurts, chop it apart
Fuckin' sheep, I'm on the rag
They got my balls in a plastic bag
I think I need a doctor - to look inside my head
Every time I love a girl - I stab her in my bed
I see my life - in visions crimson shape
I see my life in hell - there's no escape
There's a hole, there's a hole in my heart
Head hurts, chop it apart
Steak knife - there's a hole in my head
Steak knife - you're gonna be dead
Steak knife - it's a heavy change
Steak knife - say goodbye to your brain
12 You Stupid Jerk (00:23)
You stupid jerk!
I can't take it no more!
Your face makes me wanna puke!
And your mothers a whore!
AHHHHHHHHHHHHH
You stupid jerk!
14 Not of This Earth (01:11)
Strange being in a distant land
I look up there's a hole in my hand
and it really hurts!
Step down, look at the curse
I'm not - OF THIS EARTH!
Three knocks at my door
come in I don't care what for
I need blood can barely breathe
I'll buy your vacuum but you'll never leave cause--
I'll put your head in a milkbottle!
Bend down! look at the curse!
I'm not OF THIS EARTH!
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Other reviews
By Caspasian
Before rationalizing the vision of the cover, my soul had already decided that this is the greatest cover of all time.
Back To Samoa invigorates the jaw of the piranha within us in using our teeth not for tearing bites but for a gruesome carefree smile.
