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Rating: In 1978, Orange County (yes, the same one from O.C.) witnessed the birth of one of the most significant punk, or rather hardcore, bands in the entire American scene, Social Distortion.
Led by the exuberant frontman Mike Ness, they managed to carve out a substantial niche alongside legends like Germs and, especially, Black Flag. Despite the significant issues that plagued their history (rehabilitations, more or less temporary breakups, and the death of a member), the band succeeded in releasing six studio albums, finding great success mainly thanks to the 1989 LP "Prison Bound". After releasing a live album and a compilation, 2007 marked the year for a decidedly juicy and enjoyable greatest hits.
Following the timeline of their releases, the setlist features two of the most beloved tracks by Distortion fans, "Another State of Mind" and "Mommy's Little Monster," which clearly showcase the great influence, at least in this early phase of their career, of Sex Pistols and Ramones (more the latter, truth be told) with super fast riffs, incisive and lightning bass lines, and a voice that sometimes resembles a cross between Joe Strummer and Joey Ramone. The subsequent tracks, taken from the best-seller "Prison Bound", include the album's title track, "Story Of My Life," "Ball And Chain," and "Circle Of Fire." The evolution of the band's sound is evident, more mature and less tied to the most restrictive punk dictates, so much so that the duration of the songs is well over three minutes; a freedom that very few bands could afford, indicating a rare technical prowess among punk bands. The instrumental introductions now feature a pulsing and driving bass, with guitar counterpoints worthy of the best Mick Jones (as in the case of "Story of My Life") or a volley of guitars and bass as in the beautiful Johnny Cash cover. The spirit of the great crooner is evident in every single verse, every note of these tracks (if "Story of My Life" were slightly slower and with a banjo, it would be a great country piece). And it could not be otherwise, since Ness has always been a big fan of Johnny Cash (fun fact: the melody of "Circle Of Fire" is replicated exactly in a track from "Kerplunk!" by Green Day).
"Bad Luck", "I Was Wrong" and the beautiful "When The Angels Sing" return to us with an absolutely unstoppable impact force, with blistering solos of exquisite craftsmanship that bear no resemblance to the often clumsy solos of punk guitarists, but rather would not look out of place on a Screaming Trees album. Ness's voice, now more mature, is capable of hitting the most challenging notes, always maintaining excellent levels, revealing remarkable abilities in lyricism and melody. "Reach the Sky" is, instead, a very unique track, with guitars that wouldn't be out of place on a metal album and an accelerated chorus very reminiscent of 90s hardcore. By the way, the melody of the song is embarrassingly similar to "Montsegur" by Iron Maiden... it won't be that Harris and Dickinson might have borrowed a bit... on the other hand, it's also true that thinking negatively is a sin, but often you're right... Returning to the album, special mention must be made of the unreleased single recorded especially for the launch of the record, "Far Behind." It's a song that falls squarely within the band's strengths, which for the occasion decides not to experiment but to rely on the classic verse-catchy chorus-verse scheme that has served them so well in the past, thus producing a fresh and modern track that if recorded by any of the bands today claiming to be punk would be hailed as a miracle.
A good compilation that captures one of the most important and musically valid bands on the American underground scene should not be missing from your record collection.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Another State of Mind (02:37)
Well I'm in another state, another state of mind,
I wish that I could be there right next to her
This road leads to this, this one leads to that,
Her voice sends shivers down my spine.
These scars in my flesh,
I'm bruised and I'm bloodied
Only she know the pain that I've been through.
Talk to her a thousand miles away,
There's tears in her eyes.
If I make it back I'm gonna show her,
she's the one for me
Hitch a ride on the wild side,
It's real hell on wheels.
There's gonna be a fight tonight, I know.
Another city we can't find,
Another city left buried behind.
As I picture her, the cities burn away.
These scars in my flesh,
I'm bruised and I'm bloodied
Only she know the pain that I've been through.
Talk to her a thousand miles away,
There's tears in her eyes.
If I make it back I'm gonna show her,
she's the one for me
02 Mommy's Little Monster (03:32)
Mommy's little monster dropped out of school
Mommy's little monster broke all the rules
He loves to go out drinking with the boys
He loves to go out and make some noise
He doesn't wanna be a doctor or a lawyer get fat rich
He's 20 years old he quit his job
Unemployment pays his rent
His brothers sisters have tasted sweet success
His parents condemn him, say his life's a mess
He's mommy's little monster, he's not afraid to admit it
He's mommy's little monster, don't wake him in a fit
Mommy's little monster shoots methadrine
Mommy's little monster had sex at 15
She left home for the streets,
She couldn't deal with all that heat.
She had fun with the boys in the band,
In her eyes it will never end.
Her dad asked what happened to her face,
It could have happened in any place!!!
Her eyes are a deeper blue,
She likes her hair that color too.
She can even wear a dress,
That doesn't mean she'll ever confess.
She's mommy's little monster
She's mommy's little monster
She's mommy's little monster
Don't take her life away
03 Prison Bound (05:24)
Well, I'm goin' to a place
Where the tough guys go
And come out even tougher
A place where a man don't show his feelings
A place where a man don't cry
They say I'm being punished
And they say I can be reformed
But some day I'll return
Did they really think that
This time it would work?
You know all along it wouldn't
Oh, I'm prison bound
I did a crime
One too many times
It's on the outskirts of town
By the railroad tracks
Where the country moon shines
Oh, I'm prison bound
Tell my girl
I'll be back one day
Oh, I'm prison bound
I may never know any other way
(Any other way)
Well, they take away my freedom
Of expression or action
Johnny says I'll walk the line
With three hots and a cot
And a lot of talk
With lock up
Concrete and steel
Well it's cold and it's clammy
Man, it's colder than a pimp's heart
But I gotta do my time
There's a lesson to be learned here
But what a price to pay
You know, I may never learn
Oh, I'm prison bound
I did a crime
One two many times
It's on the outskirts of town
By the railroad tracks
Where the country moon shines
Oh, I'm prison bound
Tell my girl
I'll be back one day
Oh, I'm prison bound
I may never know any other way
(Any other way)
04 Story of My Life (05:50)
High school seemed like such a blur,
I didn't have much interest in sports or school elections.
And in class I dreamed all day,
Of a rock 'n' roll weekend
And the girl in the front of the room,
So close yet so far y'know she never seemed to notice
That this silly schoolboy crush
Wasn't just pretend.
[Chorus:]
Life goes by so fast
You only want to do what you think is right.
Close your eyes and then it's past;
Story of my life
And I went down my old neighborhood
The faces have all changed there's no one left to talk to
And the pool hall I loved as a kid
Is now a Seven Eleven
I went downtown to look for a job
I had no training, no experience to speak of.
I looked at the holes in my jeans
And turned and headed back.
[Chorus]
Good times come and good times go,
I only wish the good times would last a little longer.
I think about the good times we had
And why they had to end.
So I sit at the edge of my bed
I strum my guitar and I sing an outlaw love song.
Thinkin' 'bout what you're doin' now
And when you're comin' back.
[Chorus]
05 Ball and Chain (05:44)
Well it's been ten years and a thousand tears
And look at the mess I'm in
A broken nose and a broken heart,
An empty bottle of gin
Well I sit and I pray
In my broken down Chevrolet
While I'm singin' to myself
There's got to be another way
[Chorus:]
Take away, take away
Take away this ball and chain
Well I'm lonely and I'm tired
And I can't take any more pain
Take away, take away
Never to return again
Take away, take away
Take away
Take away this ball and chain
Well I've searched and I've searched
To find the perfect life
A brand new car and a brand new suit
I even got me a little wife
But wherever I have gone
I was sure to find myself there
You can run all your life
But not go anywhere
[Chorus]
Well I'll pass the bar on the way
To my dingy hotel room
I spent all my money
I've been drinkin' since half past noon
Well I'll wake there in the mornin'
Or maybe in the county jail
Times are hard getting harder
I'm born to lose and destined to fail
[Chorus]
06 Ring of Fire (03:53)
Love is a burning thing
And it makes the firery ring
Bound by one desire
I fell into a ring of fire
[Chorus:]
I fell into a burnin' ring of fire
I went down down down
And the flames went higher
And it burns burns burns
That ring of fire
That ring of fire
The taste of love is sweet
When hearts like ours meet
I belt for ya like a child
Oh, let the fire burn wild
[Chorus]
07 Bad Luck (04:26)
Some people like to gamble
But you, you always lose
Some people like to rock n' roll
You're always singin' the blues
You got a nasty dispostition
No one really knows the reason why
You got a bad, bad reputation
Gonna hang down your head and cry
You got bad, bad luck
Bad, bad luck
You got bad, bad luck
Bad, bad luck
Thirteen's my lucky number
To you it means stay inside
Black cat done crossed my path
No reason to run and hide
You're looking through a cracked mirror
No one really knows the reason why
Your enemies are getting nearer
Gonna hang down your head and cry
You got bad, bad luck
Bad, bad luck
You got bad, bad luck
Bad, bad luck
Some people go to church on Sunday
Others, they pray at home
You tell them that there ain't no God
That they're better off standing alone
You're always scratchin' at the eight ball
No one really knows the reason why
You get to the top and then you fall
Gonna hang your head down and cry
You got bad, bad luck
Bad, bad luck
You got bad, bad luck
Bad, bad luck
09 I Was Wrong (03:59)
when I was young I was so full of fear
I hid behind anger and held back the tears
it was me against the world
I was sure I would win
but the world fought back
punished me for my sins
well I felt so alone
so insecure
but I blamed you instead
made sure I was heard
they tried to warn me of my evil ways
but I couldn't hear what they had to say
I was wrong..
self distructions got me again
I was wrong...
I realize now that I was wrong
and I think about my loves
well I've had a few
i'm sorry that I hurt them
did I hurt you too?
well I took what I wanted
put my heart on the shelf
but how can you love when you don't love yourself?
it was me against the world
I was sure that i'd win
but the world faught back
punished me for my sins
they tried to warn me of my evil way
but i couldn't hear what they had to say
I was wrong...
self distructions got me again
I was wrong...
I realize now that i was wrong
I was wrong...
I was wrong...
well I grew up fast
and I grew up hard
something was wrong from the very start
I was fighting everybody
I was fighting everything
but the only one that I hurt was me
I got societys blood running down my face
somebody help me get out of this place
how could someones bad luck last so long
until i realized that i was wrong
10 Reach for the Sky (03:31)
When I was young I was invincible
I found myself not thinking twice
I never thought about no future
It's just a roll of the dice
But the day may come when you've got something to lose
And just when you think you're done paying dues
You say to yourself "Dear God, What have I Done?"
And hope its not to late cause tomorrow may never come
Reach for the sky cause tomorrow may never come
Reach for the sky cause tomorrow may never come
Yesterday is history
And tomorrow's a mystery
But I'm leaving right now
It's just about how its you and me
You can run you can hide
Just like Bonnie and Clyde
Reach for the sky
I ain't never gonna die
And I thank the Lord for the love that I have found
And hold you tight cause tomorrow may never come
Reach for the sky cause tomorrow may never come
Reach for the sky cause tomorrow may never come
So if you please take this moment
Try if you can to make it last
Don't think about no future
And just forget about the past
And make it last
Reach for the sky cause tomorrow may never come
(reach for the sky I ain't never going down)
Reach for the sky cause tomorrow may never come
(reach for the sky I ain't never coming down)
Reach for the sky cause tomorrow may never come
(reach for the sky I ain't never going down)
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