The Offspring has persisted through decades of success as a punk rock giant. Their intense style helped them become successful on the alternative rock scene during the 1990s, and the Offspring brings a unique spin with some of the most creative lyrics you’ll hear in Rock & Roll.

The Offspring Lyrics

The California-based Rock & Roll band exploded when Smash came out in 1994. “Self Esteem” and  “Come Out And Play” became recognizable hits that made the Offspring a household name. 

Americana came out four years later. “The Kids Aren’t Alright,” “Why Don’t You Get A Job,” and “Pretty Fly (For A White Guy)” joined the list of big hits.

Most of their songs have a fast tempo, but the messages of the music contain authenticity in the sincerest sense. Some of the best Rock & Roll lyrics let the listener feel angry or intense while also sending a message about strength or coping, and the Offspring meets that fusion perfectly. 

Their lyrics expresses vulnerability and relatability in a way that separates them from many of their contemporaries. It’s no surprise that lead singer and songwriter Dexter Holland earned a Ph.D when you consider the insight heard in his music.

MMRBQ Headliners

The Offspring will headline MMRBQ along with Halestorm on Sept. 21 at Freedom Mortgage Pavilion on the Camden Waterfront. They released their 11th studio album Let The Bad Times Roll in April 2021. Expect to hear some favorites from the new album and many other classics from the whole group this fall.

• Smash (1994)

• Self Esteem

  Now I’ll relay this little bit
  Happens more than I’d like to admit
  Late at night, she knocks on my door
  Drunk again and looking to score
  Now I know I should say no but
  It’s kind of hard when she’s ready to go
  I may be dumb but I’m not a dweeb
  I’m just a sucker with no self-esteem

  “Self Esteem” tells the story of a man struggling to find the confidence to stay away from a woman who treats him badly. The intensity escalates flawlessly with the dark tone in this verse.

  The lyrics give insight into a dangerously true mindset. The psychology of relationships isn’t easy to describe, but the internal struggle in “Self Esteem” is as honest as it gets. The speaker almost seems to want to take the woman back just to feed his low self esteem and continue the misery.

• Come Out and Play (You Gotta Keep ’Em Separated)

  It goes down the same as the thousand before
  No one’s getting smarter, no one’s learning the score

  The Offspring’s breakout hit single encouraged change in response to gun violence and gang violence occurring during the early 1990s. The lyrics refer to the deadly cycle that unfortunately hasn’t been solved over three decades later.

• Americana (1998)

• Pretty Fly (For A White Guy)

  For you, no way, for you, no way
  So if you don’t rate, just overcompensate
  At least that you’ll know you can always go on Ricki Lake
  The world loves wannabes
  Hey, hey, do that brand new thing!

  It’s nothing new. Men overcompensate in front of women. “Pretty Fly (For A White Guy)” acknowledges that the world needs and loves wannabes because not everyone sees through a cheap act.

• Why Don't You Get A Job

  He says, ‘Man, I really gotta lose my chick
  In the worst kind of way’
  She sits on her ass, he works his hands to the bone
  To give her money every payday
  But she wants more dinero just to stay at home
  Well, my friend, you gotta say
  I won’t pay, I won’t pay, no way-ay-ay-ay

  “Self Esteem” described the intensity of a man struggling to shake off the wrong woman. “Why Don’t You Get A Job” touched on the same subjects a few years later. Each verse introduces a new scenario with unnamed friends who need to stick up for themselves.

• You’re Gonna Go Far, Kid

  Show me how to lie, you’re getting better all the time
  And turning all against the one is an art that’s hard to teach
  Another clever word sets off an unsuspecting herd
  And as you step back into line, a mob jumps to their feet

  The Offspring proved it’s possible to describe a fake person authentically in “Pretty Fly (For A White Guy),” and “You’re Gonna Go Far, Kid” followed suit.

  The meaning of the song’s lyrics are debatable. However, the themes of lies, disguise, and manipulation can apply to politics and the willingness of a crowd to follow a leader for the wrong reasons.

• The Kids Aren't Alright

  Chances thrown, nothing’s free
  Longing for what used to be
  Still, it’s hard, hard to see
  Fragile lives, shattered dreams

  Most adults (whether they admit it or not) think about how life became corrupted while they grew up. “The Kids Aren’t Alright” tells the story of a neighborhood of kids who all ended up in some sort of trouble in their adult lives.

  The lyrics at the beginning mention  “every kid on the whole damn street was gonna make it big and not be beat.” Unfortunately, life sometimes leads to “shattered dreams.”

• Let The Bad Times Roll (2021)

• This Is Not Utopia

  And I wake up in the morning
  News keeps flashing on my eyes
  These dying streets are bruised and beaten
  Riot flags are waving
  Poor and weak, we extend this streak

  “Come Out and Play” came out about 27 years before “This Is Not Utopia,” but the Offspring unfortunately still felt the need to address some of the same issues of violence. Let The Bad Times Roll includes plenty more thought-provoking commentary on modern politics and current events.

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