Punk is a genre about telling everything and everyone to get fucked. Governments, society, nazis, fashion, trends, showers, toothpaste and probably ebola too. If you were to list every one of them, you’d be listening to punk records until America stops fighting against insurgents that they themselves funded 20-years previous, or the world ends. Which-ever happens first. Take a look at 5 of the best songs for throwing your middle-fingers in the air.
Pennywise - Fuck Authority
This classic was considered a massive breakthrough for the band when it air on radio in 2001, although being it’s sixth album. Although being banned from airplay following 9/11, ‘Fuck Authority’ managed to reach number 38 on the U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks. Released as ‘a wake up call’ to all Americans, this the ultimate anthem of telling the system to get fucked.
Dead Kennedys - Nazi Punks Fuck Off
The meaning behind this song is two-fold. The first is quite obvious, about fighting racism. The second is about people within the punk movement who are posers, with a hidden liking for the government; which is commonly labeled by DKs as ‘fascist’. In true DK fashion, their songs are rarely ever about one thing, they’re layered. Fun fact: African-American drummer D.H. Peligro was arrested for having an unopened can of beer on the footpath, with rumours that it was due to his skin colour. The band’s singer Jello Biafra later described Queensland as ‘police state’.
Frenzal Rhomb - You Can’t Move Into My House
Nothing quite says jog on like the line “Get fucked you fucking fuckwit”. Released in 1997, ‘Meet The Family’ was the first album with Lindsay ‘The Doctor’ McDougall on guitar, and the last with drummer Nat Nykruj. The new man on the sticks and skins would be Gordon ‘Gordy’ Forman, from Melbourne hardcore band Mindsnare. ‘The Doctor’ brings a new guitar style to Frenzal’s sound, but after all these years still won’t shut the fuck up about being vegan. Hope you don’t think I’m rude, Doc, fuck you.
The Stiffs - Fuck You
This was the era when being a punk meant getting into a punch-on, drinking underage and hating on the government for having a shit economy. Forming when they were 14-years-old in 1976, The Stiffs released their first album on a £75 budget in 1979. Some sources say this song was recorded in 1978, but wasn’t released until 1991, others that ex-members of The Stiffs took the song across to The Subhumans. Whatever it’s origins, its been played by The Subhumans, DOA, Overkill and many others.
Reel Big Fish - The FU Song
Most people associate Ska-punk with melancholy love songs, horns and checkered accoutrements. RBF brings a whole new level of awesomeness, with lyrics that nine times out of ten are telling someone, or something, to fuck off and die. ‘The FU Song’ features the word fuck 46 times in the space of 61 seconds - thats ‘fuck’ every 0.75 of a second. Fuck yeah, fuck you.
I bet you’re all expecting a message to the effect of “Go fuck yourself”, but I hope you all have a lovely day....
Wankers.
Ed Howson
