By Michaela Maxey

As soon as the drums and guitar open the song I immediately start nodding along. I never nod to anything, so this is a huge moment already. The beats are quick and consistent, making it super easy to get lost in just the instruments of the song. As the chorus comes closer, and by this point I’m full-on head-banging, all members of the band join together sounding almost choir-like. It is super easy to join in and sing with them.

Then a surprising silence from the instruments as Greg Graffin sings, “and the obituaries”. Although I was lost in the instrumental of this track, it is impossible to not focus on the lyrics at this point. It may sound like  “cockroach naps” and “rattling traps” are just fun words to say, but they actually delve deeper into the bizarre world that is our own.

The lyrics critique all aspects of society, from child abuse, drugs, murder, suicide, and depression. The band does not censor anything, resulting in a pivotal song that aims to bring about change. Although my original thought may have been, “This song is nothing short of an epic sing-along with your friends”, the song definitely works as a major wake-up call to society that maybe things are not going as smoothly as it seems.

So why have such an upbeat tone to underscore such dark lyrics? Well, if you can sing along easily you can spread the message easily. Despite being released in 1994, it’s shocking that the lyrics still hold true to today’s society. We cannot ignore the message that Bad Religion and many other bands both old and new attempt to give, that is something needs to change because what we’re doing is not working.

The most unbelievable aspects of our society, our truths, really are stranger than fiction.