By: Conor Amendola, Music Director
You can email Conor @ Amendocj22@bonaventure.edu
It’s no secret that I am a huge fan of 90s punk rock. Punk is a genre that I wish was still dominant in the 2020s (alongside grunge, which I wish was still going strong). Many bands are the cream of the crop of this genre: Blink-182, Green Day, Sum 41, etc.
King among them for me is The Offspring. The Offspring has a great mix of pure punk sound with loud and simplistic guitar lines, great drum lines, and some whiny vocals as well. With hits like “Come Out and Play” and “The Kids Aren’t Alright” in their repertoire, it’s no shock that The Offspring are a 90’s punk band that people LOVE to listen to.
Of their discography, there is one song that I think is not only underrated but also has some of the greatest lyrics and theming of any song, ever: Self Esteem. This song is number 3 on the band’s Spotify page, but it should be number 1. Self Esteem is the purest 90’s punk song possible, with the whiniest of vocals and instrumental parts that are simple but stick in your head.
While those are fine and dandy, the song has one final part that cements it as the king of The Offspring, as well as the genre: the lyrics and their meaning.
And the funniest part is, I don’t think you can truly understand them by listening to the original version. I think a cover of this song, in a radically different genre and style, is not only a great listen, but also deepens the meaning of the words to the point that they connect more than the original.
First, what is the song even about? The basic idea is that the narrator is seeing a girl and is in a relationship that would be considered abusive, but he can’t bring himself to escape it. This is evident in the line “Now I know I’m being used | That’s okay man ’cause I like the abuse | Now I know she’s playing with me | That’s okay ’cause I’ve got no self-esteem” as well as the line “Now I know I should say no but | It’s kind of hard when she’s ready to go.”
This is peak Offspring lyricism. The words here scream “90’s male college dorm hall” with the sound of the vocals and music evoking a kind of bravado or unwillingness to let go of this harmful relationship. The narrator knows that it would be better if this relationship was over, but out of pride or just an inability to, they can’t make the call to end things.
However, I don’t think this version of the song communicates the true feelings this kind of relationship brings. I think this version can be read as the narrator telling their friends about what’s happening in a way that tells us, the listener, what is happening, without any true emotions to it; like the narrator is hiding how they really feel in their retelling of the story.
Enter artist K.Flay, a “genre-defying” (her description) artist who has worked with X Ambassadors, Tom Morello, and Travis Barker. On December 9th, 2020, she released the 3 track EP “Don’t Judge a Song by its Cover” where she covered Limp Bizkit’s “Break Stuff”, Green Day’s “Brain Stew”, and Self Esteem. I first heard this cover in the dining hall on campus and honestly, I hated it. I was mad that the music wasn’t the original by The Offspring. However, like someone who’s always on the hunt for new music, I made sure to remember who was singing.
A few days ago, I put the song on again, and I was blown away. For the first time, I started to pay attention to the lyrics. If The Offspring’s version is bravado about staying trapped in this relationship, K.Flay’s version is the real feelings of our narrator. The lyrics are the same as The Offspring, with the only difference being the song is structured differently, and the last verse is cut.
The instrumentation, however, is radically different. Gone are the guitars and drums of 90’s punk, and in is a single piano that underscores the vocals. The cover is barren, empty, and somber. And it makes the song that much better.
This version made me appreciate what The Offspring were saying in the original track: the narrator is trapped. And while to their friends they might be putting on a tough face, internally, it’s killing them to be stuck. It’s something I can connect to. I’ve had those relationships where I’ve felt like I needed to get out, but that I was in too deep. They weren’t the abusive kind that The Offspring were talking about, but they were real, and they hurt. Ultimately, I had to make the decision that was the best for me, as well as the other person, even if it was going to hurt.
Self Esteem might just be my favorite of the 90’s punk rock bangers, but after hearing K.Flay’s cover and really paying attention to the lyrics, I can appreciate The Offspring so much more. Sure, their songs might feel like basic 90’s punk, but all songs have meanings in them somewhere.
And sometimes hearing our favorite song differently gives us a whole new perspective on what that meaning is.
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