pasalaska Posted April 21, 2012 Share Posted April 21, 2012 This week’s Song of the Week is the cynical Scumbag, originally released as a b-side to the Warning single, but better known as track 8 off Green Day’s compilation album, Shenanigans (2001). The song was also featured on the soundtrack of the 2001 movie American Pie 2. Scumbag’s lyrics were penned by Mike, and describe a person who leaches off others, coming around “every now and then” once they’ve “run out of [other] friends” to exploit and use. The ‘scumbag’ only shows up when they want or need something, each time with different clothes, a “shit-eating grin and a brand new lie”, but underneath all that is the “same thing again and again”. Musically, Scumbag is classic Green Day; short, fast, simple and upbeat, with Billie’s signature snotty vocals adding to the contempt in the lyrics. It almost seems like the song doesn’t end properly – the abrupt finish to the song sounds a lot like the brief pause after the line “did you run outta friends?” that is followed by another verse; almost like the song could be played on a never-ending loop; the ‘scumbag’ repeating his actions – “the same thing again and again”. Unsurprisingly for a Shenanigans track, there is no live version of Scumbag to be found, so here’s the studio version: Lyrics: You come around every now and then Your clothes are different, but you're still the same Why else would you come here? Scumbag on a mission You're telling me it's been a while Shit-eating grin and a brand new lie Somebody let you come here Scumbag with permission Never thought I'd see the like of you around this place What's the special occasion? Did you run outta friends? Hear you are coming 'round again And things are different but you still pretend You got a reason to come here Scumbag with ambition And now you're telling me that things have changed And you'll leaving in a couple days You're gonna change the world someday Scumbag with a vision It must be nice to know you got it all figured out But from where I'm sitting, It's the same thing again and again Have you ever stopped to think before you opened up your mouth? Because every time you do, It's the same thing again and again ********************************************************************************************************* You can nominate songs for discussion as Song of the Week in the SotW Nominations and Archive thread, which contains links to each previous Song of the Week in its first post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry Potter. Posted April 21, 2012 Share Posted April 21, 2012 *FIRST!* I like Scumbag really much, and the funny thing is that I just started liking it a couple of days ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThibautDookie Posted April 21, 2012 Share Posted April 21, 2012 Awesome song, it sucks that there is no live versions of it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarcasm Posted April 21, 2012 Share Posted April 21, 2012 This is the highlight in American Pie 2, no doubt. It's also one of my favorites of Shenanigans. And as it is every week, everything I say could be baby vomit because Pasalaska already said most of what there is to say about the song, and I basically agree with every word. *grumpy* x) I think every town and every generation has a dude like the song describes, a deadbeat who lies to himself and everybody else that he'll be great someday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WestboundSign! Posted April 21, 2012 Share Posted April 21, 2012 Scumbag. I love this song. It perfectly describes how somebody I know behaves towards me, just like I wrote in the thread for "In the End" last week as well. Every time I need to let off steam because this person annoyed me once again, I listen to both of these songs and they at least cheer me a little up. "Your clothes are different but you're still the same" - I can't tell how true that is and how well it fits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
valeriesername Posted April 21, 2012 Share Posted April 21, 2012 The best one off shenanigans, and hands-down Green Day classic indeed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeekStinkMe Posted April 21, 2012 Share Posted April 21, 2012 It is a great song, I really like it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frunsi Posted April 21, 2012 Share Posted April 21, 2012 nifty song, mike's best imo^^ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lizziebix Posted April 21, 2012 Share Posted April 21, 2012 Any idea who Mike wrote it about? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie, get your gun Posted April 21, 2012 Share Posted April 21, 2012 "What's the special ocassion, did you run outta friends?" I like this song not only because Mikey wrote but also because the lyric is amusing. Perfectly fitting Scumbag song for the scumbags in my town. Well done Mike, whoever inspired you for this deserved to be told the truth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gloria123 Posted April 21, 2012 Share Posted April 21, 2012 this is my favorite song off Shenanigans. it reminds me of a friend i had...she was a bitch! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThisIsNotNora Posted April 21, 2012 Share Posted April 21, 2012 This always makes me happy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justcause Posted April 22, 2012 Share Posted April 22, 2012 I love Shenanigans. I know that it's considered to be not-an-album, but it feels like one to me - it's got its own tone and consistency, and this low-key, off-the-record vibe to it. There's this whole way that B-sides are a kind of undertone to the main event, and Shenanigans is the voice of this - so there's this subltety to it, this whole sense of hearing the undercurrent. Scumbag is a great song - the sound is pure and bright, and even though the words are scathing, the energy is good. What makes it stand out for me is the construction, how each little verse is summed-up with 'Scumbag .....' , mission/permission/ambition/vision, trailing thru the song and pulling it together. So, this song is called 'Scumbag', but it's something pretty elegant - it's witty and it's clever. Being such, it draws the poison, so that it feels more this person is pitiful than worthy of actual rage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drop Dead Hideous Posted April 22, 2012 Share Posted April 22, 2012 I watched American Pie 2 just to hear this Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mar Posted April 22, 2012 Share Posted April 22, 2012 Love it; it's so catchy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny. Posted April 22, 2012 Share Posted April 22, 2012 I never knew Mike wrote this - he's a great lyricist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holly Posted April 23, 2012 Share Posted April 23, 2012 Until now I've never known the line said, 'Shit-eating grin and a brand new lie' I wonder what I've always sang up till this point? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissawebster Posted April 24, 2012 Share Posted April 24, 2012 Great song, and classic Green Day. I freaking love the lyrics to this, and have known many people who fit the description. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
solongfromthestars Posted April 24, 2012 Share Posted April 24, 2012 I've just realised how relevant this song is to me. I guess we've all got a Scumbag somewhere in our lives. What great lyrics, though. A epic way of basically saying someone's a fucking prick. I never knew Mike wrote it either, he's an awesome lyricist! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disapperingirl Posted April 24, 2012 Share Posted April 24, 2012 Scumbag, surely one of my favourite songs off this album! It could be just a little shenanigan, but not only it has a catchy sound, something between the annoyed and the "I'm making fun of you", but it also has smart lyrics; on one hand, rash, for the continuous returning of this scumbag, on the other hand reasoned as well- I've always loved the word pun between mission, permission, ambition and vision, that at a first listening you may not get (what you really hear is ision, the part in common...). This "scumbag" always kind of makes me feel sorry for her, she seems arrogant but at the end also confused and lost- she comes around again 'cause she ran out of friends, probably because of her rude and bitchy attitude...and as others said, everyone in his life has met a scumbag like that! Great choice for this week! Ps: my 3000th post, and I've been here for more than a year now! Love you GDC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WestboundSign! Posted April 24, 2012 Share Posted April 24, 2012 Ps: my 3000th post, and I've been here for more than a year now! Love you GDC Totally off topic, but: Congrats on that! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Insomniac1984 Posted April 26, 2012 Share Posted April 26, 2012 I like this song, is one of my favorite from shenanigans too. BTW, a friend of mine played an acoustic cover of this song. If you wanna listen to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ptUhB_Xssg Bye Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disapperingirl Posted April 26, 2012 Share Posted April 26, 2012 BTW, a friend of mine played an acoustic cover of this song. If you wanna listen to: That's pretty awesome! I do like your friend's voice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E!!i Posted April 27, 2012 Share Posted April 27, 2012 I like this song, is one of my favorite from shenanigans too. BTW, a friend of mine played an acoustic cover of this song. If you wanna listen to: Bye sounds great! love the voice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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