Offspring’s “Self-Esteem”!

The album “Smash” is considered to be The Offspring’s break-out record. It was what really catapulted the band to fame. The said album was released in 1994 by Epitaph Records and has sold eight million copies which also made it the highest-selling record ever produced by an independent label.

Incidentally Epitaph Records is also owned by Bad Religion guitarist Brett Gurewitz. He initially had his misgivings about the band but when he heard their single “Baghdad” produced in 1991, he changed his mind and signed them up. The following year, they released the album “Ignition” and its success has put them on tour together with No Doubt, Pennywise and Voodoo Glow Skulls.

By 1993, they returned to the studio to record “Smash” and released it the following year with little knowledge that this was going to create a niche for them. The album was catapulted to fame by the singles “Self-Esteem”, “Gotta Get Away” and “Come Out And Play”.

The band is composed of Bryan “Dexter” Holland on vocals, Greg Kriesel or Greg K on bass guitar, Kevin Wasserman , also called “Noodle” on lead guitar and Atom Willard on drums. Prior to joining the band, Kevin Wasserman was the school janitor recruited by Dexter Holland and Greg Krieser reportedly because he was old enough to procure alcohol for them.

The Offspring’s “Self Esteem” is the second single released from Smash and speaks of being trapped in an emotionally abusive relationship and having full knowledge that one is not getting what one deserves, but is too weak to get out of it because of a very low self-esteem.

The lyrics of the song are as follows:

SELF-ESTEEM
(The Offspring)
I wrote her off for the tenth time today
And practice all the things I would say
But she came over
I lost my nerve
I took her back and made her dessert
Now I know I’m being used
That’s okay man cause I like the abuse
I know she’s playing with me
That’s okay cause I got no self esteem
We make plans to go out at night
I wait till 2 then I turn out the light
All this rejection’s got me so low
If she keeps it up I just might tell her no
Chorus
When she’s saying that she wants only me
Then I wonder why she sleeps with my friends
When she’s saying that I’m like a disease
Then I wonder how much more I can spend
Well I guess I should speak up for myself
But I really think it’s better this way
The more you suffer
The more it shows you really care
Right? yeah yeah yeah
Now I’ll relate this little bit
That 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 that’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

Chorus
When she’s saying that she wants only me
Then I wonder why she sleeps with my friends
When she’s saying that I’m like a disease
Then I wonder how much more I can spend
Well I guess I should speak up for myself
But I really think it’s better this way
The more you suffer
The more it shows you really care
Right? yeah yeah yeah

How To Boost Your Self Esteem
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