Hammerhead

Album: Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace (2008)
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Songfacts®:

  • Frontman Dexter Holland told Blunt magazine: "Those lines 'Hiding behind the desk' in that song sounds like a soldier going to war, but it's actually about a high school shooting. It happens anywhere, it's a scary thing, people need to chill out."
  • This, like the rest of the album was produced by Bob Rock, best known for his work with Motley Crue and Metallica.
  • This is included on the in-game soundtrack to the EA Sports video game Madden 09Q.

Comments: 4

  • Stinky Brookins from CanadaI always took it as about a school shooter, the last few lines make that crystal clear. However, I always took it as a soldier who went to war and came back, couldn't deal with his PTSD and gave into his dark thoughts.
  • Jackson Bowser from CaI think it’s about operation desert storm because the things that looked like crows where actually stealth fighter bombers that where used in operation desert storm the fast pace of the song kinda resembles how we kicked the Iraqi forces really fast and the oil seacne to where there’s oil spitting out which is what the Iraqis did was burning all the oil fields and when u went into a oil field u would have oil spitting out on u
  • Ray from Jackson, MiJennifer,

    Yep, It sure does sound like its coming from a soldier. Then I read it here, its about a school shooting.

    I'm not sure how others feel about the song after any school shooting, but this is The Offspring's style. Criticize a social problem by making it seem ok, like Hit That.
  • Jennifer from Scottsdale, AzFrom the first time I heard it, I thought this song was really intense and extremely well written but I always thought this song was about PTSD or a soldiers mindset during war. I have just recently discovered that it is about school shootings. We totally rocked out to this song last fall at an Offspring concert in Tucson. The mosher's went nuts. That was before the tragic school shootings in Connecticut. I am curious how fans will react to this song now.

    "Hammerhead"

    I am the one
    Camouflage and guns
    Risk my life
    To keep my people from harm

    Authority
    Vested in me
    I sacrifice
    With my brothers in arms

    Through this doorway
    What's on the other side
    Never knowing
    Exactly what I'll find
    Locked and loaded
    Voices screaming
    Let's go!
    Come on do it
    Here we go!

    Oh, take a life
    Ten others may live
    Oh, that's just the way it goes
    Oh, shut my eyes
    It hammers in my head
    Where it'll end
    Nobody knows

    Oh, take a life
    Ten others may live
    Oh, that's just the way it goes
    It's playing over and over in my head
    Where it'll end
    Nobody knows

    Stay the course
    Reasonable force
    I believe
    I serve a greater good

    Smoke and dust
    Enemies are crushed
    Nothing left
    Where a man once stood

    Through this doorway
    What's on the other side
    Never knowing
    Exactly what I'll find
    Locked and loaded
    Voices screaming
    Let's go!
    But I'm just doing what I'm told

    Oh, take a life
    Ten others may live
    Oh, that's just the way it goes
    Oh, shut my eyes
    It hammers in my head
    Where it'll end
    Nobody knows

    Oh, take this life
    Ten others may live
    Oh, that's just the way it goes
    It's playing over and over in my head
    Where it begins
    And where it'll end
    Nobody knows

    Bang, bang, it hammers in my head
    Bang, bang, it hammers in my head
    Bang, bang, it hammers in my head
    In my head, in my head

    Yeah, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death
    I fear no evil for Thou art with me
    Locked and loaded
    Gonna find my truth
    Now I'm busting through
    All hell breaks loose

    And you can all hide behind your desks now
    And you can cry, 'teacher come help me!'
    Through you all
    My aim is true!
    My
    My aim is true!

    My aim is true

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