White Crosses

Album: White Crosses (2010)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This is the title track from Florida punk rock band Against Me!'s fifth studio album. Frontperson Laura Jane Grace (before her transition from Tom Gabel) wrote the tune while living in St. Augustine, Florida, around the corner from a field of small, crooked crosses that served as an anti-abortion memorial on the lawn of the Prince Of Peace Votive Church. There was one cross to represent every abortion that happens in America every day, statistically.

    In a 2010 Songfacts interview with Grace, she described this as a "pro-choice song," and said, "Around the corner from the house I was living in, which was off of San Marco Avenue, north of downtown, there was a church and on the lawn they had placed 4000 wooden white crosses, each about a foot high off the ground. It was called 'The Cemetery Of The Innocent.' There was a big billboard covered with pictures of children's faces that explained the crosses where placed to represent every abortion that happens in America every day. I hated those f--king crosses. So what I was trying to say with the song was that I want to smash all those white crosses. Cryptic huh?"
  • White Crosses is the first Against Me! album to feature George Rebelo, former drummer of Hot Water Music. He replaced previous drummer Warren Oakes, who left the band to stay at home in Florida, partly in order to focus on his Mexican restaurant, Boca Fiesta.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Supertramp founder Roger Hodgson

Supertramp founder Roger HodgsonSongwriter Interviews

Roger tells the stories behind some of his biggest hits, including "Give a Little Bit," "Take the Long Way Home" and "The Logical Song."

Hardy

HardySongwriter Interviews

The country hitmaker talks about his debut album, A Rock, and how a nursery rhyme inspired his hit single "One Beer."

Arrested For Your Art - The Story Of 2 Live Crew's "Obscene" Album

Arrested For Your Art - The Story Of 2 Live Crew's "Obscene" AlbumSong Writing

In the summer of 1990, you could get arrested for selling a 2 Live Crew album or performing their songs in Southern Florida. And that's exactly what happened.

Weird Al Yankovic

Weird Al YankovicFact or Fiction

Did Al play on a Beach Boys record? Did he have beef with George Lucas and Coolio? See if you can spot weird but true stories.

The Truth Is Out There: A History of Alien Songs

The Truth Is Out There: A History of Alien SongsSong Writing

The trail runs from flying saucer songs in the '50s, through Bowie, blink-182 and Katy Perry.

Michelle Branch

Michelle BranchSongwriter Interviews

Michelle Branch talks about "Everywhere," "The Game Of Love," and her run-in with a Christian broadcasting network.