L7 – Pretend We're Dead

Know something about this song or lyrics? Add it to our wiki.
Send "Pretend We're Dead" Ringtone to Cell

What's up with what's going down
In every city, in every town
Cramping styles is the plan
They've got us in the palm of every hand

When we pretend that we're dead
When we pretend that we're dead
They can't hear a word we've said
When we pretend that we're dead

Turn the tables with our unity
They neither moral nor majority
Wake up and smell the coffee
Or just say no to individuality

When we pretend that we're dead
When we pretend that we're dead
They can't hear a word we've said
When we pretend that we're dead

Come on, come on, come on come on

When we pretend that we're dead
When we pretend that we're dead
They can't hear a word we've said
When we pretend that we're dead

Send "Pretend We're Dead" Ringtone to Cell


Lyrics submitted by spliphstar

Track duration: 03:55

"Pretend We're Dead" as written by Donita Sparks

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

Lyrics powered by LyricFind


Pretend We're Dead song meanings
Add your thoughts

21 Comments

sort form View by:
  • 0
    General Comment:I wish I had a source to find the chords for L7 music.. Would love to learn this and every other L7 song.. :)
    Flag Voivreon January 30, 2012   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:Simple. It's about laying back and conforming to bullshit you know is wrong. It's kind of a backwards sarcastic bitch-slap to people who just follow blindly and never question things or people that need to be questioned. A great, easy 4 chord punk/grunge song by a really cool band.
    Flag pleasebeatme92on November 28, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:This song is obviously about conformity and you can get the meaning from the song in a couple of ways. Some of which have been mentioned. I always hear this song as the band saying they pretend they're dead so morons ignore them. I heartily agree, I like to keep people I don't like or have any interest in from wasting my time/life. Never put up with petty bullshit or nonsense from anyone as it's a waste of your life. Surround yourself with good people and you'll be sweet.

    'Just say no to individuality' always strikes me as say no to conformity, i.e goths/emos/hipsters etc all bend over backwards to be 'individuals', just like every other 'individual'. You know those annoying teenage girls who do up their pink hatchbacks and put frangapani stickers on their rear window? That kind of behaviour is massive compensation for a complete lack of a personality as is anyone who obsesses about their image or appearance in general.

    "Oh my god! I like totally so do have a personality! Like my hair is PINK and I have a tattoo!!1 lol"

    Got off on a bit of a rant there. *grin*
    Flag DarkenRahlon May 09, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:It's about people conforming to non-conformity. All these bullshit teenage subcultures fit the bill.
    Flag WildRunneron January 05, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:So this song came from an album called Bricks Are Heavy. That has to be one of the most awesome album names of all time! :o)
    Flag DBR96Aon April 28, 2009   Link
  • -1
    General Comment:its about goth kids. gosh you people are all idiots.
    Flagged shyatarooon February 28, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I always took this song to be about goths, how they often try so hard to be different but in the end for the most part all look the same. In a way of trying to be an individual with your look you actually put yourself into a group. And the pretend we're dead bit, well, don't really need to explain how that works with my theory. And before any emo's or anybdoy else try to say I am "hating on" goths or any other such nonsense, I was very much into that and the punk scene back when this song actually came out, so don't bother.
    Flag Kerouac2002on February 25, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:-anti-conformity ... not standing by/standing up for what the things you like/believe in, & just going along with the crowd,
    not expressing the part of yourself that dosen't fit in with the crowd.

    -that's what i got
    Flag repenttton January 10, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:i think its when you pull out an smg, and you shoot down some fool thrashin your newly stolen ride.......lmao...something about non conformism...play grand theft auto san andreas...trust me(about the 1st meaning)
    Flag Blackhart_Antiheroon January 26, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Another anti-conformity song. I like it, but the message is disappointingly typical.
    Flag .Three.Lefts.on July 21, 2006   Link

Add your thoughts

Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.

Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!

Back to top
explain