How Could Hell Be Any Worse? es un álbum de Bad Religion, publicado en 1982 por Epitaph. El disco incluye 20 canciones, entre ellas «We're Only Gonna Die», «Part III», «Latch Key Kids» y «World War III».
Sobre el álbum
El álbum "How Could Hell Be Any Worse?" representa el furioso y fundamental punto de partida en la discografía de Bad Religion. Con este trabajo de 1982, una banda de adolescentes de Los Ángeles sienta las bases del hardcore melódico, combinando la velocidad y la crudeza del punk con una inteligencia lírica y unas armonías vocales completamente inusuales para el género. El sonido es crudo y de baja fidelidad, pero rebosa una energía y una urgencia que siguen impactando. El disco se convirtió en un clásico instantáneo de la escena underground.
Las letras de Greg Graffin ya exhiben un vocabulario y una profundidad extraordinarios, con críticas a la política, la religión y la sociedad. La banda demuestra desde el principio que el punk podía ser mucho más que simple ruido y rabia. Este debut no es solo una pieza de historia; es la génesis de un sonido y una filosofía que influirían a innumerables bandas en las décadas venideras.
Listado de Canciones
- We're Only Gonna Die
- Part III
Letra
The final page is written in the books of history, As man unleashed his deadly bombs and sent troops overseas To fight a war which can't be won and kills the human race, A show of greed and ignorance, man's quest for dominance. They say when a mistake is made, a lesson has been learned But this time, there's no second chance, the hate engulfs the world. A million lives are lost each day, a city slowly burns, A mother holds her dying child, but no one is concerned! - Latch Key Kids
Letra
In this world today there ain't nobody to thank, Just blame it on the kids and toss 'em into the tank. And if they yell for justice we'll hide them from the light So that when they learn the truth they won't be scared of the night. (1, 2, 3, 4) Put the key in the hole when you get home from school. I'll be home by 8: 30, your father will too. If you cause any trouble then I don't want to see, 'Cause you'll go straight to bed and you won't have no tv. - World War III
- Drastic Actions
Letra
Heard a word, suicide, Not from one, but from thousands that tried. The lawyer's wife and the teenage brat, One thing in common, they all wanted out. And it's plain to see. It goes for you and it goes for me, And all the screwed up little girls and boys All thrown in without a choice. But I heard him say, "I want out, No complaints and no doubts, Just a chance to go on. " I heard a word, suicide, And not from one, but from thousands that died. Want some attention and a little less regret, A teenage fluff, little threat. And there are those, there are those who think That drastic actions will make them unique. It's really all the same, That no one's happy and nobody's to blame. And the moral to this story is old. It's quite taboo, seldom told. The seed is reaped before it's sown, A bad choice was never resolved. - Slaves
Letra
Congress runs your daily life They brainwash you into thinking it's freedom We've had a war every twenty years They make you think we really need 'em. And we're all just slaves under stricter masters We're all slaves under stricter masters We're slaves. You're brought up thinking it's bad to live in any country except this one And when you grow into a man you realize it ain't too much fun We're a country of democracy, we're supposed to be the best on the globe Living's expensive, it ain't too fun unless you fall in the high-class mode - Sensory Overload
Letra
They're all just suicides, in a social way. I'll never need that dormant time, I'll tell you why. 'Cause I think about it all the time, I think about? I am? Sensory? You [x2] I don't know why, trust me, It's bleeding me, I don't know why, God, it's social suicide. Sensory overload, what a hell of a time. Gotta sensory overload, gotta free your little mind, Free your little mi-i-mind. Oh! Go! 'Cause I think about? I think about? Think about playing these games for real. I wanna write down all the things I feel. Don't wanna hide from the things I hear. I don't know why, trust me, Oh God it's bleeding me, I don't know, God, it's social suicide. Sensory overload, what a hell of a time. Gotta sensory overload, gotta free your mind, Free your little mi-i-mind, your little.... - Politics
Letra
Economy, technology, does it really work? The guy running the government's another jerk Try to teach some values and they all erode away You're lucky if they listen to a single word you say. What is right and what is wrong, government decides You don't have to like the laws as long as you abide We're all being oppressed by the upper-middle class The government you vote for is the one that you possess. I'm so tired and now I'm through, I'm through and so are you Oppressive fear from presidents, it's us, not the government We control the masses of the whole entire race Soon our streets will all get filled without a happy face. - Bad Religion
- Doing Time
- Oligarchy
Letra
Presidential election every four years But neither man we can see or hear Urgent cries for society But he can't see the blood on me Do you see? Do you see too much for me? Try that with our oligarchy, Try that with our oligarchy Oligarchy, oligarchy ?? - Voice of God is Government
Letra
Neighbors, no one loves you like he loves you, And no one cares like he cares. Neighbors, let us join today in the holy love of God and money, Because neighbors, no one loves you like He loves you. And what better way to show your love than to dig deep into your pockets. Dig real deep, until it hurts. Alleviate your guilt, Free yourself once again, because he gave to you, brothers and sisters. Please give a 10, 25, or 50 dollar tax-deductible donation, And I assure you your modest pledge will be used to censor tv and radio, Ban questionable books, and contribute to many other Godly services. No longer will young Christian Americans hedonistically indulge In masochistic submission to rhythmic music, for with your monetary support, There is no end to what we can achieve in this country. The voice of God is government. The voice of God is government. The voice of God is government. In God we trust, sinners repent! (1, 2, 3, 4) Can't you see what we believe in, all our thoughts, all our reasons, Pursuit of life and liberty and happiness we cannot see? Speak of truth with a mighty voice, but politics are your real choice. Hire men to change the law, protect and serve with one small flaw. Voice of God is government. The voice of God is government. Voice of God is government. In God we trust, sinners repent! If we shun God and Jesus Christ, religious love is sacrifice. Love for God is shown in cash, the love they send is mailbox trash. With every pamphlet we receive, more money asked for Godly needs. Build a million dollar church, with money spent on God's research. Voice of God is government. The voice of God is government. Voice of God is government. In God we trust, sinners repent! On late night tv, God can heal, a certain force you cannot feel. Love for money in God's name, religion's now a tv game! Build a million dollar church, with money spent on God's research. Build a million dollar church, with money spent on God's research. Voice of God is government. The voice of God is government. Voice of God is government. In God we trust, sinners repent! Yeah! Voice of God is government. The voice of God is government. Voice of God is government. In God we trust, sinners repent! - Eat Your Dog
Letra
Weak and sick, dying in the sand, no such thing as a promised land. Don't lose faith in a better life--reincarnation, poor excuse. You're dying you assholes, your religion can't help you now. Dying and starving in the fields you used to plow. Rotting bones in your barren fields. Worshipped creature's supposed to heal. He won't save you and he won't save me. See what you want to see. Hindu religion in the mind of a working Joe, Starving and dying in the fields you used to know. You're tied and bound to a god's useless advice. Bloated stomachs from aching diseases hold back the fight. In the end you'll return once more to die again. Go on 'til you can't no more in non-eternal sin. - American Dream
Letra
I hate my family, hate my school, speed limits and the golden rule. Hate people who aren't what they seem, more than anything else, American Dream. American Dream's gonna swallow you whole, it's bursting at the seam, It'll sweep you away, so enjoy it today, tomorrow you'll be old thus useless. American Dream... American Dream.... American Dream, that's ok, 'cause no one dare give you away. I hate my job, I hate your god, I hate hypocrites and common slobs. Hate people who aren't what they seem, more than anything else, American Dream. Promise me today I'll have a Chevrolet, with whitewalls on the side, One boy, one girl, comfortable lies The American Dream... American Dream... American Dream, that's ok, 'cause no one dare give you away. American Dream! (bleah!) - White Trash (2nd Generation)
- Damned to be Free
Letra
Death and the shadow that it casts on life scares me little or none. People tell me of a divine right and the happy chosen one. I'm a freak 'cause my morals clash with others in the world. I go home while they work hard, then they same I'm wrong. There's only one place to be, while living with tragedy. If their sins affected me, I gotta be damned to be free. Freedom is responsibility, pay more than it's worth. Instincts tells us not to die, hazy myth since birth. Learn their rules, play their game, deceive yourself in haste. Turn your own brain into dust; it's not theirs to waste. There's only one place to be, while living with tragedy. Extract the nectar, burn the tree, I gotta be damned to be free Thinking... This world it ain't so bad. Dying... It's just another fad. Working... 8 hours, that's not for me. Dying... It's just your destiny. - In the Night
Letra
In the city, the day is too hot And you're hoping for relief, 'cuz your head is filled with pain, But you get no relief, 'cuz the night is the same... In the night, in the night you see through jaded eyes. In the night, in the night you feel barely alive. You live your life in darkness, you've got pennies on your eyes. But you say that it's all right, 'cuz you've never lived a lie, As you crawl back to your womblike existence in the night. In the night, in the night you see through jaded eyes. In the night, in the night you feel barely alive. You can't see no light, but you hear those heavy footsteps, And the little man inside twists your tormented mind. Your mind is filled with shadows, your palms are wet with sweat. Limbs are bound and tangled in a fatal net. There are two things you can do. One is turn and fight. The other's run headlong into the night. In the night, in the night you see through jaded eyes. In the night, in the night you feel barely alive. You can't see no light, but you hear those heavy footsteps, And the breathing at your side, is it yours, or is it Good bye! - Pity
Letra
I show pity on the human race, On the ignorant plenty who devote their lives To an icon that they've never known. I show pity on eons past, When early man started the first civilization And human aggression was born. I show pity on the future to come, When the government system will be omnipotent And we'll be worse off... Than we are now! Pity, pity, on the billions of ignorant people. Pity, pity, on the masses of aggression. Pity, pity, on the future centuries to come, On the billions of ignorant people, On the future centuries to come, On the masses of aggression. It's all a matter of looking at the past. It's all a question, are we gonna last? If we endure the aggression that's inside all of us We'll wipe out our own species and thus... The world! Pity! Pity on... On the masses of aggression, On the billions of ignorant people, On the future centuries to come, On the masses of ignorant people, On the future centuries to come. - Fuck Armageddon, This is Hell
- Faith in God
Letra
It's all right to have faith in god But when you bend to their rules and their fucking lies That's when I start to have pity on you. You're living on a mound of dirt, But you can't explain your reason for existence So you blame it on god. So much hatred in this world and you can't decide Who's pulling the strings So you figure it's god. Your whole life foreshadows death And you finally realize you don't want to die alone So you'll always have god. It's all right to have faith in god But when you bend to their rules and their fucking lies That's when I start to have pity on you. It's all right to have faith in god But when you bend to their rules and their fucking lies That's when I start to have pity on you. There's people in the world today Who say they're Jewish, Christian and such, They're all ignorant fools. They'll tell you you can't have your own way Unless you pay money and dedicate your life Or you'll be damned in hell. Don't be feeble like all of them, You have your own brain full of thoughts and choices, So use it don't let them use you. It's all right to have faith in god But when you bend to their rules and their fucking lies That's when I start to have pity on you.