Sensory Overload

Song details

Bad Religion original
Yes
First released
1981
First release
Bad Religion (ep)
Songwriter
Brett Gurewitz

Lyrics

Sensory Overload

This isn't art this is suicide in a social way. I don't have the need and I don't have the time, I'll tell you why, Because I think about it all the time. I think about what's true and what's lie. I used to think things in my head were true. Sensory feedback from things like you [x2] I don't know why this must be, the guitar's misleading me. I don't know why I've got a social suicide, from a sensory overload. It's a hell of a time... Got a sensory overload, got a tricky little mind, Tricky little mind. Oh! Go! Because I think about the quivering flesh. Then I think about this urban mess. 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 this must be, the guitar's misleading me! I don't know why we've got a social suicide. Sensory overload....

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Song statistics

Archive coverage at a glance

40release versions
#155

155th most featured song

1documented show
#198

198th most played song

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Song Interpretations

What do you think this song is about? Share your interpretation and explain your reasoning.

3

Neil DavisSep 2, 2010
24 years after this song was released, Bad Religion brought back the lyric "Social Suicide" on TESF... possibly the oldest of their lyrical call-backs to previous albums.

Aside from, this song is extraordinarily weak. Sensory Overload has raw passion and aggression, but nary a hint of the intellectualism Bad Religion eventually became known for.
legacy memberApr 22, 2006 · edited Date unknown

In my relation, this song is about the unexplainable feeling you get when you connect to a piece of music and/or (preferably and) its lyrics. When you just feel it all together it swells and its like a supernatural force (self induced, of course) until you just can't take it and feel like you're going to burst. A "Sensory Overload". This also shows Brett's reflection of growing up and starting to understand his pla…

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In my relation, this song is about the unexplainable feeling you get when you connect to a piece of music and/or (preferably and) its lyrics. When you just feel it all together it swells and its like a supernatural force (self induced, of course) until you just can't take it and feel like you're going to burst. A "Sensory Overload".
This also shows Brett's reflection of growing up and starting to understand his place in the world and how he's different or unique. He starts to differentiate from the norm, "used to think the things in my head were true/ sensory feedback from things like you" reminds me of the teenaged compulsion and irrationality... particularly how guys react when girls lead them on or are sincere in a relationship then suddenly ditch or runaway because of some sort of pointless excuse. I think the lines before the middle of the song represent getting away from the compulsive thinking, "misleading".
This is generalized in the second half of the song, getting away from all predetermined schools of thought. thinking about "the quivering flesh" and "the urban mess", seeing the truths and wanting to share these revelations.
Finally, I think the parts about "misleading me" and more specifically, "the guitar's misleading me" is talking about how persuing the life of an artist or a punk rocker is viewed as a foolish mistake that leads to losers and ruin. I think this is a personal identification of realizing this, but going on with it anyway on faith that its worth it.
BryanJAug 16, 2004 · edited Date unknown
Considering the lyrics and the fact that this song is from their first EP, I think this is about the band. The basic message is something like "we know people don't approve but we're going to go ahead because we have something to say"