My Top 1000 Songs #255: History Lesson Pt. II

[I've been writing up my Top 1000 songs on a daily basis--you can see them all in descending order by hitting the All My Favorite Songs tag.]

A surprisingly endearing little ditty from the legendary Minutemen. Tucked in amongst the barrage of brief yet densely-packed punk, hardcore, and jazz-infused indie rock proclamations on their sweeping 1984 landmark Double Nickels On The Dime, "History Lesson Pt. II" was a wonderful anomaly. Accompanied by a sweet, catchy, folk-tinged acoustic guitar riff, the late D. Boon relayed a spoken-word history of growing up with bassist Mike Watt, checking out punk rock shows, and starting a band. It rings instantly true and relatable for any lover of music, punk or otherwise, conveying the joy of musical immersion in a far more heartfelt, personal way than a thousand cliched "rock & roll saved my life" anthems.

"Our band could be your life. Real names be proof. Me & Mike played for years. Punk rock changed our life." 

Feels like you're right there in the van with them on the way to a gig, sharing a beer and reminiscing.

Live in '85: