One of the coolest aspects about the alternative rock scene in the 90s was how it incorporated so many different styles of music. That included interesting hybrids where two seemingly disparate styles were jammed together in unique fashion. The Mighty Mighty Bosstones carved out their own little niche in the 90s scene. They combined the bouncy energy of ska with the sneering energy of punk. And they hit their commercial peak with the thought-provoking 1997 song “The Impression That I Get”.
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A Mighty Tale
As you should be able to tell from their name, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones came together in the Boston area. The earliest incarnation of the group was formed in 1983. They immediately started to set themselves apart in their region with their frenzied live shows and their affinity for plaid clothing.
They made steady advances throughout the 80s, climbing the typical steps on their way to mainstream success. That included independent releases and inclusion on popular package tours. With their horns and the barbed-wire vocals of lead singer Dicky Barrett, they tended to stand out no matter where they performed.
Some MTV exposure came in accordance with their first major label deal. One major turning point was their appearance in the 1995 film Clueless. All that set the table for a breakthrough opportunity with their 1997 album Let’s Face It. And they take full advantage of it with “The Impression That I Get”.
A Lasting “Impression”
For a band known for its somewhat anarchic personality, “The Impression That I Get” is striking for how thoughtful it actually is. Written by band members Dicky Barrett and Joe Gittleman, the song first appeared on a 1996 benefit album dedicated to the killings of two Massachusetts abortion clinic workers.
Barrett wrote the lyrics after attending a funeral. The Mighty Mighty Bosstones released “The Impression That I Get” as the lead single from Let’s Face It. And it quickly gained them major exposure on MTV and alternative radio.
The song didn’t actually dent the pop charts, but that was only because it wasn’t sold separately. You had to buy the album to purchase it. Nonetheless, “The Impression That I Get” quickly put the song on the mainstream map. The Bosstones never matched it with subsequent releases, even though they conducted a long, successful career that seemed to end in 2022 with the announcement of their disbandment.
Behind the Lyrics of “The Impression That I Get”
“The Impression That I Get” talks about the effect that tragedy has on the lives of those left behind. Barrett addresses his audiences with a series of questions. “Have you ever felt a pain so powerful,” he wonders. “So heavy you collapse.” And then: “Have you ever had the odds stacked up so high / You need a strength most don’t possess?”
He admits that tragedy hasn’t quite come that close to him yet. “I’m not a coward I’ve just never been tested,” he admits. “I’d like to think that if I was I would pass.” The screaming chorus drives home his point. “I’ve never had to knock on wood,” he bellows. “But I know someone who has / Which makes me wonder if I could.”
The kids pogoing around to the song who stopped to listen to the lyrics likely thought about their own mortality and those of their loved ones. That’s the surprising potency of “The Impression That I Get”, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones’ moment in the mainstream sun.
Photo via The Mighty Mighty Bosstones
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