title edit: added time length edit: replaced lyrics link with sonichits
Posted documentary video on US side of Skinheads/Baldies/other and thought to share some music as well.
Lyrics and meaning:
https://sonichits.com/video/The_Skinflicks/What_I_Am
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH PATRICK KLEINBAUER FROM THE SKINFLICKS [Mar 08 2023 | Al Bastard | punkrockinterviews]
https://punkrockinterviews.com/exclusive-interview-with-patrick-kleinbauer-from-the-skinflicks/
Here is an alternative Piped link(s):
https://piped.video/watch?v=wiCQBUlvsfs
Piped is a privacy-respecting open-source alternative frontend to YouTube.
I’m open-source; check me out at GitHub.
The lyrics to The Skinflicks’s song What I Am are a defiant statement of identity in the face of societal pressures to conform. The song emphasizes the importance of self-expression and the rejection of political ideologies that seek to control or manipulate individuals. The skinhead identity, according to the song, is about more than just fashion choices - it represents a rejection of both far-right and far-left political beliefs in favor of a distinct cultural identity.
The lines “They tell you what clothes to wear / And they tell you how to cut your hair” suggest that society tries to dictate how individuals should look and behave, but the skinhead subculture refuses to adhere to these norms. Instead, the skinheads “pull on the boots and roll up the jeans” as a symbol of their resistance. The song doesn’t shy away from the controversy surrounding the skinhead movement, acknowledging the association with far-right ideologies and rejecting them, declaring “I’m not a nazi, I’m not a red / I’ve had enough of your politics.” The repeated refrain of “That’s what I am, it’s all I wanna be” reinforces the idea that skinheads prioritize their cultural identity over political affiliations.
In summary, What I Am by The Skinflicks is a celebration of skinhead culture as a distinct and valuable identity that rejects political extremism and societal pressure to conform.