Bowling for Soup: Punk Rock 101 Meaning

Song Released: 2003

Punk Rock 101 Lyrics

She works at hot topic
His heart microscopic
She thinks that its love but to him its sex
He listens to emo but fat mike's his hero
His bank account's zero
What comes next?

Same song different chorus
It's stupid, contagious
To be broke...

1. 1TOP RATED

   #1 top rated interpretation:
   anonymous

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   Dec 6th 2006 !⃝

   the song is just about punk rock cliches.
   references to nirvana, bon jovi, hot topic, skating, etc etc.
   and how they are ridiculously overused and over referenced in pop culture.
2. anonymous

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   Jun 18th 2019 !⃝

   It’s a criticism to learning how to become punk - that’s amazingly represented by the cliche all over the lyrics. Punk rock is anarchism, anarchists don’t follow rules/ lessons. One can’t become punk rock by following protocols, but by recreating it smartly using references and not really caring about what punk was before. That’s what I love about BFS!
3. anonymous

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   Apr 30th 2011 !⃝

   I think the meaning of this song is that punk rock isn't something that can be put into cliches. The song talks about all of the punk rock cliches like skateboarding, spiked hair, the store hot topic, etc. The lyrics "can someone please save us from punk rock 101" is a cry for a new style of punk instead of the same old look.
4. juliavisser

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   Apr 21st 2009 !⃝

   ooooohhhhh listen:
   
   
   kurt cobain from nirvana wrote in his suicide letter about something called 'punk rock 101' look it up at wikipedia
   
   so it is very obvious that this song called punk rock 101 contains the 'smelss like teen spirit' lyrics..
   
   
   however im from holland so i dont understand what punk rock 101 actually means... what does the 101 stand for? sorry lol haha

   This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
5. anonymous

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   Feb 8th 2009 !⃝

   I think that the key point of interpretation that it is personal. How one relates a song to themselves changes what the lyrics mean to them. When I recently quoted from this song I was referencing a situation that was the same as it was the last time I was there. Now I am not going into details cuz I don't want to, but That situation hasn't changed thus Nothing ever changes, Just the names and faces; relates to all that is different are the main players.
   
   I think Someone please SAVE US from Punk Rock 101, is a cry for change. A cry to move on from the Rock era; and all the things that Punk Rock taught and teaches our generations. That something should change because It's stupid, and contagious.
   
   What we do effects everyone. --contagious.
   
   Peace.
6. anonymous

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   Feb 18th 2007 !⃝

   I think you've all read to into it...it's just a song about punk rock... and the lifestyle...and the 'the story never changes just the names and faces' is just about how loads of people live the lifestyle.
7. anonymous

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   Feb 13th 2007 !⃝

   Punk Rock 101 has a lot of references to a lot of other punk songs, so the name "Punk Rock 101" could mean that it "teaches" you about Punk Rock. Also, the situation that the girl is in is like a punk rock song; it's bad, but it still keeps happening over and over again, with only a few minor and irrelevant differences each time.
8. anonymous

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   Feb 13th 2007 !⃝

   The song has a lot of references to other songs, mostly in the punk genre. A lot of these songs have odd remixes, so Punk Rock 101 says that the situation is like a punk song; stupid, contagious, etc. and it just keeps happening over and over anyway.
9. anonymous

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   Nov 30th 2006 !⃝

   This song is about how nothing ever changes. There's always that guy that likes that girl, but she's with a total prick. The end result is all the same. Nothing changes.
10. anonymous

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    Jul 29th 2006 !⃝

    Tommy and Gina and livin on a prayer are all from a bon jovi song

    This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
11. anonymous

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    Jul 29th 2006 !⃝

    This song is about a girl who loves a guy who is just with her for the sex. It is talking about what a screwed up life they have because they would never have worked out.
    
    The whole "the story never changes; just the names and faces" line is saying that one of america's biggest problems is that this keeps happening with young couples that don't work out.
    
    Living on a prayer is a bon jovi song
12. anonymous

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    May 28th 2006 !⃝

    Actually in Kurt Cobain's suicide letter it says punk rock 101 which is obviously where the song name comes from. He also quotes a neil young song my my hey hey which is the same song as hey hey my my just with a diffrent chourus and I believe the song punk rock 101 says "same song diffrent chorus"
    
    I may be wrong though, just my opinion that that song hs been inspired my Kurdt's death.
13. anonymous

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    Apr 4th 2006 !⃝

    ummm pay attention to the lyrics people it's about a couple that is crashing and like in the part "the story never changes, just the names and faces..." because there with new people yet its no different from when they were together... Its also a bit about the whole punk rock thing.

    This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
14. jealousyellowstar

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    Oct 1st 2005 !⃝

    I don't believe that that lyric comes from "Smells Like Teen Spirit" because from what I've read, being a BFS fan, they don't really like Nirvana that much. But it's the same idea. The fact that punk rock is 'Stupid, contagious'.
15. youstupidmoron

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    Apr 20th 2004 !⃝

    A lyric in this song reads:
    "It's stupid; contagious
    To be broke and famous"
    I believe that this comes from a Nirvana lyric in "Smells Like Teen Spirit":
    "I feel stupid and contagious"

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