OFFSPRING SELF ESTEEMThe Offspring Self Esteem music album contains their smash hit titled -well, ‘Self Esteem’ of course … from the original album ‘Smash’. The lyrics are full of angst and self loathing, as a discarded lover laments the way his girlfriend uses him and admits he allows it because he’s ‘a sucker with no self esteem.’ The band, formed in 1984, originally styled itself ‘Manic Subsidal’. After a few hitches and shuffling of membership, they finally found their feet, changing the name to Offspring in 1985. Their first single was ‘I’ll Be Waiting’ / ‘Blackball’, released in ‘86 as a double sided 7” vinyl record and now a prized collector’s item. The band struggled to break into the mainstream from ‘85 to ‘93, releasing two albums. ‘The Offspring’ was first, debuting on vinyl in ‘89 (and only released on CD in ‘95), followed by ‘Ignition’ in ‘92, which did better than expected and finally started getting the band more attention. Offspring’s big breakthrough into the mainstream rock venue came with the release of their third album ‘Smash’ in 1994. ‘Self Esteem’ was one of the albums top hits, and the album itself set a record for most units sold off an independent label. The band’s tendency to frame issues such as low self-esteem, depression, and untapped potential is obvious in songs from their album ‘Americana’ in 1998. “The Kid’s Aren’t All Right’, ‘She’s Got Issues’, “Why Don’t You Get A Job?” and ‘Pretty Fly (For a White Guy)’ all depict people with low self-esteem, depression or confidence problems, and paint a disturbing picture of today’s youth and culture. The lyrics to ‘Self Esteem’ sum it up when the downtrodden boyfriend states: ‘Now I know I'm being used That's okay man cause I like the abuse I know she's playing with me That's okay cause I've got no self esteem’ Ten years after they originally formed, Offspring remains one of the most popular alternative rock groups of the last two decades, with eight albums under their belt and a solid fan base both in the States and abroad. The Offspring ‘Self Esteem’ video can be seen and heard on YouTube Children's self-esteem
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