AJJ has long used their music as a vehicle to communicate about mental health, often with illusions to bizarre bodily anomalies or just the outright murder of Jesus Christ. So we picked out some of our favorite AJJ songs based on how likely they are to remind you that you’ve forgotten to take your meds for a long time. (Listen to the playlist while you read)
25. “Rejoice”
Starting off on the manic side of the spectrum here. You can feel free to rejoice all you want while listening to this earworm, but also remember that you need to talk to a psychiatrist before they will refill your prescription.
24. “My Brain Is a Human Body”
This song title is a frightening example of the kind of dissociative body dysmorphia that you could easily avoid if you would just pay attention when your reminder alarm goes off.
23. “Growing Up”
Oh boy. It wasn’t that long ago that were a punk kid singing this one with all your heart and absolutely no fucking idea that the real growing up was still ahead of you and far weirder than you think it is. Think about that every time you sweat when you eat now.
22. “Linda Ronstadt”
Who among us hasn’t had a full-on emotional breakdown in a modern art museum at 3 p.m. on a Wednesday before? This song is a great reminder to always take your pills before leaving for any sort of cultural event.
21. “Dissonance”
Losing touch with reality again? It could all be society’s fault. Or it could be the fact that when you don’t take your meds all you tend to consume on a daily basis is sweet wine from a jug and Junior Mints.
20. “God Made Dirt”
Here’s a throwback to AJJ’s first record for us all to remember. Also, remember you do need to get out of bed at some point this week – you can’t pee in jars all the time.
19. “A Song Dedicated To the Memory of Stormy Rabbit”
Don’t listen to this one if you’re on a low swing and are thinking about a goldfish you had once that died within six hours of you bringing it home. If you do, you will buy every guppy at PetSmart trying to fill that hole.
18. “People II 2: Still Peoplin’”
Hold up. This isn’t the song you think it is. That’s right, take another look at that title. Still a good song though. Sorry to confuse y’all. Be well.
17. “Do, Re, and Me”
We aren’t sure what kind of shared psychosis the members of the Heaven’s Gate cult eventually succumbed to that resulted in their mass suicide, but we’re gonna be optimistic and just assume they did actually get to ride on that comet. Godspeed, nutjobs! Godspeed!
16. “Cody’s Theme”
The frantic restlessness of being off of one’s meds for too long gives a certain kinship with Cody here. After all, who doesn’t enjoy bashing shit up behind Rite Aid every once in a while.
15. “Who Are You?”
An underrated song from towards the end of “Can’t Maintain,” is a fantastic reminder that even though someone whose absence played a significant role in your mental development, if you scrounge through their old things there may be some old pants in there you can steal for yourself.
14. “A Poem”
There will come a time when you will be able to look back and laugh on the notebooks you’ve written in over the past three unmedicated weeks. However, that time is in no way now. Take your pills for fuck’s sake!
13. “Sense & Sensibility”
A very pretty song for you to listen to calmly after you just spraypainted “Jane Austin is a Fucking hack!” on the walls of the gymnasium in a fit. Maye take a couple steps back from this right now.
12. “Guilt: The Song”
Fuck, man. This is a really depressing one. Maybe don’t give it a listen until you’ve re-stabilized and probably cleaned your apartment a couple half-dozen times. Wait, that’s just a regular dozen isn’t it?
11. “Angel of Death”
“Bad Lieutenant 2” really is the greatest movie ever. Nicolas Cage is an American god! Do you guys wanna hang out later?
10. “Daddy”
This song is actually the story of how The Hard Times gained all of its power and status. At least how that’s how we remember it. Some of the details are a little murky.
9. “Love in the Time of Human Papillomavirus”
Again, please don’t listen to this song until you have effectively stopped pooping out large wads of a substance that we can only describe as “coniferous sludge.” Now go look up what “coniferous” means and you can thank us in the comments for the visual.
8. “Personal Space Invader”
This song is underrated for so many reasons. It has a simple chord structure (even for AJJ songs) but it will always draw you in to remind you that you still need to call your therapist to explain why you bailed last Wednesday and schedule another appointment.
7. “Hate, Rain on Me”
The Hard Times wants to officially go on record as saying that whatever shitty person in your life made you feel as horrible as this song details is an asshole and we are on your side. Also, please put on real pants and go to the pharmacy.
6. “Schadenfreude”
This song’s good. But really we just didn’t want to frontload this list with songs from classic records. Enjoy!
5. “Small Red Boy”
The way this song moves between parts is very much like what is going on with your brain right now. You know what brings it home? A familiar chorus! Also, antipsychotics.
4. “Power Plant”
In a way, we really are all power plants. It’s kind of like “The Matrix.” But in a more accurate way, it’s actually like “The Matrix Revolutions” much less powerful and we’re all fundamentally bad. Fuck, where is that pill vial?
3. “A Big Day For Grimley”
Found it! It was under some of the pee jars.
2. “Children of God”
Well, we really slid into it here. Hope you enjoy songs about sky-teeth and USB arm outlets because this is what you have just stepped and fallen off into.
1. “People II: The Reckoning”
Let’s be honest – you knew this one was coming. Just sit back, listen to the discordant augmentation of “Mrs. Robinson” and try to get steady until the meds finally take effect. Good luck.