“Safety Pin Stuck in My Heart”

Originally a song by punk legend Patrik Fitzgerald, it was covered by Rancid frontman Tim Armstrong in his intriguing side project Tim Timebomb and Friends. Both versions are cool, but I enjoy the fast-paced, more intense version from TT&F (that Rancid is my favorite band has something to do with it, as well). It’s a nice love ballad in which the singer is looking past the superficial punk appearance/accoutrements to the indescribable qualities that captivate him.

I like to let the lyrics of a song inspire the visuals as much as possible, and the main thing I latched onto (besides the safety pins) was the line about “graveyard eyes.” Not sure what that even means, but it sounds cool! That sort of spun off into the persona of a Franken-zombie punk chick, equal parts enticing and scary.

I enjoyed employing a more graphic approach to the visuals, and I liked how the color tones of the foreground and background play off each other.

Lyrics

I don’t love you for your graveyard eyes
I don’t love you for your shaven thighs
I just love you for that
Beat-beat-beat-beat-beating

I don’t love you for your tattered tie
I don’t love you, and I don’t know why
I just love you for that
Beat-beat-beat-beat-beating

I’ve got a safety pin stuck in my heart
For you, for you

I don’t love you for your professed hate
I don’t love you for your cards of fate
I just love you for that
Beat-beat-beat-beat-beating

I don’t love you for your painted shoes
I don’t love you for your friends you never choose
I just love you for that
Beat-beat-beat-beat-beating

I’ve got a safety pin stuck in my heart
For you, for you

I don’t love you for your many reasons
Propagandas, doctrines, treasons
All I know’s that
Beat-beat-beat-beat-beating

I’ve got an ear inflamed on my dog chain
Painted faces, painted names –
My shirt – it’s all that
Beat-beat-beat-beat-beating

I’ve got a safety pin stuck in my heart
For you, for you