I'm Bad

Violent Femmes · Freak Magnet [2000]

bad bad bad bad bad

bad bad bad bad bad

bad bad bad bad

I was bas born

I'd be badder when I die

I'm bad when I am sober

I'm badder when I'm high

I'm when I feel good

I'm bad when I'm blue

I'm bad to myself

So I'll be bad to you

So I'll be bad to you

I should've been good

Look at the trouble I've had

I would if I could

But I'm just bad

bad bad bad bad bad

bad bad bad bad

I'm, bad and I'm alive

I'll be badder when I'm dead

I'm bad in my body

man I'm badder in the head

I'm bad in the bed

Something wrong from the start

Guilt in my mind

Evil in my heart

Evil in my heart

I don't need to be happy

I don't care if I'm sad

I don't care about nothin'

Cause I'm bad bad bad bad bad

bad bad bad bad

Don't lend me a dollar

Don't lend me a dime

Don't lend me your wife

She'll have a good time

I'm bad in my car

I'm badder when I'm home

I'm bad when I'm with you

And I'm badder all alone

I'm a low down worm

I'm a conquering worm

I'm a blood-suckin' worm

I'm a slime baitin' worm

I'll put you on the hook

And I'll watch you squirm

I could never learn

Any young turks new tricks

I could never learn

Not to kick against the pricks

Things go from bad to worse

Sometimes it makes me glad

That I was born

Under the Curse of being bad bad bad bad bad

bad bad bad bad

Don't lend me a dollar

Don't lend me dime,

Don't lend me your wife

She'll have a good time

Don't lend me a twenty,

Don't lend me a ten,

If you lend me a hundread

You'll never see me again

What I would do

These are the very things I don't do

And what I would not do

Those are the things that i do

Who shall deliver from this body of death

It's not Muhammed

And it's not Seth

I tried to be happy

But it onyl made me sad

I wanted to be good

But I'm just bad bad bad bad bad

bad bad bad bad bad

bad bad bad bad bad

bad bad bad

I'm Bad

Violent Femmes' "I'm Bad" stands as a quintessential example of the band's signature sound, blending jangly guitar work with a driving, rhythmic pulse that defined the alternative rock landscape of the late 1980s and early 1990s. Originally recorded for their 2000 compilation album, Freak Magnet, the track captures the group's ability to transform simple melodies into anthems of restless energy. The song exemplifies the band's unique approach to songwriting, where catchy hooks are delivered with a raw, unpolished authenticity that resonated deeply with fans of the genre. Its enduring popularity highlights the band's influence on the indie and garage rock movements, showcasing how their music transcended fleeting trends to become a staple of the era's cultural memory.