“Punching Bag” by Set It Off
Set It Off is a rock band from Tampa that has been around since 2008. The act is currently a trio, consisting of frontman Cody Carson and guitarist Zach DeWall, both of whom are co-founders, alongside Maxx Danziger, the drummer who joined the crew in 2010.
Between 2012 and 2022, this act has dropped five studio albums. “Punching Bag” was released some time afterwards, on 24 March 2023, as a standalone single.
Whereas Set It Off was formerly signed to Equal Vision Records and subsequently Fearless Records, this track reportedly marks the band’s first indie release.
The producer of this song is a musician who has been active for about a decade by the name of Jon Lundin. Jon co-wrote “Punching Bag” with Cody Carson.
Punching Bag
What the title/thesis sentiment revolves around is the vocalist likening himself to a punching bag, a device that is used for boxing practice, in terms of his relationship with the addressee. The individual in question is a toxic associate who abuses Cody in a way that is metaphorically similar to how boxers utilize a punching bag.
The nature of the relationship between the vocalist and addressee is not specified. But logic would dictate that it’s one in which they’re pretty close, and perhaps Cody cannot get away even if he wanted to.
“So say goodbye to your Mr. Nice Guy
You got your wish, he’s rotting in Hell
I’m up all night when you think I’m sleeping
People pleasing’s never good for your health
So go f–k yourself”
But that is not the conclusive sentiment of the track. Rather, the vocalist has endured this abuse to the point where he can’t take it anymore. So now, he’s telling the addressee to “go f*-k” him or herself. And again, it’s not specified how exactly he intends to get his vengeance, if you will.
But the implication is that his mindstate has now developed such that henceforth he plans to counter this person’s mistreatment with some harshness of his own.
