Fifteen (band) - Songwriting and Politics

Songwriting and Politics

Fifteen was notable for their lyrical content and political beliefs as much as their music. Ott approached political issues in a more personal, "storyteller" mode than is typical of punk rock music. Fifteen addressed issues such as environmentalism, pacifism, homelessness, drug addiction, child abuse, racism and sexism. Ott's lyrics were often written in the first-person narrative style, as he himself was a victim of child abuse and was homeless for much of the band's early career. Jeff Ott is also a recovering alcoholic and drug addict.

A running theme in Fifteen song titles is the "-tion" suffix, a nod to the overuse of this suffix in Crimpshrine song titles. Some Fifteen songs, such as "Run II" and "Liberation II", are often sequels to songs written by Ott or other artists.

Many Fifteen songs are tributes to friends of the band who have died, including "Front", "Chris' Song", and "Welcome to Berkeley". "Brian's Song" on the album Survivor refers to the death of Brian Deneke.

Love songs featured prominently on the first three Fifteen albums, but are completely absent from later releases. Ott addresses his stance towards love songs in the track "Liberation II", a song about codependency.