Philly Plain Dealer

Can you think of a better love song than the hit ‘Punk Rock Girl’ by Philadelphia’s own, The Dead Milkmen? Neither can I.

It’s a punk song. I don’t need to analyze the lyrics because the meaning is obvious. The song is fairly timeless despite references to Philly businesses that have since closed. “One Saturday I took a walk to Zipperhead, I met a girl there and she almost knocked me dead” is in reference to the iconic yet questionably named store located at 407 South Street, operating from 1981-2005. It currently operates as an archival space for the popular store, and the original structure of the exterior still remains. In 2025 it wouldn’t be surprising if someone in the punk scene almost knocked someone dead for saying “Zipperhead”…progress!

It may be known as a silly punk song to most, but even Anthony Genaro touches on themes of socioeconomic status and symbols when he writes about meeting punk rock girl’s parents, her father taking a look at him and being sent into a full-blown tizzy. How dare a rich girl date a crust punk. “It makes no sense!”

The subjects of the song go to a pizza shop (Philly Pizza Company is not only permanently closed, but it was located in D.C. while it was operating), order hot tea and shout “anarchy!” when the waitress says they don’t serve it. Although I haven’t witnessed this specific situation, I can tell you that people certainly get riled up when a pizza shop doesn’t serve their beverage of choice.

Critics are and have always been divided when it comes to opinions on the song as well as the album, Beelzebubba. Some write it off as a silly and meaningless work. Others refer to it as a true punk art form and have compared it to The Beatles’ White Album (Nicholas Pell, LA Weekly, February 2016). Philly Mag named The Dead Milkmen “Best Musician” in their Best of Philly this year.

Punk isn’t written for critics, though. It’s written by working class people for working class people.

Perhaps the most relatable lines of the song for Philly residents are as follows:

“We got into a car
Away we started rollin’
I said, ‘How much you pay for this?’
She said, ‘Nothing, man, it’s stolen!’”

So next time your car gets stolen, check your biases. You think the Kia Boys got you, but it could have just been a punk rock girl. Listen to Philadelphia’s scummiest love song for yourself.