‘25 Years’ is about Anselmo’s falling out with his father. Anselmo had been abused by his old man when he was younger and these lyrics are the outlet for his anger he felt towards him.
Anselmo was also 25 years old at the time of writing.
[Instrumental Intro 00:00-01:25]
[Verse 1]
I vent my frustration at you, old man
After years, your ears will hear
You screamed that you tried
But it's words of a weakling
And promises made by a liar, drunken liar
Now you pick up that splintered chair
That was aiming for your head
A head that should have been long ago
Kicked in by me
Alone
[Pre-Chorus]
I won't lose a second of sleep for this
Not again...
[Chorus]
Don't touch me
Don't touch me
Don't touch me
No
Ever again
Don't touch me
Don't touch me
Don't touch me
[Verse 2]
Orphaned to the dope and drinks
I learned my lessons well, somehow from you
No tears, can't clutch my regrets
But these years of detachment
Have left me with demons now surfacing
But I'm becoming more than nothing
You never knew the answers
To any of my questions, did you?
You made up all the answers
To my unimportant existence
[Pre-Chorus]
You don't have to dump me off
Not again...
[Chorus]
Don't touch me
Don't touch me
Don't touch me
Fuck, no
Ever again
Don't touch me
Don't touch me
Don't touch me
Fuck, no
Don't touch me
Never again
Don't touch me
Don't touch me again
[Bridge]
I vow, lest I die tomorrow
Tomorrow, tomorrow
Tomorrow, tomorrow, tomorrow...
[Verse 3]
You'll never be the father I am
The bastard father to the thousands
Of the ugly, criticized, the unwanted
The ones with fathers just like you
We're fucking you back, fucking you back
I'm shoving my life right down your throat
Can I find the guts? Can I feel the heart?
Look at the ground as you choke me up
Does it taste like tequila? Or failure?
[Refrain]
We're fucking you back
We're fucking you back
We're fucking you back
We're fucking you back
[Outro]
Criticize what you wreck
We're fucking you back
Fucking you back
The unwanted
The ones with fathers just like you
We're fucking you back
Fucking you back
We're fucking you back
25 Years was written by Vinnie Paul & Dimebag Darrell & Rex Brown & Phil Anselmo.
25 Years was produced by Terry Date.