Songfacts®:

• Schadenfreude is defined as "malicious enjoyment derived from observing someone else's misfortune," so the singer claims to be working in a traveling attraction where he puts the suffering of other people on display for the world to see. He claims that he's not trying to make friends and he's doing this because he "won't forget who sold me out." >>

  Suggestion credit:
  Alec - Yorktown Heights, NY
• Aside from lead singer Ben Weasel, Carnival Of Schadenfreude, the punk-rock group's 12th EP, features an entirely new lineup. It was released on the heels of a disastrous South by Southwest Festival performance on March 11 that effectively blew up the band and inspired this song. Leading up to the event, lead singer Ben Weasel criticized SXSW on Twitter, calling it "the most joyless, soulless, shameful excuse of a music event in modern history." He continued his rant on stage during Screeching Weasel's performance at the Scoot Inn in Austin, Texas, taking aim at the music industry, the media, and the festival (which he dubbed a "carnival of schadenfreude"). When a female audience member tossed ice cubes in the singer's face, Weasel jumped into the crowd and started throwing punches at the woman and one of the club's female owners who attempted to intervene.
  
  Although he issued an apology for the assault, the damage was done within the band and everyone else quit.
• This features Zac Damon on guitar, Dave Klein on bass, and Pierre Marche on drums. Shortly after the EP's release, Klein left to join Black Flag and was replaced by Zach "Poutine" Brandner. Also new to the lineup, although not included on the EP, is Mike Hunchback on rhythm guitar.