In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
Our buildings have fallen
Our walls all caved in,
And we can't comprehend this sad state
That we're in so we sift through the ashes
Of what we've become and surrender
Here one by one, so push us down
And we get right back up again
The things you're telling me aren't making any sense
Right back up again
I'm sick of wishing for someone else to come
Let the blind lead the blind
'Cause it's eye for an eye in your so called life
Are you out there? are you listening?
Is there something we're still missing?
Let the blind lead the blind,
'Cause it's eye for an eye, we all fall down
And we get right back up again,
The things you're telling me aren't making any sense
Right back up again
I'm sick of wishing for someone else to come
We're spinning out of control
We're trying to find somewhere to land
And I don't want you to know
The things that keep me down
We get right back up again
Our walls all caved in,
And we can't comprehend this sad state
That we're in so we sift through the ashes
Of what we've become and surrender
Here one by one, so push us down
And we get right back up again
The things you're telling me aren't making any sense
Right back up again
I'm sick of wishing for someone else to come
Let the blind lead the blind
'Cause it's eye for an eye in your so called life
Are you out there? are you listening?
Is there something we're still missing?
Let the blind lead the blind,
'Cause it's eye for an eye, we all fall down
And we get right back up again,
The things you're telling me aren't making any sense
Right back up again
I'm sick of wishing for someone else to come
We're spinning out of control
We're trying to find somewhere to land
And I don't want you to know
The things that keep me down
We get right back up again
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The chorus offers a glimmer of optimism and a chance at a resolution and redemption in the future.
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I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
No Surprises
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Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
Blue
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Ed Sheeran
“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.
Before I say anything else, this is my interpretation only and I pulled this out of my ass, so this is not official by any means.
DT9832, I think you're on to something with 9/11. Rise Against is a somewhat political group (what punk band isn't?) and they've likely got something to say. After the attacks the devastation was enormous and people were confused and scared ("we can't comprehend the sad state that we're in") so they were willing to surrender to the freedom-limiting government reforms ("surrender here one by one"). The message is that the way to truly win in this is with infinite resolve ("so push us down and we get right back up again"). The title Broken English and the line "the things you're telling me aren't making any sense" would be about the reaction to the attacks (reducing rights with sweeping anti-terrorism legislation and launching bombs) and how they feel these tactics don't make sense.
The most creative line in the song is "so let the blind lead the blind, cause it's eye for an eye" which takes two well known cliched concepts and ties them together. By fighting fire with fire (eye for an eye) we become blind (Ghandi's saying, "an eye for an eye leaves everyone blind"), and those blind in turn lead the blind "in your so called life" (expressing that he does not agree).
This is the real interesting part of interpreting songs, because all these things could be metaphors for a relationship and I could be way off. But it's great when songs are this way...it can mean something different to everyone. Either way, great song, great band.
I like the 9/11 thing, it sounds like since the towers fell we started to listen to the Bush administration. The line "I'm sick of waiting for someone else to come", sounds like he's saying he is sick of waiting out the years until Bush is out. Pretty much no matter what bullshit we are told by him, and how we are restricted with a lot of the new bills passed (patriot act for example) we get back up again and start again as a country, but it's hard to see that in our war torn and terrorized state.
Dang, the intro sounds a lot like "Survive"
Oh man. This song is absolutely INCREDIBLE. Especially live. The whoel crowd gets into it. This is definately a fist pumping song.
I agree.. this is probably the best song off Revolutions.. as well as Black Masks and Gasoline.
"I'm sick of wishing for someone else to come" ..i love this line... and this song ...and Rise Against<3
this song isnt emo
yeah...i don't know where you got the emo thing from, max112...Rise Against is far from emo...
yeah it isnt emo... and fuck yes, this song rocks. I saw them Live and when they played this the whole crowd went nuts and sang along. Rise Against are the best band ever, and sound even better live. RISE AGAINST 4 LIFE
yeah it isnt emo... and fuck yes, this song rocks. I saw them Live and when they played this the whole crowd went nuts and sang along. Rise Against are the best band ever, and sound even better live. RISE AGAINST 4 LIFE