A moment of silence please for those who never get the chance
They show up to the party but they're never asked to dance
The losers the liars the bastards the thieves
The cynicists, the pessimists and those that don't believe in nothing

I never met a loser that I didn't see eye to eye with, I declare
I stare into your eyes
But you look right past me into the air
What's it like to stand in your shoes?
To have never felt the belt of somebody's abuse?
I take the bottle and I tip it to all my heroes that have passed
Alas, you have left us but your stories they will last
Uninspired by the recruiting call
Independent we stand
Independent we fall

So tell me: how long do you think you can go before you lose it all?
Before they call you bluff and watch you fall?
I don't know but I'd like to think I had control
At some point but I let it go and lost my soul
Sit tight but the revolution's years away
I'm losing faith and I'm running low on things to say
So I guess I have no choice but to regurgitate
The tired anthem of a loser and a hypocrite
Oh! to have died that night I realized it wouldn't last!
Our days were numbered and the reaper tipped the hourglass
The final mayday of our sinking ship had come and passed
Oh! to the west, you don't know what it is you're running from
And everybody's laughing loud
Your last chance to make your mother and father proud

Oh, oh, oh

A moment of silence please for those who never get the chance
They show up to the party but they're never asked to dance
The losers the liars the bastards the thieves
The cynicists, the pessimists and those that don't believe in nothing

They said "a pox
Upon your house
Upon your family and everyone you knew
And everyone you'll ever meet"
I bet they think we wish we joined when we could
But we do what we want we don't do what we should
Now everybody's laughing because they're thinking they in on something I don't get
Don't forget
I connect and I read every word you said
Like a child who believes he was wronged
If you hate me so much then stop singing my songs

So tell me: how long do you think you can go before you lose it all?
Before they call you bluff and watch you fall?
I don't know but I'd like to think I had control
At some point but I let it go and lost my soul
Sit tight but the revolution's years away
I'm losing faith and I'm running low on things to say
So I guess I have no choice but to regurgitate
The tired anthem of a loser and a hypocrite
Oh! to have died that night I realized it wouldn't last!
Our days were numbered and the reaper tipped the hourglass
The final mayday of our sinking ship had come and passed
Oh! to the west, you don't know what it is you're running from
And everybody's laughing loud
Your last chance to make your mother and father proud

Oh, oh, oh


Lyrics submitted by SlapsterMcFlash, edited by CoffeeEyes, Scepvyle

A Moment of Silence Lyrics as written by Brett Beavers Steve Bogard

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Reservoir Media Management, Inc., Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.

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A Moment of Silence song meanings
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43 Comments

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  • +2
    General Comment

    I saw them play this live in Providence, RI, last week. Before the song previous to this, Tomas had said the band had been sick and a little lacking in vocals, so the crowd would have to make up for it. So they finish that and start the intro to this, and they always pause for a little bit longer than the CD version before starting the first "A moment of silence please...". Well someone in the crowd started singing before they could, perfectly in time with the studio song, and he got about 3 words out on his own when everybody else joined in. The crowd sang the entire first chorus themselves as SM just watched in amazement. Tomas then paused the song a little later and said that it was "the first time that had ever happened...and it was fucking awesome".

    MattieCampon February 16, 2005   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    i think this song is just about being a reject and how hard it is. and how the conformists will try and crush you down no matter what. and its like even though he's big and famous now he still feels like a reject and still "sees eye to eye" with them

    the key line is "the tired anthem of a loser and a hypocrite" i think. thats what this song is. its this guy who thinks hes a loser and a hypocrite rambling about whats its like

    abnormallityon July 18, 2006   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    definately a favourite SM song

    not really sure of my interpretation of the lyrics though

    if it really is about kalnoky and catch 22 that's kinda disappointing, using a song that people will inevitably listen to as a means of delivering a personal vendetta to the masses seems a little catty. I agree with mrpants5060...it's a song about the people who live life on the fringe of what's normal.

    anyway, kudos on the tune and melody. V awesome

    PHANTOMLIMBon November 17, 2008   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    God, this song is amazing.

    It makes me happy, because my favorite people always seem to be the awkward kids.

    ...this song is pretty straight forward, he seems to be talking to a person symbolic of normalcy

    deadcow666on May 11, 2009   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    Maybe, just MAYBE, the song has multiple meanings. Because, as was said a little earlier, Tom is an incredible lyricist - which means that he intended the song to be interpreted on different levels.

    I'm sure the song could be about Catch-22. However, it is short-sighted and downright foolish to disallow any other interpretation.

    Oh, and I always thought the line was "Independent we stand/And dependant we fall," but that's probably just a mondegreen of mine.

    bugmenot123on August 25, 2006   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    the best lyricist is one that can make a song that can be interpreted in different ways

    kalnoky's fucking amazing

    ska_loveon October 12, 2006   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    i love the line "so tell me: how long do you think you can go before you lose it all? before they call you bluff and watch you fall? i don't know but i'd like to think i had control at some point but i let it go and lost my soul"

    No idea what it means but it is fuckin ausome

    Chewy038on April 28, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    i think this song is about how kalnoky is angry at Catch 22, and how he thinks they are writing meaningless and crappy music just to earn cash.

    shfifty_fiveon April 27, 2004   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I totaly agree, by reading the lyrics of this song and especialy in these few parts:

    "if you hate me so much then stop singing my songs" Catch 22 still sing old song, they are good but thay are kalnoky's songs

    "our days were numbered and the reaper tipped the hourglass" Kalnoky's days in Catch weren't happy and they knew that the end of their union was coming fast... too fast

    bob3lbon May 03, 2004   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    This song has nothing to do with Catch 22. You picked 2 lines out of the whole song and put it into that context. What about the rest of the song!?

    pmolaughlinon November 01, 2004   Link

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