Crawl

Frontman Caleb Followill explained to The Daily Telegraph September 17, 2008: "It honestly feels as if America has to learn how to crawl again before it can walk tall." He added: "In (Biblical) prophecy, it says at the end of days there will be wars and rumours of wars. Look at all the hurricanes and earthquakes and everything that's going on, to me its almost like what has been done in America has brought on the feeling of a religious war, and along with that a lot of other prophecies are coming to pass. It scares me."

Caleb joked to Rolling Stone magazine about this song's political stance: "Let's just say that Sean Penn is gonna like us more."

Caleb told Uncut magazine October 2008 the background to this song: "I think that just came from us being a band that pretty much grew up in Europe, and we couldn't really enjoy the success that we had because every time we went to a restaurant, everyone looked at us like we were these people that came from a country that supported war and supported all the terrible, terrible decisions and mistakes that were goin' on in America. Everyone in f--king country music and Green Day and all these other people were writing songs about America, so we refused to write anything political. But I always knew if I wanted to ever do it, I was going to do it like Rage Against the Machine — it wasn't going to be some ballad. If you really believe in something, you should be able to scream it from a mountain. But all of my songs are about five different things, usually. It's just talking about how someone can just come in and f--k everything up and then they're gone, and everyone else has to deal with the consequences."

So yeah its a lot about the direction America is going. At the time this was written, 2008. We just got out of an expensive war, housing market collapsed and recession was brewing.

It's a slam against all politicians.

"As the rat, and the fly They're searching for an alibi As we await the wrath They never went to Sunday Mass"

The rat or crooked politician and the fly on the wall or people that are in on it are looking for ways to lie about our country as its being destroyed from the inside out by people who have no moral qualities.

"The reds and the whites and abused The crucified USA As their hypocrisy unfolds Oh hell is truly on its way"

The American have been trying their best but are getting crucified by taxes going up, spending more on nonsense and used by the system. Both corrupt political parties. Their lies are becoming more and more obvious...destruction is coming.

You broke my mouth The bloody bits are spitting out Is your grave unscathed The worm is counting down the days

You broke my mouth - meaning its harder for individual Americans to have a voice because politicians are evil. The more we say the worse it gets. Will the politicians truly go to the grave as the good people they claim to be...the worms in the grave are counting down the days.

"You fault my pride Don't ever need to apologize As your lips unfold Shakin' purple from the cold"

Probably a reference to Obama's inauguration when it is freezing cold and his lips unfold as he talks to the nation. I'm certain Caleb does not like Obama as this song was written right after elections and the song is about America's doom. Obama notably faulted Americans for the worlds problems claiming we need to apologize to the world, yet Obama won't apologize for the way politicians act. Hes just another puppet full of hypocrisy.