"Fast car" is kind of a continuation of Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run." It has all the clawing your way to a better life, but in this case the protagonist never makes it with her love; in fact she is dragged back down by him.
There is still an amazing amount of hope and will in the lyrics; and the lyrics themselve rank and easy five. If only music was stronger it would be one of those great radio songs that you hear once a week 20 years after it was released. The imagery is almost tear-jerking ("City lights lay out before us", "Speeds so fast felt like I was drunk"), and the idea of starting from nothing and just driving and working and denigrating yourself for a chance at being just above poverty, then losing in the end is just painful and inspiring at the same time.
Down, let's take it down
Raise up their heads on a stake
We will show no mercy on evolution's mistake
Change will have to wait, if we can't decide on a fate
Self-appointed prophets and their doomsday charade
You preach about love and teach about faith
But all your beliefs are still rooted in hate
Crosses still burn, axes still fall
And down on your knees, you just don't look so tall
Crosses still burn, axes still fall
And down on your knees, you just don't look so tall
Stop, punch in the clock, punch it with all of your rage
Put the man in office for a minimum wage
Rats, fighting for scraps, siphon the gas from your tank
Left your pockets empty, as they laugh to the bank
They speak about trust but make no mistake
They're shaking your hand while they spit in your face
Crosses still burn, axes still fall
And down on your knees, you just don't look so tall
Crosses still burn, axes still fall
And down on your knees, you just don't look so tall
Now, the time is now, we can still turn it around
Raise your voice like a weapon, 'til they fall to the ground
Light, let there be light without a shadow of doubt
We will fight tooth and nail until salvation is found
So how can you look the world in the eyes
When all we can see is corruption and lies
Down on your knees, you don't look so tall
Down on your knees, you don't look so tall
Crackin' the whip on the backs of the poor
We asked you to stop but you still wanted more
The blood on your hands left a trail as you crawl
Down on your knees you just don't look so tall
Crosses still burn, axes still fall
Down on your knees, you just don't look so tall
Crosses still burn, axes still fall
Down on your knees, you just don't look so tall
Crosses still burn, axes still fall
Down on your knees, you just don't look so tall
Crosses still burn, axes still fall
Down on your knees, you don't look so tall
Open your eyes and the empire fall
Raise up their heads on a stake
We will show no mercy on evolution's mistake
Change will have to wait, if we can't decide on a fate
Self-appointed prophets and their doomsday charade
You preach about love and teach about faith
But all your beliefs are still rooted in hate
Crosses still burn, axes still fall
And down on your knees, you just don't look so tall
Crosses still burn, axes still fall
And down on your knees, you just don't look so tall
Stop, punch in the clock, punch it with all of your rage
Put the man in office for a minimum wage
Rats, fighting for scraps, siphon the gas from your tank
Left your pockets empty, as they laugh to the bank
They speak about trust but make no mistake
They're shaking your hand while they spit in your face
Crosses still burn, axes still fall
And down on your knees, you just don't look so tall
Crosses still burn, axes still fall
And down on your knees, you just don't look so tall
Now, the time is now, we can still turn it around
Raise your voice like a weapon, 'til they fall to the ground
Light, let there be light without a shadow of doubt
We will fight tooth and nail until salvation is found
So how can you look the world in the eyes
When all we can see is corruption and lies
Down on your knees, you don't look so tall
Down on your knees, you don't look so tall
Crackin' the whip on the backs of the poor
We asked you to stop but you still wanted more
The blood on your hands left a trail as you crawl
Down on your knees you just don't look so tall
Crosses still burn, axes still fall
Down on your knees, you just don't look so tall
Crosses still burn, axes still fall
Down on your knees, you just don't look so tall
Crosses still burn, axes still fall
Down on your knees, you just don't look so tall
Crosses still burn, axes still fall
Down on your knees, you don't look so tall
Open your eyes and the empire fall
Lyrics submitted by Jotaeme, edited by crazydog, ShikariKid, ilovetimpani, kjo2, JohnFromCanada
Viking Death March Lyrics as written by Jon Gallant Ian D'sa
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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This song is quite confusing in a way that it could be about the Catholics or the Vikings or the society we live in. There's a reason it could be about the Vikings because I once watched a interview of Ian D'sa (the guitarist) and he said he made that riff during tour and had it for a while and when he wrote the song he thought it would have gone in perfectly because it sounds like a march. Anyway it also could be about the Catholics, in a way I am a Christian, and there is a difference, Catholics worship Mary as well as Jesus and they are more controlling and religious, they have a way of corruption as seen in the Roman Catholic churches in the past, also backing that up in the song The Dead Can't Testify he qoutes "Well they cast me out when the word spread around that I never sang in the church. And it took one night for the town to decide I'm afflicted by the curse." Now the Catholics were the ones who condemned everyone of being witches back in the day and obviously he was in a Catholic church and just because he never sang it automatically meant that he was a witch (to them of course). Now yet again this is related to the Catholic church and their corruption back in the day. Also in Devil in a Midnight Mass that is related to Catholics although Ben Kowalewicz wrote and I qoute "I stumble upon these stories, they don't necessarily have to be directly personal but it's things like this that move me." (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devil_in_a_Midnight_Mass). So it had nothing really to do with the Catholic church or anything personal according to what he said. But yet again it is related to the Catholic church. In the song he said: "So how can you look he world in the eyes when all we can see is corruption and lies" which could be related to the Catholics because of their corruption and lies. Also he said: "You preach about love and teach about fate but all your beliefs are still rooted in hate", Note the word beliefs and hate. Belief being related to the Catholics and hate too. Although this can fit into the other category which I'll reach in a moment. Preach does not have to be related to any religion. Now if I am correct they all went to Catholic schools which could maybe even put a stake into this Catholic category. The reason being maybe being involved in Catholicism they recognized these characteristics in the religion. Either believing in Catholicism or just witnessing it everyday. Meaning by realizing these they were driven to writing this song. Moving from that theory it could also relate to the current society. Examples: "Rats, fighting for scraps siphon the gas from your tank left your pockets empty as they laughed at the bank" and "Stop, punch in the clock punch it with all of your rage put the men in office for a minimum wage" now I am not sure the last example was written correctly but we get the idea of it. Rats fighting for scraps you can translate in your own way but we know that it is related to society, then put the men in office for a minimum wage, now that is can also be translated in your own way but yet again it is related to society. And the second example can also yet again be translated in your own way but is yet again related to society. Basically those two examples are showing how we are almost like controlled robots and how we just fight to live. Now I have done my best to translate this song for you. But there are a few more theories about this song. It could be about the Vikings and Society and Catholicism, or it could be about Society and Catholicism using the Vikings to compare them to. I have finally written my interpretation of this song after leaving it for a while, one more thing I am a Christian not a Catholic. And I love Jesus Christ with all my heart and am not afraid to say it. I hope I offended no one or the Catholics by writing this and if I am I am sorry but to you Catholics you need to realize the corruption that you have. Not all Catholics are like that and God told us to love everyone. I am friends with a few Catholics and I don't condemn them or try to convert them. Just love them ok, in no way does this song give you permission to have hate towards the Catholics. Also Billy Talent is by far my favorite band and they are not afraid to speak up about issues like this. I have done a lot of intensive research about all the members and the band so the info about them is from a trusted source. I hope I cleared this up for you.
No offence, but I find each and every one of your points/theories made against Catholicism to be just as easily relatable to Protestant christianity, or any organized religion for that matter. The vast amounts of thougts and mindsets shared between different organized religions make it really unfair to deem the lyrics as specifically targeting Catholicism. It could just as easily be a reference to the Bible itself or the Qur'an for that matter. "Teach about love / speak about faith, but all your beliefs are still rooted in hate" basically summarizes the narrow-mindedness created by having both your moral compass and your view of the world defined and guided by a book written a thousand years ago. This can be clearly seen today in the terrifying discrimination/torture (especially conducted by fundamentalist Christians & Muslims) towards gays, women, and other targeted groups around the world. So bascially, the song is in no way specifically pointing out the flaws of catholism (they are not unique), but rather shining light on the many difficulties created by organized religion in general.<br />
@keenansm yo, your distaste for the catholic church doesn't serve you bro. it's the same mistake so many in the world are making. grouping all people together based off the evil choices of a few. they believe in Jesus Christ. Is that not enough since it is actually He who saves and not us who save ourselves? I know plenty of Catholic people with a lot of love, maybe the church deserves respect also. if the catholic church is so full of corruption and lies, or controlling and manipulative then why do these people who I know have so much love? the sinful woman was forgiven lots because she has lots of love. love covers a multitude of sins. also how does a bad tree give good fruit? hmm...? Would catholics not also be controlling and manipulative, as you say the catholic church is, if that is where they find The Word/God? Once again, the catholics I know are some of the nicest people I've met. So even if we were so gifted in the spirit to speak the tongue of angels, we need love. we all do. And they are not your enemy. you actually have a common enemy that you both agree on. Different churches believe different things when it comes to particulars, and just because one church doesn't believe the exact thing you do doesn't mean you can't be friends and respect their beliefs by not actively opposing them bc friends respect friends. i forgive you though. like don't worry about it, but please consider what I said. have a nice day.