| Rage Against the Machine – Maria Lyrics | 20 years ago |
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Although the woman in the song is Latin American, I think that more generally the song describes the tendency for any economic system other than (ideal) socialism to enslave people everywhere. Maria represents workers, her time is near suggests an impending revolution. |
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| Rage Against the Machine – Born of a Broken Man Lyrics | 20 years ago |
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I think this song is about obedience and defiance. You can bind a man in chains but you need to break his spirit before he will serve you. A broken man has no will to fight, he is submissive, obedient and meek. These are the virtues that Jesus taught - the spirit that he nurtured. And by doing so he raped the spirt that he was *supposed* to nurture, the spirit that is at the heart of rage - the spirit of defiance. To submit to a higher power, whether it be church or state, is against the principles of equality that a marxist/anarchist ideology espouses. The main verse "Like autumn leaves his sense fell from him" is talking about Jesus. Here he is, a powerful and charismatic leader commanding thousands of fanatical followers. He strikes fear into the corridors of power. They think he's going to lead a revolution. He could have lead a revolution. Such things were not exactly unheard of in the old testament. But what does he do? His sense fails him. He crumbles. He falls into temptation. He forsees his own demise, and he submits. We are born into a world of submission. We are brought up into it, nursed upon it. But we need not stay that way. (I agree that the song was inspired by Zack's father, and that it reads better as a song about him. I think the beauty of the song though, is that it can be applied to many situations and take on many different meanings. At it's heart though, are the notions of defiance and overcoming.) |
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