Bleed American

The last 60 years of American culture summed up in in 7 words: "Sign up, the picketline or the parade."

Everything in American society is an either-or. Democrat or Republican? Fat or Skinny? Hot or Not? Coke or Pepsi? Patriot or Terrorist? Guilty or Innocent?

You have to sign up to be someone. So pick your side... picketline or parade?

The song definitely is commenting specifically on the American situation. I think the song should be associated with the American Industrial Revolution. The factory workers are presented as a type of corporate solidarity for the American ethos in general. We are "the tired, the poor, the huddled masses yearning to breathe free" (Emma Lazarus, The New Colossus). We will work for that freedom, sacrificing our own selves to build up this land. Our salt, our sweat is as sweet sugar to the asphalt. Our hearts litter the topsoil--the blood sacrifice which the land requires of us. This song is about working. Working to build up America, to build our futures by the sweat of our backs, by sacrificing our own lives. "He who has a why to live for can bear almost any how" (Nietzsche).

But what will we lose? What will we sacrifice along the way? In seeking to build a future for ourselves will we lose our very humanity and become a faceless, impersonal industrial machine? Community becomes the noise of a television in the other room. We have become a culture obsessed with a "pill mentality"--the right pill will fill the void we feel deep down inside--no need for God, no need for each other. Ignore your conscience, drown your humanity in alcohol (Speyside is a Scottish whisky), join the picket lines of the labor union protests so we can make more money. "Tune in and we can get the last call" might be a reference to workers waiting in crowds outside of factories for the chance to be one of the select few who would receive employment. [This is] Our lives. Our grain! Our coal! In forbearing the "how," will we lose sight of the "why" we live? In desperation, (I bled the) greed from my arm. Give it a rest, now.

I think that this song is about how much we don't have control over our own lives. How we are so dependent on the T.V. to keep us company, and being happy merely because of a simple little pill. I am sure, however, that there are multiple other meanings for this song.

i think this song is trying to make you realize how screwed up the american population is, as a whole. we blow off friends and family to sit staring at our televisions for countless hours. we drink away our problems rather than face them, 'clean your conscience clear your thoughts with speyside with your grain.' i think that jim is trying to say that you need to wake up and turn your life around, 'i bled the greed from my arm won't they give it a rest now?' almost like he is saying that you need to shut the damn tv off and pay attention to everything in life because it will only happen once and it is so precious. thats just my feelings on the song.

this song is definately about how american society is. the song is (or was) called bleed american and a lyric says that he 'bled the greed' from his arm. i think this means that americans in general are all full of greediness and that you'll only make something out of yourself if you remove that. i read somewhere that the first 3 songs, this a praise chorus and the middle are like trilogy. Bleed American is about realising how dull your life is, A Praise Chorus is about doing something about it and The Middle is about being who you want to be, and not what someone else expects. All are quality songs.

Best Jimmy Eat World song. Says how we have no control of our lives and we are so dependant on TV like a happy little pill.

"it's the picket line or the parade"

I believe that this line means one of two things.

First, that we either actively support some topics, but others we just don't care about. We have a very difficult time valuing other people.

Second, that we are either completely satisfied (parade), or complaining about things (picket line).

The song is a more personal to the singer in my opinion. It is first off talking about all the bad thinds he adapted through American society. TV tell him he needs to do this and that to be cool. The pressure to do drugs and drink to be cool. He did these things and had a problem. He eventually got rid of it, but it was a tough process. Sort of like Bleeding. You are slowly losing something and it's painful to do. That's why it's called Bleed American. He bled and rid himself of all the troubles in American society.

Mad song!!!!

i love j.e.w. this song is really good, and cant wait to see them in concert! =D