The Ballad

This song has always been my theme song for my life. I don’t know what the song meaning really is, but for me it means life has been a living hell. Taking way to much shit for way to long. Then one day you put for foot down and say no more! It’s about the end of living your life trying to live up to others expectations, and beginning to live your life for you, just like it says. You cannot love another until you love yourself, and I feel this song is all about that. It’s about letting go of a painful past and moving on to something better. Living life to the fullest and letting go of the people who hold you down.

This song has always been my theme song for my life. I don’t know what the song meaning really is, but for me it means life has been a living hell. Taking way to much shit for way to long. Then one day you put for foot down and say no more! It’s about the end of living your life trying to live up to others expectations, and beginning to live your life for you, just like it says. You cannot love another until you love yourself, and I feel this song is all about that. It’s about letting go of a painful past and moving on to something better. Living life to the fullest and letting go of the people who hold you down.

One of the best song by one of the most underrated bands in music history, and a damn shame no ones commented on it. To me it could be about getting your heart broken, or let down, or possibly mistreated and then finally sick and tired of it all, tired of making the same mistake and decideing to take a stand. Again, an awesome song!

Love the acoustic solo at the beginning, and a great song overall.

I think the song is about looking back on your life and that even if you've made mistakes, your life is not over and you still have lots of life left to make up for it, so use it.

I Agree With Thrash I Was Listening To It Today For The 1st Time And It Hit Me How Awsome This Song Is

To Me Its About Having Your Hartbroken By A Chick Whos Found Someone Better And Just Waking Up One Day And Thinking "Im Still Alive So Ive Still Gotta Be Here For Some Reason"

I always thought the same as lurking-panther (heartbroken but going on with your life) but as I reread the lyrics last week I also have another explanation.

The line: I don´t mind doing time, I´m happier being alive sounds like it refers to someone in jail (doing time) who could also have gotten the death sentence. Looking back on his life he now wants it to be like it used to be when he was younger (line: Restrained to meet again. My friend do you think that we ever will).

When he's released he realises his life is just beginning, and he wants to make something of it (line:You´re only just begun, to live your life! for you... ).

lol, i love how this song is the ballad, and is just called "The Ballad"

I couldn't agree more with what jengirl105 wrote. I would only add to that something that sticks out in it for me - and I have to point out a mistake in what's written above first because the real words are part of my point. The transcription above (at the time of my comment here) reads:

…I'm happier being alive Now I know the trust is your own most sacred lesson I've ever learned ...

I believe the text is wrong on a word or two and also missing quite a few words and, like other sites have it written - it should be:

…I'm happier being alive Now I know the means to my oppression were all lies… The only truth is your own most sacred lesson I've ever learned ...

the next line is "I know we are free" and so put that all together and to me he's describing an epiphany about the control we have on our destiny. I think that's what he means by free - we are not tied down by destiny unless we don't go meet up with at a place of our own choosing.

So - that's what has always stuck out in my mind when listening to it, but I probably never knew all the words but reading it now I see other thoughts through-out. Some seem a little disjointed or maybe I'm just missing a bigger picture. Like "I pray to see another day" and "I don't mind doing the time, I'm happier being alive" lines both seem very Taoist to me - in a good way. I guess maybe I could see the big picture - now typing about it. The ending is just pure energy - the metal version of a very good motivational speech. And that's what makes me see a connect back to the ~Taoism and so a big picture - just a good bit of positive philosophy. I've always thought metal was therapeutic - almost purely based in catharsis, haha - think about it (or wiki it and then think about it)

To me, this is one of the best songs ever. The music is incredible, the guitar parts are so fine, powerful, visceral, inspired, sweet - that's too many adjectives but it's true.