In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
Dear preacher, thanks for making time for me today
Hope you don't mind if I hide behind the curtain
It's been fifteen years since my last confession
By your good book's standards, I've sinned like a champion
But that book seems a tad bit out-dated
please forgive me, for questioning divinity
It's an ugly job, but I think I'm up for it
I'm not saying who's right
I'm just saying there's more than one way
To skin a religion
There's more than one way
To explain our existence
reverend, sir, I don't want to seem malevolent
My teenage angst is far behind me
But father, certainly it's troubling to see
All these people kneeling, instead of dealing
With the fact that we are all we have
so, rise up! rise up!
There's no one to worship!
But plenty of life to lose!
I'm not saying "let's burn down the church"
But do you want to hear my confession?
It's my greatest sin..
okay, here it is:
I wasted half my life on the thought that I'd live forever!
I wasn't raised, to seize the day, but to work and worship
'cause "he that liveth and believeth" supposedly never dies
rise up! rise up!
And live a full life!
'cause when it's over, it's done
So rise up! rise up!
Dance and scream and love!
[barely audible outro]
You're not the chosen one
And I'm not the chosen one
Hope you don't mind if I hide behind the curtain
It's been fifteen years since my last confession
By your good book's standards, I've sinned like a champion
But that book seems a tad bit out-dated
please forgive me, for questioning divinity
It's an ugly job, but I think I'm up for it
I'm not saying who's right
I'm just saying there's more than one way
To skin a religion
There's more than one way
To explain our existence
reverend, sir, I don't want to seem malevolent
My teenage angst is far behind me
But father, certainly it's troubling to see
All these people kneeling, instead of dealing
With the fact that we are all we have
so, rise up! rise up!
There's no one to worship!
But plenty of life to lose!
I'm not saying "let's burn down the church"
But do you want to hear my confession?
It's my greatest sin..
okay, here it is:
I wasted half my life on the thought that I'd live forever!
I wasn't raised, to seize the day, but to work and worship
'cause "he that liveth and believeth" supposedly never dies
rise up! rise up!
And live a full life!
'cause when it's over, it's done
So rise up! rise up!
Dance and scream and love!
[barely audible outro]
You're not the chosen one
And I'm not the chosen one
Lyrics submitted by xopitselehxo
Rise Up! Rise Up! Lyrics as written by Matthew Ryan Maginn Clint Frederick Schnase
Lyrics © ROUGH TRADE PUBLISHING, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Standing On The Edge Of Summer
Thursday
Thursday
Bron-Y-Aur Stomp
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
When We Were Young
Blink-182
Blink-182
This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
Head > Heels
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Head > Heels” is a track that aims to capture what it feels like to experience romance that exceeds expectations. Ed Sheeran dedicates his album outro to a lover who has blessed him with a unique experience that he seeks to describe through the song’s nuanced lyrics.
I think it is 'its an ugly job' not a noble job.
And I hear the last lyric as 'dance and scream and love'. But sometimes I hear run too, so who knows.
This song is great. I've heard some people say this album is better than The Ugly Organ, but i have to disagree. Maybe just as good as The Ugly Organ. The voice and instumentals have definately improved, but the lyrics don't do it for me like in the prebious albums.
This album is not as good as the Ugly Organ, but it has all the makings of a great album nonetheless. Every song on Organ just hit on all cylinders whereas this one has some weak tracks.
This album is a lot better than the Ugly Organ. TUO had a tendancy to slip into self indulgence a bit too much. Since this is a much more external album, focusing on fictional narratives and criticisms of religion, it ends up avoiding that pitfall.
thirteenth hymn hiding in confession
He's obviously come to the conclusion that "when it's over it's done."
ps, i think it says Dear preacher
I think "I'm not saying let's burn down the church" is a very important line that speaks for the whole album. The rest of the song is pretty much obvious - cease the day, live your life to the fullest, or you'll regret it later.
this song takes everything inside of my head and puts it into lyrics, period. i'm thinking about using the lines "live a full life because when it's over, it's done. so rise up, rise up! dance and scream and love" for my senior quote.
I wonder when I listen to this song: in whose point of view do you guys think Tim is singing? It seems that he speaks from several different peoples' view points throughout the album, but this one sounds like his own, from interviews I've read and such.
Also saw some Ugly Organ discussion going on, so I figured I'd throw in my two cents. This is an amazing album. The lyrics, at least to me, are much more interesting--lyrics I could absorb myself in deciphering for hours on end. That said, though, The Ugly Organ is still the superior album. It simply doesn't have one bad track! This one's got a couple of weaklings in the bunch, but I still adore. Another amazing job, Cursive.
Now if only the biggest disappointment of my summer hadn't been their skipping of my city on their upcoming tour!