Virginia death threat, Virginia creeper vine
The hands that feed intent, choke the purpose of this time
Take all that you can give, and I will make it mine
No care for what you've spent, even fool's gold has it's shine

Never held down, never restrainted
Virtue's foot to the throat
Free of broken chains
Thus always to tyrants
Laugh at the conquered, the victims now betray

And in this Commonwealth
There's merely a common concern for self
We hold these lies to be self-evident
As the dividends will reflect
And in this Commonwealth
There's merely a common concern for self
The coffers have long run dry

Never held down, never restrained
Virtue's foot to the throat
Free of broken chains
Thus always to tyrants
Laugh at the conquered, the victims now betray

Like a bull in a China shop
But the shelves have all been cleared
A thief in an empty vault
The sheep already sheared
A screen door on a submarine
An eagle with a broken wing
Hope in a dead man's dream
The sound of a bell
That will never ring

You're just wasting time


Lyrics submitted by loc4485, edited by BDoG01

Foot to the Throat Lyrics as written by David Randall Blythe Chris Adler

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

Foot to the Throat song meanings
Add Your Thoughts

23 Comments

sort form View by:
  • +1
    General Comment

    This song talks about being useless and wasting your time (bull in an empty china shop, screen doored submarine etc.). I think it talks about how the band Lamb Of God rose from nothing and was told they could never make it " Virginia Death Threat, Virginia Creeper Vine " could be talking about how the band is creeping to uteer success like a vine. The whole wasting your time thing could be about the haters of the band being fucking stupid, and thewy should do something that matters like make a better band if they arent happy with LOG.

    sacrificedon December 07, 2006   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    dude, trident88 your a fuckin lucky bastard

    sacrificedon December 07, 2006   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    "Virginia death threat, Virginia creeper vine. The hands that feed intent, choke the purpose of this time."

    Something to do with the foundation of the U.S.A... The hands that feed intent(founding fathers/ sons of liberty/ etc.) many were pretty corrupt, hence "choke the purpose of this time".

    As for "Virginia death threat..." something to do with the statement "give me liberty, or give me death." perhaps?

    "And in this Commonwealth, There's merely a common concern for self. We hold these lies to be self-evident, As the dividends will reflect."

    Clearly to do with the selfishness of the founders. Thomas Jefferson for example was an avid separatist from British colonial rule, and supported the abolition of slavery, yet he owned hundreds... and considered black people to be lesser.

    ALSO "The sound of a bell that will never ring

    You're just wasting time"

    The liberty bell is what they refer to, and it will never ring, they are not forming a state based on liberty, but based on lies.

    I don't really know guys I'm just throwing it out there... That's what I got from this song at least :)

    canadianmetalheadon March 20, 2011   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    It's about politicians and, to some extent, crony capitalism (We hold these lies to be self-evident As the dividends will reflect).They have their foot on the throats of it's citizens. The Virginia death threat/creeper is saying this song is about their (& my) home state. The hand that feeds intent that choke the purpose of today refers to politicians. "Take all that you can give, and I will make it mine. No care for what you've spent, even fool's gold has it's shine". Without a doubt, politicians."And in this Commonwealth, There's merely a common concern for self". Again. Politicians. It's also the politicians that robs the china shop, emptys the vault, sheers the sheep. Not literally, of course. By taxation. "The coffers have long run dry". Who has coffers? Politicians. As for "Virtue's foot to the throat free of broken chains Thus always to tyrants", I'm not sure of the meaning behind it but it describes The great seal of Virginia. It'ss circular. In the center is a figure of Virtus, the goddess of virtue, dressed as a warrior. She holds a spear in her right hand, with its point held downward touching the earth. In her left hand is a sheathed sword pointing upward. Her left foot rests on the chest of the figure of tyrany, who is lying on the ground. Above the figure is the word "Virginia," and under the figures is the state motto "Sic Semper Tyrannis" or "Thus Always to Tyrants." Then there's the "you're wasting time" could refer to, again, politicians. They are experts at it. But it could refer to the voters.

    danielrj1on March 23, 2021   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    ummmm, that can I say, this is a doozy

    babiestastegoodon August 29, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    yeah i was gunna comment on this but couldnt find anything to say, kick ass song though i love the part in this song where everything breaks down and all the metaphors and similes come in. OOOOOOHHHHRRR YOUR JUST WASTING TIME!!!!!!

    sacrificedon August 29, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    the last part of the song seems to have some meaning for sure "Like a bull in a China shop, But the shelves have all been cleared. A thief in an empty vault, The sheep already sheared A screen door on a submarine, An eagle with a broken wing, Hope in a dead man's dream, The sound of a bell that will never ring"

    but I dont know how to put in words, maybe like if you have all these great thing, why would you do this on thing to like fuck it over completely, well that what I got from the screen door on a submarine part

    babiestastegoodon September 03, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    YOU'RE WASTING TIIIME. great song yuh. im not so sure, but I kinda get the message that people are always so stuck on things that arent supposed to be that important, like you undermine the really important things in life and give much more importance to shallow things..

    forever_hauntedon October 08, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    "All those other things, I wanted to convey a sense of fruitless activities. Each and every one of those is a pointless object"

    That's what the singer said about those last lines. I don't even really like LoG but I live right down the street from some of them so I like to read about them every once and a while.

    Trident88on October 09, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    youre luckkkky.

    forever_hauntedon October 12, 2006   Link

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

Album art
The Night We Met
Lord Huron
This is a hauntingly beautiful song about introspection, specifically about looking back at a relationship that started bad and ended so poorly, that the narrator wants to go back to the very beginning and tell himself to not even travel down that road. I believe that the relationship started poorly because of the lines: "Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet" So, the first night was not a great start, but the narrator pursued the relationship and eventually both overcame the rough start to fall in love with each other: "I had all and then most of you" Like many relationships that turn sour, it was not a quick decline, but a gradual one where the narrator and their partner fall out of love and gradually grow apart "Some and now none of you" Losing someone who was once everything in your world, who you could confide in, tell your secrets to, share all the most intimate parts of your life, to being strangers with that person is probably one of the most painful experiences a person can go through. So Painful, the narrator wants to go back in time and tell himself to not even pursue the relationship. This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
Album art
Holiday
Bee Gees
@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday". I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
Album art
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version. Great version of a great song,
Album art
No Surprises
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
Album art
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example: "'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/