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Rise Lyrics
Such is the way of the world
You can never know
Just where to put all your faith
And how will it grow
Gonna rise up
Burning black holes in dark memories
Gonna rise up
Turning mistakes into gold
Such is the passage of time
Too fast to fold
And suddenly swallowed by signs
Low and behold
Gonna rise up
Find my direction magnetically
Gonna rise up
Throw down my ace in the hole
You can never know
Just where to put all your faith
And how will it grow
Burning black holes in dark memories
Gonna rise up
Turning mistakes into gold
Too fast to fold
And suddenly swallowed by signs
Low and behold
Find my direction magnetically
Gonna rise up
Throw down my ace in the hole
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First of all, "Burning BLACK HOLES in dark memories". Burning back holes in dark memories makes no sense at all, and as I'm about to explain both of the versus are related to complete a metaphor that falls perfectly in to place only with the usage of "Black Holes", nothing else. It's not "Bringing back holes in dark memories" or any other variety of words. It is, without a doubt, "Burning black holes in dark memories."
I am disappointed that all I see in this thread is explanations of the SONG meaning. That's not hard to discern for anyone who has seen the movie and listened to the song even once. What I thought this forum was for was to dig deeper and discover the lyrical meaning... I.E. the metaphor(s) the artist uses to get the message across.
In this case, Eddie Vedder is using the analogy of a black hole as a link to one or potentially multiple other universes. A theory of the cosmos that's gaining more and more popularity is that there are actually multiple, arguably INFINITE universes existing side by side and the most logical connection between them would be through a gravitational singularity that causes space to curve so drastically that it begins to "swallow" everything around it and compress it in to an infinitely small space. This is what we have come to know as a black hole... the "Event Horizon" being the point at which the curvature of space is such that even light can not escape the gravitational pull, and is also swallowed in to the black hole. It stands to reason that if the gravitational singularity causes a black hole in THIS universe, then it's theoretically possibly that it conversely opens up in to another universe, or layer of space.
Simply stated, a black hole is our only feasible route OUT of our universe and in to infinitely more universes with infinite possibilities, realities etc.
So... back to the lyrical meaning. The main character in Into the Wild is running away from his life... yes, that's obvious. He is doing so because of all of the dark memories and damage that was done to him during his childhood. Therefore, Vedder chooses to say "Burning black holes in dark memories.." meaning that he is literally running as far away from those memories as he possibly can in his physical reality: the black hole metaphor representing the ultimate separation.
The next verse says, "Such is the passage of time, too fast to fold.."
Time passes because things are constantly changing. LIterally, we don't even have a measurement for the "smallest unit of time" because it passes so quickly that it's not possibly to freeze it, travel backward or forward through it... or as astrophysicists say "Fold the space-time continuum". <-- if you think about this visual it makes sense even to someone who doesn't understand it. If you were to travel back in time you would basically be folding the proverbial "timeline" back on itself, and at least in our brains current evolutionary stage, this is not possible.
I see this second verse being the main character conceding to the fact that, "Alas, I can't change the past, I can only look forward to the future. There are no black holes here, so I have to do this on my own.."
Then Vedder relates to the black hole metaphor again by saying, "Suddenly swallowed by signs, low and behold.."
In this instance the highway signs become the proverbial black hole that begins to "swallow" the character and help begin his journey toward his event horizon, which is his full immersion.... here it comes.... ."INTO THE WILD". <-- Remember earlier I explained the event horizon... in this movie the event horizon would represent the point of no return. Not hard to pick out where THAT happens in this amazing movie.
Eddie Vedder makes no reference to the event horizon in this song but I'm sure when he first watched the film, this term crossed his mind more than a time or two.
I love this guy. haha.
Hope you all enjoyed/learned something from this. In the future, like I said.. LYRIC meaning... not song meaning. Big difference folks!!
After reading what you've said here, I see a connection with "Setting forth" also from this spectacular album.\
After reading what you've said here, I see a connection with "Setting forth" also from this spectacular album.\
Be it no concern Point of no return Go foward in reverse.
Be it no concern Point of no return Go foward in reverse.
Great interpretation jameonbg ! this is what I was hoping for,when I logged in here. Waiting for your reply so we may analyze the rest of Eddie's lyrics ! :)
Great interpretation jameonbg ! this is what I was hoping for,when I logged in here. Waiting for your reply so we may analyze the rest of Eddie's lyrics ! :)
@jamesonbg
@jamesonbg
Great explanation dude........I'm a maths person and find it totally impossible to interpret what people are thinking when writing lyrics so found yours particularly good and enlightening - respect!
Great explanation dude........I'm a maths person and find it totally impossible to interpret what people are thinking when writing lyrics so found yours particularly good and enlightening - respect!
It's an amazing song, amazing movie and Vedder is s legend......the song to me (in simplistic terms) is: forget the passed, whatever happened and rise up to who you you want be!!!
It's an amazing song, amazing movie and Vedder is s legend......the song to me (in simplistic terms) is: forget the passed, whatever happened and rise up to who you you want be!!!
@jamesonbg An interesting and insightful analysis. I have some thoughts maybe that you didn't pick up on.
@jamesonbg An interesting and insightful analysis. I have some thoughts maybe that you didn't pick up on.
The line about black holes is backwards. There is an inversion of logic. Black holes don’t burn — they absorb light, they erase. They’re the ultimate vacuum. By pairing 'burning' (which implies creation of light, destruction, cleansing) with 'black holes' (which imply darkness, oblivion, absence), Vedder is creating a tension between destruction and release. It’s as if he’s saying:
The line about black holes is backwards. There is an inversion of logic. Black holes don’t burn — they absorb light, they erase. They’re the ultimate vacuum. By pairing 'burning' (which implies creation of light, destruction, cleansing) with 'black holes' (which imply darkness, oblivion, absence), Vedder is creating a tension between destruction and release. It’s as if he’s saying:
“I’m going to obliterate these painful memories so completely that even the black holes themselves — those voids — will burn away.”
“I’m going to obliterate these painful memories so completely that even the black holes themselves — those voids — will burn away.”
...
In that sense, he’s turning the metaphor inside out: destroying the destroyer. The darkness doesn’t just swallow the past — he’s purging the darkness itselfIf we take “dark memories” as trauma, regret, or shame, then a “black hole” represents how those memories consume energy — you keep getting pulled into them. So 'burning black holes could mean reclaiming power over those consuming forces — transforming passivity (“being pulled in”) into active liberation (“burning through it”).
It’s the emotional equivalent of saying:
“I’m not going to let my past absorb me anymore — I’m going to shine through it."
If we take “dark memories” as trauma, regret, or shame, then a “black hole” represents how those memories consume energy — you keep getting pulled into them. So 'burning black holes' could mean reclaiming power over those consuming forces — transforming passivity (“being pulled in”) into active liberation ("burning through it"). It’s the emotional equivalent of saying:
'I’m not going to let my past absorb me anymore — I’m going to shine through it."
I think Vedder’s using natural and cosmic imagery — gold, black holes, rising — to depict a journey from weight to lightness, from confinement to freedom.
Now something you haven't mentioned which I really like is in the line 'turning mistakes into gold'.
I think this is a connection to Alaska's rich history/connection with the gold rush. Many people migrated to the region in search of fortune, a better life, and in many cases found misfortune, even their ultimate end. It was a dangerous choice and step into the unknown, and if you think about it there's a lot of parallels with Christopher McCandless's journey.
Gold panning involves rotating or 'turning' the pan to wash away the dirt and gravel, leaving the heavier gold behind. That 'turning' motion parallels the lyric’s 'turning mistakes into gold' — taking what’s impure or messy (mistakes, dirt) and sifting through it to find something valuable (gold, wisdom, transformation). Turning the pan mirrors inner reflection (turning inward), the cycle of life and learning, repetition and patience — you can’t rush panning for gold, just as you can’t rush transformation. So that physical image — the swirl of water and sediment — mirrors the emotional process of sorting through one’s own experiences to find meaning.
Gold has long symbolised purity, enlightenment, and transcendence — something that emerges only after being refined by fire or pressure. So 'turning mistakes into gold' also suggests personal alchemy — transforming regret and failure into growth and freedom. It fits with McCandless’s journey of stripping away materialism and ego in search of a purer life. Even if gold itself is a very material thing, and the desire for it is often driven by materialism and ego. There is a tension here. I think Vedder is reclaiming the spiritual meaning of gold, much like McCandless was reclaiming his own spirituality, his soul from the material world which he rejected.
Just my thoughts. Not yet studied the all the lyrics yet but these two I spent some time thinking about.
Imo, this was the best song on the "into the wild" soundtrack. It really captured the theme of wanting to pick up, be in solitude, find yourself, and capture that elusive understanding of humanity.
"such is the way of the world" "find my direction magnetically"
Getting any empirical sense of direction is anoble human persuit.
Mandolin power. Hell yeah!
Amazingly motivating song about finding the power from within to rise up and overcome your obstacles.
The line "Turning mistakes into gold" is so beautiful and poetic. I think the whole song's just saying you should stop looking back over what you've done, but rise up and move forward so that you can really treasure every moment.
Awesome song.Makes me feel great. I love how this song is playing while he's saying.."I'm supertramp, you're superapple!"
This is amazing, why only three comments? It's the best on the album!
amazing song on a great album. the bright mandolin and his strong voice carry a sound of reassurance and lend lease to a new, positve beginning. love it.
Just an amazing and poetic song.
Love the Mandolin.
It makes me want to stop and just listen to the lyrics and the mandolin. Amazing. When you think about the movie...Eddie Vedder is just a genius. Amazing!
"gonna rise up and find my direction magnetically"- rather ironic lyric as Chris McCandless, the person who is depicted in the movie Into The Wild, chose to throw away his compass and starve to death...
Magnetic fields of the earth, dude. A lot of animals navigate by it, from insects to Sharks. I'm sure McCandless knew this. Either way, I'm guessing that here, it refers to just using your own instincts and being drawn towards your path in life, be it the road less traveled or the road often taken, without letting people or society tell you if you are right or wrong.
Magnetic fields of the earth, dude. A lot of animals navigate by it, from insects to Sharks. I'm sure McCandless knew this. Either way, I'm guessing that here, it refers to just using your own instincts and being drawn towards your path in life, be it the road less traveled or the road often taken, without letting people or society tell you if you are right or wrong.