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The Dirt Whispered Lyrics
she got down on hands and knees, one ear against the ground,
holding her breath to hear something, but the dirt made not a sound tonight
echoes of songs still lurk on distant foreign shores, where we
danced just to please the gods that only ask for more, so it goes
but still we give ourselves to this
we can't spend our lives waiting to live
on cold nights
in a prayer for dawn
but the daylight
isn’t what/ she wants
the concrete
calls my name again
im falling
thru the cracks I slip
the postcard says wish you were here
but I’d rather I was there, holding
on to the simple things before they disappear, that’s what I meant
but that was then, and this is now
I'll make it up to you somehow
on cold nights
in a prayer for dawn
but the daylight
isn’t what she wants
the concrete
calls my name again
im falling
thru the cracks I slip
our destination, a feint smile,
another station, another mile,
another day gone, i swear that i will
be there before dawn, so be there i will
she got down on hands and knees, one ear against the ground,
holding her breath to hear something, anything at all
The dirt whispered, "Child, I'm coming home."
on cold nights
in a prayer for dawn
but the daylight
isn’t what she wants
the concrete
calls my name again
im falling
thru the cracks I slip
holding her breath to hear something, but the dirt made not a sound tonight
echoes of songs still lurk on distant foreign shores, where we
danced just to please the gods that only ask for more, so it goes
but still we give ourselves to this
we can't spend our lives waiting to live
on cold nights
in a prayer for dawn
but the daylight
isn’t what/ she wants
the concrete
calls my name again
im falling
thru the cracks I slip
but I’d rather I was there, holding
on to the simple things before they disappear, that’s what I meant
but that was then, and this is now
I'll make it up to you somehow
on cold nights
in a prayer for dawn
but the daylight
isn’t what she wants
the concrete
calls my name again
im falling
thru the cracks I slip
our destination, a feint smile,
another station, another mile,
another day gone, i swear that i will
be there before dawn, so be there i will
holding her breath to hear something, anything at all
The dirt whispered, "Child, I'm coming home."
in a prayer for dawn
but the daylight
isn’t what she wants
the concrete
calls my name again
im falling
thru the cracks I slip
Add your song meanings, interpretations, facts, memories & more to the community.
agreed with aardvarkscanfly, and please, grow up. every time a punk band releases a new album, loads of morons call them "sell outs" and say "this sounds nothing like them" etc etc. its because you morons are all resistant to change and new things, which is exactly what bands like rise against speak FOR.
grow the fuck up and get over yourselves.
Well said my friend.
Well said my friend.
That was beautiful, thoughtxriot.
That was beautiful, thoughtxriot.
btw this site is all about finding out the MEANINGS of the songs, nto bitch about them so get your priorities straight!
to me most rise against songs have double meanings, they usually have the political meaning while they also have the meaning that can realate to all of us, which is why rise against has such grate songs.
to me the first menaing of the song is of a girl who lost something and wants to get it back. and so shes not gonna just sit around and wait for it. instead shes gonna keep going and persitisng to get what she wants because she knows its comming.
the lins "she got down on hands and knees, one ear against the ground, holding her breath to hear something, anything at all
The dirt whispered, "Child, I'm coming home."
shows that she knows its comming btu she still has to keep going on.
the other meiang is the political side of it. talkign about how the world is slowly but surely changing the world for themselves adn that they know that what they all worked for is comming but they cant jsut rest now they have to keep going in oreder to make it all worth while.
the lines "echoes of songs still lurk on distant foreign shores, where we danced just to please the gods that only ask for more, so it goes"
is a possible reference to war becuase of the "echos of different shores where we dqanced to please the gods that only aks for more"
meaing they keep doing what the government wants them to but it never ends what they want.
this line "but still we give ourselves to this we can't spend our lives waiting to live"
is the most important line in the song becuase it bsicly tells you the story of the song and rise against. there not going to wait 4 someone else to fix the problems so they can live, but thier gonna do there best as well!
please read this is a bitch of a post lol
very well said mate :)
very well said mate :)
@R.A.Fan @R.A.Fan, I concur. I think all of Rise Against's songs are about war. Over the years, though, I have realized this theory is a bit flawed. But I digress.
@R.A.Fan @R.A.Fan, I concur. I think all of Rise Against's songs are about war. Over the years, though, I have realized this theory is a bit flawed. But I digress.
This song (specifically, I imagine) is about war, though. In the first verse, the speaker (in my mind, she's a girl or woman) wants to return to her lover (former? Maybe). Her lover is overseas in some war. I always picture one of the World Wars. But Rise Against (when they discuss war in their song) would probably mean Afghanistan or Iraq or any American war...
This song (specifically, I imagine) is about war, though. In the first verse, the speaker (in my mind, she's a girl or woman) wants to return to her lover (former? Maybe). Her lover is overseas in some war. I always picture one of the World Wars. But Rise Against (when they discuss war in their song) would probably mean Afghanistan or Iraq or any American war fought like World War II, Vietnam, etc. I doubt they would be referencing World War I because it's too far gone in the past.
That's why at the end of the song, she's leaning her ear towards the ground and hears: "Child, I'm coming home". It means the soldier (her lover or former lover) is returning home.
The bridge says: "A destination, a fading smile, another station, another mile. Another day gone, I swore I will be there before dawn, so be there I will.
As a whole I think this song is about a girl who has lost a loved one, and the process of moving on. In the begining she is completely under the effects of her loss but by the end she has gotten closure and can move on past her loss.
Look people it makes perfect sense that Rise Against isn't as hard as they once were. Theyr'e obviously on a mission and want to be heard. Being hardcore and underground isn't going to acheive that I don't care what you think, this is the real world. If your'e a true fan and you agree what they stand for then the least you can do is support what theyr'e doing! Getting their message to the masses, to get the people thinking, to make a move or else were gonna destroy ourselves! If you don't like it, no-one is forcing you to listen to it, just don't come here and slap a "sell-out" sticker one them, because they are everything except that. Sacrificing a bit of their hardcore-ness so that they can make a difference. And they need all their fans from their underground, non-commercial times to stand up and carry their words into the world, in a format that the average joe can listen to and understand. This band is about more than just music!
Okay, for all the ignorant fucks complaining about how Rise Against has sold out, shut the fuck up. Like someone said previously, stop being so resistant to change. I've been listening to Rise Against for a few years now and have heard every album and am absolutely in love with Appeal to Reason. I've always said that their lyrics are the deepest out of any band I've ever listened to and Appeal to Reason is no different. I came on here to see other people's interpretations of this song and saw that there were 20+ comments and figured, "Oh, well this will have an explanation for sure." I was wrong.
Seriously, this isn't communist America, no one is forcing you to listen to a band and if you don't like their music, don't listen to them and stop bitching to the rest of us because nobody cares about what you have to say when it has no relevance to the topic at hand.
You are a prodigy and taking the words out of my mouth, no funny business. Eff my life, none of these people get it. Friiiiccckkk
You are a prodigy and taking the words out of my mouth, no funny business. Eff my life, none of these people get it. Friiiiccckkk
Keefer, you saved me all the time and energy :) Seriously though, it's another good album and for me this song stands out as a good one. I think this song is about being on tour and missing a love or family member.
"the postcard says wish you were here but I’d rather I was there, holding on to the simple things before they disappear, that’s what I meant"
even though the band is doing well, the simple things like hanging with family and just being home are something that they hold dear. the postcard threw me off but If your proud of where you are from and are away for so long, don't know about anyone else but i would like a postcard of my city to remind me.
"echoes of songs still lurk on distant foreign shores, where we danced just to please the gods that only ask for more, so it goes
but still we give ourselves to this we can't spend our lives waiting to live"
Basicly they are on tour playing thier songs, they devote themselfs to their work and for them that is their life that they are living, instead of being at home all the time.
"she got down on hands and knees, one ear against the ground, holding her breath to hear something, but the dirt made not a sound tonight"
Maybe this verse is a phone call that wasnt answered or no one rang her, and the end verse which says "child im coming home" could be that she got a phone call from him saying that the tour is over and ill be home soon.
EDIT: Ignore the whole postcard sentence, I was right the first time but looked way too into it lol .
EDIT: Ignore the whole postcard sentence, I was right the first time but looked way too into it lol .
thank you. i was pretty lost on what this song meant but that makes sense! thanks.
thank you. i was pretty lost on what this song meant but that makes sense! thanks.
I agree with some of the other posters that this song is about the band touring. I know it must be hard to be away from the people they love for so long, but I think they try to balance it as best as possible. It's a struggle to balance/do what you want and what you feel is right/necessary. It almost always presents itself that sacrifices are necessary to get something done and I think they realize that and thats why they still tour and try to get their message out even though it sucks to be away from loved ones. A destination, A fading smile Another station, Another mile Another day gone
And I have something to say about the sellout garbage. Why do some people feel like they have to own music and that if too many other people like the music they like than they start to dislike it. Music is something for people to enjoy. I can understand people not liking music if it just doesn't suit their taste, but to attack another person's "art" so to say is pathetic. I can also understand that some stuff is selling out, when you don't necessarily care about what the music sounds like and what the lyrics say as long as you make a buck off it. This is most definitely not the case. If people believe music has the power to change people, then why is it wrong to try and get your message out? Shouldn't everyone have the privilege to hear such great lyrics? For anyone who appreciates Rise Against lyrics, imagine had they made their previous songs sound absolutely horrendous and you didn't ever have the chance to hear them because you didn't like how it sounded. Get over trying to feel special for liking something not everyone else likes and appreciate what you like.
I found a very fitting interview with Tim McIlrath about the selling out thing.
I found a very fitting interview with Tim McIlrath about the selling out thing.
How do you get all the elitist punk rockers and anti-corporate rock fans to still support Rise Against, since you’ve been on a major label for the past few albums?
How do you get all the elitist punk rockers and anti-corporate rock fans to still support Rise Against, since you’ve been on a major label for the past few albums?
It was an issue when I was 15-years-old for me. Bad Religion signed to a major label, and I was bummed. It's a natural thing to feel like you have discovered something and it's your little thing to keep in your pocket. When it's out and exposed to the masses, you no longer have ownership...
It was an issue when I was 15-years-old for me. Bad Religion signed to a major label, and I was bummed. It's a natural thing to feel like you have discovered something and it's your little thing to keep in your pocket. When it's out and exposed to the masses, you no longer have ownership of it, although you never really did! But you feel betrayed and lash out at the obvious target, which is the band. I have no ill will towards those people who feel that way about Rise Against. I was that kid. It is a part of growing up, and it doesn't need to be bands that are the only ones who experience this. It can be a restaurant. You discovered it, and it was yours but then it gets popular and now you can't even get a table there. So you're bummed and hate people going there, hate the food, say the menu sucks when it still is really good or even better than it was before. It's a natural part of life. But I put my head on the pillow at night and know I have not compromised anything, so it's fine with me.
http://www.artistdirect.com/nad/news/article/0,,4894898,00.html
I think this song is about him going on tour and not being home for his family. simple as that
oh jesus christ, not the sell out conversation again. i'm so sick of those.
i think this is quite obviously about touring.
Rise Against Talk - importskyline22 - whats rong with the world, how come only we can see that this is just as great as all there other stuff??? ive seen some huge sell outs, this is not one, its meaningful, its strong, its makes me proud to love them, i think if nething they got better, you can really appreciate his voice more, and the great guitar / drum lines.
Song Meaning Talk - I think it about someone whos board with there life and wants a change, they want some think to come and change there world as there stuck and fell like there gona wait forever to start living.
'im falling thru the cracks I slip' shes getting lost in the nothingness of boring every day life.
'she got down on hands and knees, one ear against the ground' Shes desperate for something to change, to take her away from it.
to me its about being trapped in your own life.