Elective Amnesia

To me, this song is one of RA's more easily interpreted songs. I think it's about our modern dependance on synthetic remedies for natural things, like taking a pill to lose weight. It basically states that we use them "Like a crutch", and therefore lose conttrol of our lives without them. That's what I think Tim means by "We can't let go...To lose control". Also, he makes tghe connection between "right and wrong" and "convience and life", as if modern conviences limit life, which in a way they do. This song also contains side effects of our overdependance, such as lack of sleep, mentioned twice. The main effect is what I see to be death. The lines "Disconnect, cut the cord, lights are dead". This entire message can be summarized into the line, "Now they'll know, with everything comes a price." This one line is pretty self-explanatory. It's an old proverb that says the truth that there are always going to be negative effects. Another great song.

Just wrote the lyrics after what I understood, there are a few pieces where I'm sure its pretty wrong. So please help me out, I'm from germany and so listening to english speaking people still gives me a bit of trouble sometimes.

Anyway, IMO this song as well as the other bonus track a far better than most of the stuff on the album, and I just love this song, its a bit like a darker version of injection.  
I'm not sure what its about, cause its hard to tell when the lyrics aren't absolutly correct. 
But anyway the beginning seems to be about people just living a live they can't take, they can't stand, they can't enjoy and that drains them down. (Do you spend your days counting the hours your awake ? ;) ) 
But they can't break out of this live, they can't let go of something, that keeps them controlled but unfree (pull this plug, and let me breathe, on my own I'm finally free(The plug keeps you alive and safe, but unfree, pulling the plug means living risky and probably means that the person will die soon, but they can live their live free at last)(its pretty much the same in this song, "with everything comes a price" = freedom has its price, like in injection))

But then, the lyrics are just to off IMO to go any further, exspecially the part with the debt. 
It could be about economy or sth like that, but that just doesn't fit with the beginning which definitly (and I thing most RA songs can be interpreted in various ways, but there its pretty clear imo) is personal and about beeing unsatisfied in the life you live.

Anyway I like this switching between the slow verses which are dark and desperate and the exploding chorus which is (with desperate courage) a cry out for breaking free and too risk it all. (Just like injection, being down and rotting slowly in a life you don't want to live / breaking free and live the way you want, even if it may kill you) 

But please help me out with the lyrics^^

............OR

we are so wrapped up in these conveniences and fun of our toys and various material objects that we have become apathetic to real issues

So, here's my take, if you are interested:

Our humble narrator opens with a problem: people have become soft, weak, and mentally unsound. "We don't sleep very much...paper thin, overweight...Where's the strength we relied on?"

He proceeds to blame this on our television culture: "Glowing screens simulate, Ads that no longer take place...Each day we are torn between life and convenience..."

He suggests a solution: rebellion against the status quo, going off the grid, etc: "Let's just start over, let's erase what they've made!" "First a spark, then a flame, now a fire, we explode!" "Disconnect, cut the cord, lights are off, now they'll know; that everything has a price"

And in the last verse, he delivers us an admonition of what will happen if this sedentary lifestyle is maintained: "It could be minutes away, it could be hours or days, before the bottom falls out, before the ground gives way."

...at least, that's what I took away from it.

To me, this is a song that speaks of American culture and its addiction to materialism and consumerism. "Paper thin, overweight pill to arouse or sedate" refer to people who rely on medication for diet, sex, and relaxation and are blind to the real world around them. Despite the fact that all of these possessions are right at our fingertips, happiness and contentment still eludes us.

"To lose control is to be... finally free" is talking about whenever people are able to finally free themselves from our materialistic culture we will see the world the way that it really is. Once people are finally able to disconnect themselves from the system, then they can seek real change in the world and people will finally reject the injustices of the world. Yet another example, of why Rise Against's music transends just about everything else out there today.

I agree with the few just above me. I see the song as being about consumerism and the people who compare it to injection, I can see where you're coming from, but I think that's only a tiny part of this song.

"pills to arouse or sedate, still we don't know what we want" Again I'm going to mention the taking pills for everything bit, not necessarily the bad illegal kind.

"glowing screens simulate, (I don't know about you, but I hear "lives that no longer take place" but whatever...)" It just reminds me of the people who live in a virtual world, always gaming, or whatever they are doing, staying in their rooms, forgetting how to go outside and "live". Or people sitting in front of the tv "always channels to change"... I think this makes sense with the "Disconnect, cut the cord" parts.

Being caught "between life and convenience" also... we've created all of these handy dandy tools to communicate with he outside world, to enjoy ourselves, that we've forgotten that we can go out and see people or have fun and just step away from the electronic devices...

Again, back to the channels to change part: It seems to say that there's not point in thinking about anything, doing anything. I don't know how to explain really, just seems to be saying you can shut up and watch tv, whatever was bothering you, whether it was the government or whatever, at least you have all this tv to watch.... reading over that it's not what I want to say, but I can't think of another way...

Then it just goes in to breaking out of that little bubble you've put yourself in...

Ok... Yeah... basically...

I think the song is about the Financial crises in the world but mostly aboutthe united states, listen to it in that in your mind, it fits in my eyes. I don't wanna go into detail about it just listen to it or read the lyrics, you will see it fits a bit. but i know someone will come up with another way to look at it, maybe it will be better them mine just don't mock my ideas or anyone elses this site is not about the right or wrong its just to see how other people look at it or if you have no clue what the song is trying to say, thats all i have to say.

REAL LYRICS

We don't sleep very much These triggers ache for the touch Where's the strength we relied on? Fear alone, like a crutch, maybe that's what keeps us up all night with the light on

All these screams emulate Lives that no longer take place Can this be what we've become? Paper thin, overweight, pills to arouse or sedate Still we don't know what we want

We can't let go Can't you see? To lose control is to be...

Finally free! First a spark Then a flame Now a fire We explode into the darkest of nights disconnect cut the cord lines are dead Now they'll know with everything comes a price

And each day we are torn between the right and the wrong between life and convenience Why do we sleep? Why complain? There's always channels to change It's like elective amnesia As we grow older in this place Let's just start over Let's erase What they've made!

First a spark Then a flame Now a fire We explode into the darkest of nights disconnect cut the cord lines are dead Now they'll know with everything comes a price

It could be minutes away It could be hours or days Before the bottom falls out Before the ground gives way Into this debt we are born A debt we try to repay And yet we blacken the sky Smoke rising out of the flames Now they'll know...

First a spark Then a flame Now a fire We explode into the darkest of nights disconnect cut the cord lines are dead Now they'll know with everything comes a price (First a spark) (Then a flame) (Now a fire) We explode We explode With everything comes a prince (disconnect) (cut the cord) (lines are dead) We explode We explode

anyway, i still have trouble telling what it's about. from the actual title, you think it would mean something about choosing (elective) to forget everything (amnesia). but the lyrics dont always cover that, unless amnesia just refers to complete chaos in a person (we explode; lines are dead). other than that, i still am trying to interpret it. what yosh said about the reference to injection seems quite possible too, but not completely

this is honestly my favorite song on appeal to reason

what does elective amnesia means? xD cause when i translate elective to my language it just becomes another word i dont understand "elektiv" xD can some1 please explain it to me using plenty of words? :)

and BTW love this song and i think its about that u shouldnt be afraid to live the life u want. but im not sure. feel free to correct me