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,
Perfect little spouses
In perfect little houses
It's family fun time
Let's commit a hate crime
If I can't be loved
Then I'll be hated
I'm disconnected
I'm uninspired
I'm burning in water
I'm drowning in fire
I'm trapped inside my mind
Beneath these piles of stinking life
You use this abuse to keep me conquered
You're so absurdly common
Vacant faces
Brainless strangers
Sputtering, stuttering insect language
I'm the creature you created
Everyday I grow jaded
Calloused and exaspered
If I'll never be loved
Then I'll be hated
I'm the one of the freaks, the faggots, the geeks, the savages
Rogues, rebels, dissident devils, artists, martyrs, infidels
Do we sit still
Under attack
Or do we start pushing back?
Never back up
Never back down
And fight
Rise, rebel, resist
Rise, rebel, make a fist, resist
Rise, rebel, resist
Rise, rebel, make a fist, resist
I'm human pollution
I covet retribution
I'm just a big mistake
A defect you can subjugate
Your ridicule is just typical antics
Spineless, mindless, tragic, fanatic
Puritan, bigot, lunatic, hypocrite
To save my soul from disaster
Self-destruction could be the answer
If I'll never be loved
Then I'll be hated
I'm the one of the freaks, the faggots, the geeks, the savages
Rogues, rebels, dissident devils, artists, martyrs, infidels
Do we sit still
Under attack
Or do we start pushing back?
Never back up
Never back down
And fight
Rise, rebel, resist
Rise, rebel, make a fist, resist
Rise, rebel, resist
Rise, rebel, make a fist, resist
Masochistic
So sadistic
All they see is another statistic
Maybe I'm a misfit, maybe I'm different
It will never be an average existence
Masochistic
So sadistic
All they see is another statistic
If I can't be loved
Then I'll be hated
It's family fun time
Let's commit a hate crime
War, war
Rise, rebel, resist
Rise, rebel, make a fist, resist
Rise, rebel, resist
Rise, rebel, make a fist, resist
I'm the one of the freaks, the faggots, the geeks, the savages
Rogues, rebels, dissident devils, artists, martyrs, infidels
Do we sit still
Under attack
Or do we start pushing back?
Never back up
Never back down
And fight
War, war
In perfect little houses
It's family fun time
Let's commit a hate crime
If I can't be loved
Then I'll be hated
I'm disconnected
I'm uninspired
I'm burning in water
I'm drowning in fire
I'm trapped inside my mind
Beneath these piles of stinking life
You use this abuse to keep me conquered
You're so absurdly common
Vacant faces
Brainless strangers
Sputtering, stuttering insect language
I'm the creature you created
Everyday I grow jaded
Calloused and exaspered
If I'll never be loved
Then I'll be hated
I'm the one of the freaks, the faggots, the geeks, the savages
Rogues, rebels, dissident devils, artists, martyrs, infidels
Do we sit still
Under attack
Or do we start pushing back?
Never back up
Never back down
And fight
Rise, rebel, resist
Rise, rebel, make a fist, resist
Rise, rebel, resist
Rise, rebel, make a fist, resist
I'm human pollution
I covet retribution
I'm just a big mistake
A defect you can subjugate
Your ridicule is just typical antics
Spineless, mindless, tragic, fanatic
Puritan, bigot, lunatic, hypocrite
To save my soul from disaster
Self-destruction could be the answer
If I'll never be loved
Then I'll be hated
I'm the one of the freaks, the faggots, the geeks, the savages
Rogues, rebels, dissident devils, artists, martyrs, infidels
Do we sit still
Under attack
Or do we start pushing back?
Never back up
Never back down
And fight
Rise, rebel, resist
Rise, rebel, make a fist, resist
Rise, rebel, resist
Rise, rebel, make a fist, resist
Masochistic
So sadistic
All they see is another statistic
Maybe I'm a misfit, maybe I'm different
It will never be an average existence
Masochistic
So sadistic
All they see is another statistic
If I can't be loved
Then I'll be hated
It's family fun time
Let's commit a hate crime
War, war
Rise, rebel, resist
Rise, rebel, make a fist, resist
Rise, rebel, resist
Rise, rebel, make a fist, resist
I'm the one of the freaks, the faggots, the geeks, the savages
Rogues, rebels, dissident devils, artists, martyrs, infidels
Do we sit still
Under attack
Or do we start pushing back?
Never back up
Never back down
And fight
War, war
Lyrics submitted by 11milleran
Rise Rebel Resist Lyrics as written by Mark Bistany Jason Mcguire
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
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
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
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.
American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.
Oh Your God... Dude you are fucking retarted...