Wretches And Kings

I wrote an essay in school for this song so let me know how it goes:

“If you must break the law, do it to seize power: in all other cases observe it”- Julius Caesar. The band Linkin Park has written many songs that talk about the world. Whether it’s about our country or to how someone can change your life completely in a second. I think that their new album “A Thousand Suns”, takes on an idea that this world has changed so much. When I heard the song “Wretches and Kings”, it made me think of a lower class fighting for freedom from some sort of overlord power. Corruption is everywhere and because there’s a lot of fraud going around the world some people just stay quiet. They would be treated the same way if they stayed silent. If they revolt against their leaders, things might end up the wrong way. If you fight back you have a chance of winning and if you succeed then there is hope for change. The beginning of the verse is about controlling, dominating, and dictating. Pushing the people down low and making them feel like dirt. “The people up top push the people down low”, for example when King George charged people from the colonies tax. Another Example is when a group of bullies beat up or at least make fun of someone. “Don't fight the power and nobody gets hurt”. If you fight back you will get hurt, that’s basically the message here, and the “rulers” only want you to fear them. For example, the time when the civil rights movement occurred, a lot of African Americans got injured while they were trying to fight for their freedom. Most of the time the “high” end of civilization fought back to reject those people. In verse two, they mention “The people up top and the people down low”, which is a sign of equality rather than the first verse where it says that they push the people down. I think the author is clearly sending a message of righteousness. “The front of the attack is exactly where I'm at.” This may show some sort of leadership, like how Martin Luther King Jr. lead part of the civil rights movement. He had no fear being the leader. He was right there in the front fighting for his people. First Chorus says “Steel unload, final blow”, and I believe that he’s saying grab your weapons and get ready for the final fight. Just like in the riots of 1992, people rioted over the unfair ruling of Rodney King. At most times the hierarchy would dehumanize people. “We the animals take control”, I also think that it’s our natural instinct as humans to attack the weak. “Kings we come for you”. Trying to take over the kings, like the overthrowing of a higher power, such as the overthrowing of Saddam Hussein. Saddam Hussein was a higher power overthrown by his people. The main reason people overthrow the higher power is simply because the leader is not doing their job. Second part of the chorus changes the standpoint of the weak. “Filthy animals beat them low/Skin and bone/black and blue.” The Hanging of Saddam Hussein perfectly explains how they overthrew him and beat him so low that he failed to keep empowered. The Intro and Outro of the song is a speech by Mario Savio who was a Free Speech Activist. “There’s a time when the operation of the machine becomes so odious” meaning that at first the “controlling power” is being fair, but there’s a time when I reaches a point where it becomes so repulsive that people just get sick of it.“And you’ve got to indicate to the people who run it to the people who won it that unless you’re free, the machine will be prevented from working at all.” I think that when people are trying to make you become someone you’re really not, just have to let the message, your feelings for what is right. You got to stop the “machines” in order for you to be free and if you’re free then the machines won’t work. Corruption is everywhere, even to this day, and those who are aware of it try to get the word out by writing music, having protests, or even a simple picture to show it. When the fight for control and power takes over our society, it becomes a problem, and people end up getting hurt or even dead; if you tried at least you had the good feeling that you tried. Like in the quote of Julius Caesar; if it’s a must to smash through the law in order to become peaceful, then it should be done.

if you tried at least you had the good feeling that you tried. The image I can’t get out of my head is the thought that the world that we live on is fraudulent

This song is about control, mostly governmental, and the idea that people have been deceived and manipulated. The song is an anthem against it. It's pretty easy to see within the context of the lyrics, I mean basically that first monologue sets it all up. Other than government I don't see what they would be referencing. That's my take on it anyway.... Seems pretty straight-forward to me.

This is what I got from listening to the song so many times. I think these lyrics are correct.

MLK: There's a time, when the operation of the machine becomes so obvious. Makes you so sick at heart, that you can't take part, you can't even passively take part. And you've got to put your bodies upon the gears and upon the wheels, upon the levers, upon all the apparatus. And you've got to make it stop!

Mike: To save face, how low can you go? Talk a lotta game, but yet you don't know. Static on the wind, makes us all say whoa! The people up top push the people down low. Get down, and obey every word. Steady, get in line if you haven't yet heard. Wanna take what I got, don't be absurd. Don't fight the power, nobody gets hurt. If you haven't heard yet, then I'm lettin' you know There ain't shit we don't run when the guns unload And no one make a move, unless my people say so Got everything outta control, now everybody go

Band: Hey, Hey, Hey, Hey, Hey, Hey, Hey

Chester: Feel alone, final blow We, the animals, take control Hear us now, clear and sure Wretches and Kings, we come for you

Mike: So keep face, how slow can you go? Talk a lotta shit, and yet you don't know. Fire on the wind, makes you all say whoa! The people up top and the people down low. Get down, and I'm runnin' it like that.

The front of the attack is exactly where I'm at. Somewhere in between the kick and the hi-hat The pen and the contract, the pitch and the contact So get with the combat, I'm lettin' them know There ain't shit you can say to make me back down, no. So push the button, let the whole thing blow. Spinning everything outta control, now everybody go.

Band: Hey, Hey, Hey, Hey, Hey, Hey, Hey, Hey

Chester: Feel alone, final blow We, the animals, take control Hear us now, clear and sure Wretches and Kings, we come for you

Still alone, fight our blow Filthy animals beat down low Steel and bone, black and blue No more the sunshine, We done for you

Mike: From the front to the back and the side to side If you feel what I feel, put'em up real high

Front to the back and the side to side If you feel what I feel, put'em up real high x5

MLK: When the operation of the machine becomes so obvious. Makes you so sick at heart, that you can't take part, you can't even passively take part. And you've got to put your bodies upon the gears and upon the wheels, upon the levers, upon all the apparatus. And you've got to make it stop! And you've got to indicate to the people, run in to the people on it. And unless you're free, the machine will be prevented from working at all!

Hopefully, this song will shut all the idiots on Youtube up.

"There's a time when the operation of the machine becomes so odious Makes you so sick at heart, that you can't take part, you can't even passively take part And you've got to put your bodies upon the gears and upon the wheels Upon the levers, upon all the apparatus, and you've got to make it stop"

To save face, how low can you go Talk a lot of game but yet you don't know Static on the wind make us all say whoa The people up top push the people down low

Get down and obey every word Steady, get in line if you haven't yet heard Wanna take what I got, don't be absurd Don't fight the power - nobody gets hurt

If you haven't heard yet than I'm letting you know There ain't shit we don't run when guns unload And no one make a move 'less my people say so Got everything under control, now everybody go

Steel unload, final blow We the animals take control Hear us now, clear and true Wretches and kings we come for you

So keep pace, how slow can you go Talk a lot of shit and yet you don't know Fire on the way make you all say whoa The people up top and the people down low

Get down, and I'm running it like that The front of the attack is exactly where I'm at Somewhere in between the kick and the high hat The pen and the contract, the pitch and the contact

So get with the combat, I'm letting them know There ain't shit you could say to make me back down low So push the button, let the whole thing blow Spinning everything outta control, now everybody go

Steel unload, final blow We the animals take control Hear us now, clear and true Wretches and kings we come for you

Steel unload, final blow Filthy animals beat them low Skin and bone, black and blue No more this sun shall beat onto you

From the front to back and the side to side If you fear what I feel put them up real high Front to back and the side to side If you fear what I feel put them up real high

From the front to back and the side to side If you fear what I feel put them up real high Front to back and the side to side If you fear what I feel put them up real high

From the front to back and the side to side If you fear what I feel put them up real high Front to back and the side to side If you fear what I feel put them up real high

"There's a time when the operation of the machine becomes so odious Makes you so sick at heart, that you can't take part, you can't even passively take part And you've got to put your bodies upon the gears and upon the wheels Upon the levers, upon all the apparatus, and you've got to make it stop And you've got to indicate to the people who run it, to the people who own it, That unless you're free the machine will be prevented from working at all"

This is one of the best songs on the album, this song goes hard. It is one of their best songs. It's one of those songs that I would love to blast out of my speakers while driving in LA lol.

Just signed in to say the quote is Mario Savio - youtube.com/watch

It's an amazing quote and this song -IS- LP, it certainly has the feel and it's brought a long-lost fan back with head nodding.

Yeah, it's a pretty solid call to arms against government control. And it totally rocks.

For the quote from Mario Savio, by the way, the phrase is "When the operation of the machine becomes so ODIOUS..."

This song is clearly about rising up against the government. Great song though.