The Pride

i, in all honesty, as an american and what i can gather from the song; it is pretty much the idea of "we are American, this is what we are and we are proud of it"

anybody else???

I believe that this song is a reflection of how Americans are losing themselves in the 'american dream.' Becoming ignorant to the dire state their Country is REALLY in.

Johnny Cash And PBR Jack Daniels Nascar Facebook Myspace IPod Bill Gates Smith and Wesson NRA Firewater Pale Face Dimebag Tupac Heavy Metal Hip-Hop

That is of course listing all of things our Nations people have become blinded by. Everyone is to busy obsessing over these things to realize that the world as they know it could be changing.

I am What you fear most I am What you need I am What you made me I am The American dream

I think when he says/sings this he saying it sarcastically. People feel like they NEED to watch Football. Or they NEED to go on Facebook. People always seem to say that these kinds of obsessions are bad, and yet WE created them. As a country this is what we wanted, and now people are fearing it. We are worried that these obsessions could ruin families and friendships. What they don't understand is that those sorts of things are the only thing America offers to people. Other than freedom of course, but even that seems to be under siege. (SOPA, PIPA, BSL, etc.) People can't find jobs, people are losing homes, losing family because of poor health care. The only thing people can have without worry if it being stripped away is Social Networking and Sports.

I will not be forgotten This is my time to shine I've got the scars to prove it Only the strong survive I'm not afraid of dying Everyone has their time Life never favored weakness Welcome to the pride

Disneyland White House JFK And Mickey Mouse John Wayne Springsteen Eastwood James Dean Coca-Cola Pepsi Playboy Text me NFL NBA Brett Favre King James

These verses are about how America can bounce back. It has before, so why can't it this time? We need to take pride in out country and bring it up to what it can, and SHOULD be. Even though this once again contains sports, it doesn't mean they haven't done anything to help America. Just look at South Africa! Rugby helped unite them! Who says NFL and NBA can't help unite us? People just can't become overally obsessed with watching and betting on sports.

i wouldnt say that this song is all about americans, yes its mostly about americans but other countries fallen in fake pop shit show religion of brands with it people become fake , dull , empty images , or even shadows of real humans. They not existant. XD GL With moving forward with shit pop shit apps and media+ brands

I always thought it was "Life never favored weakness". Anyway, my opinion is simple: I'm a drummer. It's a badass song. They jam.

I think this song is about FFDP, and metal itself, entering into the mainstream.

The song lists pop culture icons, then comes in with:

I am what you fear most, //All American I am what you need, //Living the dream I am what you made me, //What you fear most I am the American dream. //Anarchy

Some metal fans don't like the idea of metal becoming mainstream, exactly what FFDP has done (what you fear most). But arguably, something is to be gained from going mainstream (what you need). And FFDP is only popular because of all the metal fans that listen to them (what you made me). Metal is entering mainstream culture, and FFDP has its part in that (the American dream).

The second time this verse comes along, it mostly repeats what was introduced before, but the last line subverts what they'd said earlier. Despite being a part of the mainstream, they are still themselves. Being a part of the mainstream does not mean being homogenized.

Look at the list they present in the song. How are things like Mickey Mouse, Eastwood, and Tupac related other than being a part of American pop culture? The anarchy line deconstructs the myth that in order to be popular, you must be the same as everything else that's popular.

I'm not selling out, I'm buying in!

FFDP didn't have to change who they were to earn their popularity, and they aren't going to spurn it just because some popular things are superficial.

I will not be forgotten, this is my time to shine. I've got the scars to prove it. Only the strong survive! I'm not afraid of dying, everyone has their time. I've never favored weakness. Welcome to the pride!

They aren't going to throw away their fame. They earned it; they deserve it. They know they won't be the hot thing forever, but for now they'll enjoy the spotlight. And maybe one day people will see them in the same light that they see Johnny Cash, and PBR, Jack Daniels, Nascar, Facebook, Myspace, iPod, Bill Gates, Smith and Wesson, NRA, Firewater, Pale Face, Dimebag, Tupac, Heavy Metal, Hip-Hop, Disneyland, White House, JFK, and Mickey Mouse, John Wayne, Springsteen, Eastwood, James Dean, Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Playboy, Text me, NFL, NBA, Brett Favre, King James.

This song, although it says literally "they are buying in" to the "American dream," the true meaning is a rejection or a condemnation of the mass media and the conformity it represents. With the nod to pop culture icons like "James Dean" and "Bill Gates," the artists see and reject "living the dream" and describe it as "what you fear most" or what we should fear most. I chose this song because it emulates nonconformity and a lean towards simplicity. The artists reflect this sentiment in their reluctance towards their producers pushing them to make a video for their other song "Jekyll and Hyde." The band deliberately poked fun at the media pressure in their "Jekyll and Hyde" by wearing Minion pajamas, filming on the toilet, and making a point of destroying props ordered for the video.

it is JFK not JFL

Okay I actually got a new understanding for this song. Similar to what sgtlegendkiller said it has to deal with the American image. After listening to this song though

I see it as, "This is the American image, you have to earn it but once you do take pride in it". That whole part about the strongest surviving is what makes me think this.

The only line that keeps throwing me off is that one that mentions anarchy.

i think he is comparing himself along with the band to being strong and surviving, he named off alot of american thins like NFL, NBA, JFK, Eastwood, all have history and are not going to fade away in the next month or years to come, all have made names for themselves, he is living the american dream but he uses the word anarchy to discribe how he is uncontroled by what people think of him

Reading all of the comments and listening to the song, I feel like most of you are right, just not putting it in one phrase also missing out on some critical thoughts that have not been identified.
So my thought on this is that he plugs all the common stuff Americans know about with out any explanations of each topic. Well most Americans don't know where pale face came from, but it is a term relating to the name indians dubbed white people when they came to America. He says he is not selling out that he is buying in. Since he got paid for most of those plugs like Disneyland, jack Daniels, etc., if you know how marketing works his label probably got a check from most of those plugs. So with a little understanding of what the list means you have to find the connects with all of the things on the list, which is a basic plug identified as a revenue skim used in movies or seminars (like when someone is on a tv interview and they mention their personal Facebook site, they just plugged themselves,lol),but he uses it in way that explains that he is going to get paid and staying underground is senseless because being strong is classified as being able to cross genres and still be a hit( in context of the music industry). That to be ow without explanation is only for the strong and he will live on past death through what he is now doing for the metal scene, they are the new pantera, and they will succeed where pantera failed. Go FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH!