In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
Rebel grip your bottle tight
Just float away
Rebel is it hard to leave
What makes you stay?
Go take your poison ink
Sign life away
Then take your dirty spoon
And dig your grave
Dig your grave
Rebel grips the bottle tight
Just floats away
Rebel finds it hard to leave
What makes you stay?
He takes the poison ink
Signing life away
Then takes the dirty spoon
And digs his grave
Let this dark shine
Let this dark shine
Let it shine bright
Don't let it burn out tonight
Kill me one more time
Stigmata
Kill me one more time
Neo martyr
Gonna die young
Gonna live forever
Kill me one more time
Rise up
Rebel of babylon
Renegade fights the fight
That no one wins
He claims a crown of thorns
To pierce the skin
He climbs his crucifix
And waits for dawn
Thinks they'll remember him
After he's gone
Let this dark shine
Let this dark shine
Let it shine bright
Don't let it burn out tonight
Kill me one more time
Stigmata
Kill me one more time
Neo martyr
Gonna die young
Gonna live forever
Kill me one more time
Rise up
Rebel of babylon
Rise up
Rise up
Resurrection
The rebel fights the fight
That no one wins
To claim a crown of thorns
To pierce his skin
Climbs his crucifix
And waits for dawn
He looses consciousness
The myth lives on
Let this dark shine
Let this dark shine
Let it shine bright
Don't let it burn out tonight
Tonight
Kill me one more time
Stigmata
Kill me one more time
Neo martyr
Gonna die young
Gonna live forever
Kill me one more time
Rise up
Rebel of babylon
Rise up
Rise up
Resurrection
Just float away
Rebel is it hard to leave
What makes you stay?
Go take your poison ink
Sign life away
Then take your dirty spoon
And dig your grave
Dig your grave
Rebel grips the bottle tight
Just floats away
Rebel finds it hard to leave
What makes you stay?
He takes the poison ink
Signing life away
Then takes the dirty spoon
And digs his grave
Let this dark shine
Let this dark shine
Let it shine bright
Don't let it burn out tonight
Kill me one more time
Stigmata
Kill me one more time
Neo martyr
Gonna die young
Gonna live forever
Kill me one more time
Rise up
Rebel of babylon
Renegade fights the fight
That no one wins
He claims a crown of thorns
To pierce the skin
He climbs his crucifix
And waits for dawn
Thinks they'll remember him
After he's gone
Let this dark shine
Let this dark shine
Let it shine bright
Don't let it burn out tonight
Kill me one more time
Stigmata
Kill me one more time
Neo martyr
Gonna die young
Gonna live forever
Kill me one more time
Rise up
Rebel of babylon
Rise up
Rise up
Resurrection
The rebel fights the fight
That no one wins
To claim a crown of thorns
To pierce his skin
Climbs his crucifix
And waits for dawn
He looses consciousness
The myth lives on
Let this dark shine
Let this dark shine
Let it shine bright
Don't let it burn out tonight
Tonight
Kill me one more time
Stigmata
Kill me one more time
Neo martyr
Gonna die young
Gonna live forever
Kill me one more time
Rise up
Rebel of babylon
Rise up
Rise up
Resurrection
Lyrics submitted by sepultura1987, edited by Ashram
Rebel of Babylon Lyrics as written by Kirk L. Hammett James Alan Hetfield
Lyrics © Word Collections Publishing
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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I believe this is a recovery song... Essentially, this song refers to selling your soul for rockn'roll (Sign life away) along with the alcohol and drugs that come with it (The bottle and the spoon)
Hetfield has refereed to himself as a rebel in other lyrics (Mama said, for example) He is the rebel selling his soul for a rock-star lifestyle. He submits himself to that crucifix of an addict lifestyle. He does this all in the sake of being immortalized thru his music (gonna die young, gonna live forever/ thinks they'll remember him)
The last line "resurrection" may signify his resurrection from that life, his recovery and release from addiction and/or possibly even being saved.
These lyrics seem to use imagery of the New Testament gospels in The Bible. Mr. Hetfield seems to be a Christian, tho I cannot confirm or deny this explicitly...