The Keepers

Seems like a critique on the American self-centered attitude. As we sleep comfortably and go about our lives, we forget and remain numb to the immense suffering of the rest of the world (our true, shared home). Yet, we are the very ones who have the power to try and change things... 'The Keepers'.

Just my interpretation.

I see at as a critique on the American society as a whole and how democracy is working right now.

Chorus: The keepers is the US population, a house burning down speaks for itself.

Verse 1 is in general a conversation with somebody who has given up on democracy/influencing his own life in a political way: I walk blind with smoke in my eyes =I'm confused It's like we don't know where we been =Like we don't remember the past That's it, boy, just state your case =What do you actually want You're just as wrong as you were then =I remember what you've done (nothing) or giving up an democracy is wrong One tough move throw your hands up =It's tough to stand out in the crowd, to make yourself known Say I don't make no rules =I'm not a politician/government official No one even knows I'm here =I'm just an ordinary citizen in the system Now its on you to man up =speaks for itself You say no weight'll hang on what you say =you say your voice has no influence

Verse 2 is all about the American dream and how fictitious this actually is: Ask me why a dream gets you by =dreaming is a powerful way of getting by daily life But let it want, turns a dangerous thing =Be careful not to let them control your thinking and thus life Watch out for it, it snakes right past =dreaming is a tempting mistress Then turns around and it sucks you in =speaks for itself What happens when you get stuck =speaks for itself Get to the bottom of the illusion that you're in =sometimes you have to get in shit deeper to really know your in shit From the roots now it's shook up =from the bottom you know there is something wrong and you can build on that Know that what ails without will do you in =This on was hard as a non native speaker. But I think that without any effort put into something it's worth nothing as well. Something that ails is something that does you harm or makes you feel not so well.

Verse 3 The text from above doesn't always resemble the lyrics I'm hearing: And not a thing I've done Abates my fear =It's still as scary to me as to you although I'm sort of famous (or something)

And not a thing I've done Abates (my fear >this one is actually not there, booklets can be wrong) And still although our hearts can't run (I hear 1 voice coming through the other, 1 makes the text as posted with hearts and one says And still I never have to run) =Nothing has made it less hard, but still I never had to run from it. Or still my loved ones cannot get away

We are gone We are gone On the heels of all we have done, know =On our behavior towards democracy we are non existent

Ask me why a dream gets you by But let it want, turns a dangerous thing

I really thought this was "ask me why, the Dream gets you by/But lady, want is a dangerous thing". As in, "the [American] Dream is not enough to keep you out of desperation."

These are the correct lyrics. Straight from the CD booklet.

BTW, Isn't this song amazing? I find it to be so.

Is this song about the housing crisis in the US?

To be born free is a great privilege, to die free is a great responsibility !

I think this song has to do with the Youth of America as the Keepers... The keepers are asleep as it is a call to rise.. And that the current government is burning our house down to the ground. She considers herself the youth as depicted in the video, There is nothing one person can say or do, but united they can change something.. The older, like the grandma depicted, doesn't even move when bullets are flying because she doesn't want to change or is stuck as said in the song. The milkman dying is a depiction of the past and how it was. It is now dead and values and morals are dead. America is the house that is burning down.