High life
They don't eat, don't sleep
They don't feed, they don't seethe
Bare their gums when they moan and squeak
Lick the dirt off a larger one's feet
They don't push, don't crowd
Congregate until they're much too loud
Fuck to procreate till they are dead
Drink the blood of their so-called best friend
They don't scurry when something bigger comes their way
Don't pack themselves together and run as one
Don't shit where they're not supposed to
Don't take what's not theirs, they don't compare
They don't scam, don't fight
Don't oppress an equal's given rights
Starve the poor so they can be well fed
Line their holes with the dead ones' bread, no no
They don't scurry when something bigger comes their way
Don't pack themselves together and run as one
Don't shit where they're not supposed to
Don't take what's not theirs, they don't compare
They don't scurry when something bigger comes their way
Don't pack themselves together and run as one
Don't shit where they're not supposed to
Don't take what's not theirs
They don't compare, rats
They don't compare, rats
They don't compare
Oh
Ben, the two of us need look no more
Ben, the two of us need look no more
Ben, the two of us need look no more
Ben, the two of us need look no more
Ben, the two of us need look no more
Ben, the two of us need look no more
They don't feed, they don't seethe
Bare their gums when they moan and squeak
Lick the dirt off a larger one's feet
They don't push, don't crowd
Congregate until they're much too loud
Fuck to procreate till they are dead
Drink the blood of their so-called best friend
They don't scurry when something bigger comes their way
Don't pack themselves together and run as one
Don't shit where they're not supposed to
Don't take what's not theirs, they don't compare
They don't scam, don't fight
Don't oppress an equal's given rights
Starve the poor so they can be well fed
Line their holes with the dead ones' bread, no no
They don't scurry when something bigger comes their way
Don't pack themselves together and run as one
Don't shit where they're not supposed to
Don't take what's not theirs, they don't compare
They don't scurry when something bigger comes their way
Don't pack themselves together and run as one
Don't shit where they're not supposed to
Don't take what's not theirs
They don't compare, rats
They don't compare, rats
They don't compare
Oh
Ben, the two of us need look no more
Ben, the two of us need look no more
Ben, the two of us need look no more
Ben, the two of us need look no more
Ben, the two of us need look no more
Ben, the two of us need look no more
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More Featured Meanings
when rules change
Life in Your Way
Life in Your Way
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Word Alive, The
Word Alive, The
This song is def a twin to "Unfair" (a song she has been quoted as saying is about falling in love with someone who is already in a relationship) so it is presumably about the same person. Given the references to buying an apartment and not being able to see her love interest "after tonight," it's most likely that she's moving away and she'll "wait a day to break the bad news" (i.e. notifying him that she's leaving once she's already gone).
And, of course, the fact that she sees in him a fellow "idealist" and "dreamer" (terms commonly given to people with the INFP personality on the Myers–Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)) portends that she'll always be left wondering if they would've been perfect together.
Light Up The Sky
Van Halen
Van Halen
The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
Son Şansın - Şarkı Sözleri
Hayalperest
Hayalperest
This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
Silent Planet
I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
As far as this song being ironic, it is. The ridiculous of his lyrics that portray rats as civilized is a mockery of similar rhetoric that humans are civilized and superior. Vedder is using this irony to reveal the truth that humans are just as animalistic as rats - and maybe worse due to the calculated cruelty we exact on one another on large scales.
You have it exactly right and explained it really well.
vedder compares humans and rats but not to say they're different but equal or even worse... he uses irony when he says "Don't take what's not theirs" the first thing we think is that rats do that.. yes! they do that so as we do, so we are like rats... on the contrary, when he says "they don't compare" we think no, they don't compare but we do, we are worse than rats... it's just a way to say that we act worse than animals...
one of may favorite songs
don't take whats not theirs to take is actually the comparison which in reality no animal other than humans take what they're not supposed to take. Do you see rats invading other nations or rats stealing from their buddies.. No rats eat in packs hence they arent actually stealing at all. thats the irony. The real irony is as much as we think they are the plague creature we are worse...
The Ben at the end of the song is in reference to the song Ben by Michael Jackson for the movie of the same name. In the movie, a young boy befriends the rat Ben, but then the rat turns evil and recruits other rats to attack people.
Read the lyrics synically (sarcastically), then they'll make sense...
No, no, no, you've got it all wrong. Its "Lick the dirt off Olajuwon's feet"
;)
@freshdecay dude I fkn love you. I ALWAYS ALWAYS sang it that way, hail Hakeem. You fkn rock !!! ✌
Seems to me that this song is a jab at our behaviour as humans. By pointing out how rats behave in their own culture, it demonstrates how creatures with so much less capacity for thought can exist to be so much more thoughtful than us...
vedder is obviously comparing rats and humans. however, he is vague as to which trait belongs to which species, and whether he is condemning humans or not. for instance, "they don't scurry when something bigger comes their way." does this apply to humans? if so, that doesn't necessarily describe a negative trait. but, "starve the poor so they can be well fed" seems to be a jab at people. this song is really good and one of my favorites on vs., but its message is confusing.
actually, i think it refers to Ben the rat in the story Ratman's Notebooks, which became a movie in the 70s called Willard, now redone as a new movie more recently. The man befriends Ben and Socrates, 2 rats, and he gets payback from all the people that treated him bad with his legion of rats that will do what he says.
I agree and the social commentary the movie inspires is somewhat like Animal Farm, but here Vedder is saying, "Hey, we (the people) aren't rats so don't treat us like them...or else." We are human and have other ways of throwing out the big guys. Who really is the rat? Interesting and thought provoking. Yay!
actually, i think it refers to Ben the rat in the story Ratman's Notebooks, which became a movie in the 70s called Willard, now redone as a new movie more recently. The man befriends Ben and Socrates, 2 rats, and he gets payback from all the people that treated him bad with his legion of rats that will do what he says.
I think it's difficult to know when he's talking about humans or rats for a reason. If you can't differentiate between the two, is there a significant difference? He's saying that humans act just like rats..