And it's prejudice
As if he chose to be this way
They'll make him keep more than he would take

One summer morning
He left us ashamed
In some small town of small ways
The one they feared
They might turn to stone
They feared to hold his hand
And he died alone
He died alone

They might turn to stone... alone

Don't leave them on an island of shame

Your solution
You homophobic
You coward
You send them away to an island of misery
You're not immune to any disease
I can not argue when the truth is plain to see
In your beliefs, your fear of death
I see reflections of society
We'll take our last breath alone

Don't leave them on an island of shame

Open your eyes
It's all in sight
Adding insult to injury
'Cause deep inside
The truth in lies
It's not that blind
He was alone

And it's prejudice
As if he chose to be this way
They'll make him keep more than he would take
It's prejudice
Yes it's prejudice
As if he chose to be this way
They'll make him keep more than he would take
They like to stabb him in the back


Lyrics submitted by black_cow_of_death, edited by jmatias

Island Of Shame song meanings
Add Your Thoughts

6 Comments

sort form View by:
  • +1
    General Comment

    Lagwagon are my favorite band of all time! Trashed was actually my second album from these Goleta Fat Wreck boys! My first was Double Plaidinum...I got that back in the 7th grade...1998...but I love this song and all their others! There is not a single Lagwagon song I dislike. I'm glad to see that SongMeanings is back in action, and I'm just getting the hang of things here...highly anticipating the moment when entries can be submitted again...for now, I'm just gonna post one measly comment...I don't want to spend my life on here...but I'm hoping to be a rather active participant in the massive scopes of this community. May we all unite! Seriously. Yah, the lyrics are pretty straightforward here...just because someone leads a different lifestyle than you doesn't mean they should be singled out! Heck, they make you sick? Why? A lot of people can't help the way they are, and you might say, "Why do all homosexual males act so flamboyant?" Well, that doesn't account for the entire population...you can't use that as a basis for judgments...well, sure you can...but it shouldn't. That doesn't justify your prejudice. Nothing would. This is what set us apart from the start, and if we keep having these negative feelings, we'll never be any different. We're all humans; let's stop judging so harshly. But this is a really great tune. Yah, a lot of these lyrics are pretty erroneous...most of them were taken from the official page...you can get them there...I think people should put more effort into their submissions, if they're already willing to do that much...hey, it can serve as a placeholder...I can't tell you what to do...it's only a suggestion...but I think we all want this community to thrive...so we must dive in, strive up, and thrive coming out. Nothing will stop us, if we can push down what's standing in our way. You can call me gay, but that's not a bad thing. Stop being such a bigot, those of you who think it's wrong to be a certain lifestyle...when some can't even help the way they are, or how they end up being! They just want to be treated human. If you want them to act more respectfully, you should be more respectful of them. And I don't mean to single out homosexuals; everyone should be given a fair chance. We'll never get anywhere with negative feelings toward each other. You complain about the state of affairs, but truly, you make it. I swear I'm sincere.

    analyzethoughton March 18, 2003   Link

Add your thoughts

Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.

Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!

More Featured Meanings

Album art
The Night We Met
Lord Huron
This is a hauntingly beautiful song about introspection, specifically about looking back at a relationship that started bad and ended so poorly, that the narrator wants to go back to the very beginning and tell himself to not even travel down that road. I believe that the relationship started poorly because of the lines: "Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet" So, the first night was not a great start, but the narrator pursued the relationship and eventually both overcame the rough start to fall in love with each other: "I had all and then most of you" Like many relationships that turn sour, it was not a quick decline, but a gradual one where the narrator and their partner fall out of love and gradually grow apart "Some and now none of you" Losing someone who was once everything in your world, who you could confide in, tell your secrets to, share all the most intimate parts of your life, to being strangers with that person is probably one of the most painful experiences a person can go through. So Painful, the narrator wants to go back in time and tell himself to not even pursue the relationship. This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
Album art
Holiday
Bee Gees
@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday". I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
Album art
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
Album art
Magical
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
Album art
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.