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.
Rebel, rebel and yell
'Cause our people still dwell in hell
Locked in a cell
Yes, the structure's a cell
Mad is the story I tell
How long can we wait?
Come on, seein' what's at stake
Action for reaction
If your mind's in a somewhat complacent state
Get a check up
This is a stick up
Our freedom or your life
Lord, I wish I could be peacful
But there can be no sequel
Now freedom must be fundamental
In Johannesburg or South Central
On the mic, 'cause someone should tell 'em
To kick in the township rebellion
Yeah, what about that sucker?
Yeah, so you thought you could get with the hardlines
That fill your mind
Thoughts, battles fought
And lessons taught
Yes I'll display the fitness
And flip like a gymnast
Raise my fist and resist
Asleep, though we stand in the midst
Of the war
Gotta get mine
Gotta get more
Keepin' the mic warm against the norm
'Cause what does it offer me?
I think often it's nothin' but a coffin
Gotta get wreck
'Till our necks never swing on a rope
From here to the cape of no hope
Now freedom must be fundamental
In Johannesburg or South Central
On the mic, 'cause someone should tell 'em
To kick in the township rebellion
Why stand on a silent platform?
Fight the war, fuck the norm (4 times)
(Guitar solo)
Why stand on a silent platform?
Fight the war, fuck the norm (4 times)
What's it gonna take?
Euuurrrggghhhhh!
Shackle their minds when they're bent on the cross
When ignorance reigns, life is lost
Shackle their minds when they're left on the cross
When ignorance reigns, life is lost
Shackled our minds when we're bent on the cross
When ignorance reigns, life is lost
Shackled our minds when we're left on the cross
When ignorance reigns, life is lost, lost, lost!
Shackle your minds and you're left on the cross!
When ignorance reigns, life is lost!
Just shackle your minds when you're bent on the cross!
When ignorance reigns, life is lost, lost!
Why stand on a silent platform?
Fight the war, fuck the norm (4 times)
'Cause our people still dwell in hell
Locked in a cell
Yes, the structure's a cell
Mad is the story I tell
How long can we wait?
Come on, seein' what's at stake
Action for reaction
If your mind's in a somewhat complacent state
Get a check up
This is a stick up
Our freedom or your life
Lord, I wish I could be peacful
But there can be no sequel
Now freedom must be fundamental
In Johannesburg or South Central
On the mic, 'cause someone should tell 'em
To kick in the township rebellion
Yeah, what about that sucker?
Yeah, so you thought you could get with the hardlines
That fill your mind
Thoughts, battles fought
And lessons taught
Yes I'll display the fitness
And flip like a gymnast
Raise my fist and resist
Asleep, though we stand in the midst
Of the war
Gotta get mine
Gotta get more
Keepin' the mic warm against the norm
'Cause what does it offer me?
I think often it's nothin' but a coffin
Gotta get wreck
'Till our necks never swing on a rope
From here to the cape of no hope
Now freedom must be fundamental
In Johannesburg or South Central
On the mic, 'cause someone should tell 'em
To kick in the township rebellion
Why stand on a silent platform?
Fight the war, fuck the norm (4 times)
(Guitar solo)
Why stand on a silent platform?
Fight the war, fuck the norm (4 times)
What's it gonna take?
Euuurrrggghhhhh!
Shackle their minds when they're bent on the cross
When ignorance reigns, life is lost
Shackle their minds when they're left on the cross
When ignorance reigns, life is lost
Shackled our minds when we're bent on the cross
When ignorance reigns, life is lost
Shackled our minds when we're left on the cross
When ignorance reigns, life is lost, lost, lost!
Shackle your minds and you're left on the cross!
When ignorance reigns, life is lost!
Just shackle your minds when you're bent on the cross!
When ignorance reigns, life is lost, lost!
Why stand on a silent platform?
Fight the war, fuck the norm (4 times)
Lyrics submitted by piesupreme
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Light Up The Sky
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This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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Hayalperest
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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.
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
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.
I think there's a number of messages in this song.
"Shackle their minds when they're bent on the cross When ignorance reigns, life is lost"
Religious fanatics prey on the minds of those who are lost or weak. These people get brainwashed by their religion and can't see faults in what they've been taught to believe. They turn into dangerous fanatics. Ingorance causes people to kill, in the name of religion.
"Why stand on a silent platform? Fight the war, fuck the norm" This is urging people to dare to have an opinion and voice it. Whether he's saying actually join in the war, or fight against the war, these are brilliant lyrics because they're relevant so many years after the song was written.
"Our freedom or your life" This is voicing the frustration of all oppressed people. They can only withstand for so long before they have to resort to violence.
Just want to point out this song is amazing. Not only to listen to, because the group puts so much energy into it, but to sit back and think about the lyrics.
i absolutely love this song it is by far one of my favorite rage songs and i cannot believe that this song was not poular in its time. I think Zach's lyrics to the song are his best work to date. Township Rebellion's lyrics are very special, i believe, because it takes on an issue that everyone alive can relate to, which is basic human rights. Within the song, Zach talks about what true oppression and violation of someone's human rights would be like, and calls for people who are caught in these horrible situations to take a stand against the bastards responsible in one of two ways: kill the motherfuckers who unjustly keep you down, or fight the war of class and authority itself, and attempt to bring peace to your incident. Don't, however (as Zach describes it) "sit on a silent platform." Don't pussyfoot around and ignore this stuff, because tehn YOU allow people's basic rights as humans to be destroyed. Zach compares this general topic to specific situations like South Africa's apartheid era, and (then) contemporary South Central Los Angeles (i.e. Rodney King and the L.A. Riots). His words remind me of people like MLK or Gandhi, who were very special people in the fact that they got over their appalling situations without violence. The song preaches to be non-violent and peacekeeping, but it also asks "how much abuse can a man take before he has to go ape-shit with a shotgun?" This song teaches a lesson to all that it is only natural to fucking massacre someone if they don't stop stepping all over you. The lyrics for this song stand out when compared to the lyrics of other rage songs. They will forever perfectly apply to human life until we as a species are extinct because it is simply human nature to dominate others and rule over them. Township Rebellion looks at this human law and praises the downtrodden in this situation, because it is only fair and practical to give the lesser-fortunate a chance to kick the shit out of the ruling class and reign themselves. THAT is a human right.
i absolutely love this song it is by far one of my favorite rage songs and i cannot believe that this song was not poular in its time. I think Zach's lyrics to the song are his best work to date. Township Rebellion's lyrics are very special, i believe, because it takes on an issue that everyone alive can relate to, which is basic human rights. Within the song, Zach talks about what true oppression and violation of someone's human rights would be like, and calls for people who are caught in these horrible situations to take a stand against the bastards responsible in one of two ways: kill the motherfuckers who unjustly keep you down, or fight the war of class and authority itself, and attempt to bring peace to your incident. Don't, however (as Zach describes it) "sit on a silent platform." Don't pussyfoot around and ignore this stuff, because tehn YOU allow people's basic rights as humans to be destroyed. Zach compares this general topic to specific situations like South Africa's apartheid era, and (then) contemporary South Central Los Angeles (i.e. Rodney King and the L.A. Riots). His words remind me of people like MLK or Gandhi, who were very special people in the fact that they got over their appalling situations without violence. The song preaches to be non-violent and peacekeeping, but it also asks "how much abuse can a man take before he has to go ape-shit with a shotgun?" This song teaches a lesson to all that it is only natural to fucking massacre someone if they don't stop stepping all over you. The lyrics for this song stand out when compared to the lyrics of other rage songs. They will forever perfectly apply to human life until we as a species are extinct because it is simply human nature to dominate others and rule over them. Township Rebellion looks at this human law and praises the downtrodden in this situation, because it is only fair and practical to give the lesser-fortunate a chance to kick the shit out of the ruling class and reign themselves. THAT is a human right.
Hey bigwill what about the very next line? "Lord, I wish I could be peacful But there can be no sequel" To me it's a call for a violent rebellion if necesary, but the writer, zack, find's it hard to not use violence against the violent. I have to agree with him, when we stand peacefully, and we are tazed, mased, and beaten almost on a daily basis it seems, WHAT THE FUCK ELSE ARE WE SUPPOSED TO DO? I personally practice vigilance not violence, but fuck man, there is only so much a man can take before he must defend himself.
"Shackle their minds when they're bent on the cross When ignorance reigns, life is lost" Let us all remeber the cover that christianity gives to facsists and oppressors the world over...If god wills it you must submit to authority......Just look how the republicans hide behind the cross while fucking killing hundreds of thousands of innocent people
Great Song... not the best of ratm, but great though. Love the lyrics!
Now freedom must be fundamental In Johannesburg or South Central On the mic, 'cause someone should tell 'em To kick in the township rebellion
such cool lyrics! Fight the war, fuck the norm - there are two ways to fight a war: go out and murder people, or fight against the concept of war itself. even if you dont actively do either, allowing it to happen effectively condones war.
rock on rage.
When ignorance reigns, life is lost, lost!
that says it all, what an amazing song
self explanitory: kick in your township rebellion, unite with one another, fight the war and fuck the norm.
this song has kick ass guitar riffs. i think this song is one of the best on their cd. Rage is awesome