10 Meanings
Add Yours
Follow
Share
Q&A

Join The Ranks Lyrics

Join The Ranks

with your eyes glazed and half-smile
explain to me the details of your God-given rights
you point your finger in my face but
you can't remember what you did last night

it's all fun and games til
you try to justify
it's all well and done til
you question the choices in your life

join all the millions
of victims who've prescribed to this mediocre life
and all these years have all been lost
looking for something that you'll never find

it's all fun and games til
you try to justify
it's all well and done til
you question the choices in your life
10 Meanings

Add your song meanings, interpretations, facts, memories & more to the community.

Add your thoughts...
Cover art for Join The Ranks lyrics by Rise Against

i think it's about drinking...i should be a detective!

Cover art for Join The Ranks lyrics by Rise Against

It's about drinkin, drugs ect. "living a mediocre life"

What I wanna know is since Tim's lyrics are usually observing others, does he just write this way and the songs are actually criticizing himself? Or are the songs actually criticizing others. Don't get me wrong, the music is amazing either way, but that would be somewhat hypocitical considering some of the lines in "Six Ways Til Sunday"

btw, I've always thought a lot of the lyrics (not all of course) are actually about himself, but written in a different perspective.

Cover art for Join The Ranks lyrics by Rise Against

Well he's not talking bad about the person really. It's more of a truth hurts kinda thing. The things he's saying are seemingly more of an attempt to open the eyes of the individual(s) that he is talking to, than to make fun of them.

Cover art for Join The Ranks lyrics by Rise Against

Yes, it's more of a truth that others need to know.

Like the qoute "Fear not those who argue. But, those who dodge.

He's complaining for the best, just like Josh is saying: To open thier eyes, just like i've used these songs, or my own to try to get to people. Not only that, but just talking to them.

Cover art for Join The Ranks lyrics by Rise Against

Yes, it's more of a truth that others need to know.

Like the qoute "Fear not those who argue. But, those who dodge.

He's complaining for the best, just like Josh is saying: To open thier eyes, just like i've used these songs, or my own to try to get to people. Not only that, but just talking to them.

Cover art for Join The Ranks lyrics by Rise Against

He's contronting someone who's hypocritical and Iresponsible.

Cover art for Join The Ranks lyrics by Rise Against

Yeah, it's definitely about drinking and being mediocre. I hate mediocre people... And crackerr, I don't think it's about himself, 'cause isn't he straight edge?

Cover art for Join The Ranks lyrics by Rise Against

It could be drinking OR drugs, either way it's pretty clear it's some sort of substance abuse.

Cover art for Join The Ranks lyrics by Rise Against

i dont think this song is completely about drinking "it's all well and done till you question the choices in your life" the second half of the chorus seems to suggest the person he's complaining about is perpetually drunk, not literally, but intellectually asleep. the type of people who can detail their "god-given rights" and think they're so smart, but really arnt awake and just get by though life "prescribed to a mediocre life". They just by what they've been told. I think the line "with your eyes glazed and half-smile" is talking about just that and not the person being drunk that second, since he couldnt remember what he did LAST night.

Been awhile since I checked back here eh lol. MissNeutrotic, I think he is straight edge but I don't think he's always been. I mean he could be talking about himself in a way that he's changed since those days but still sees others who "prescribe to the mediocre life."

And aardvark, I like your perspective on it. He could be speaking both literally and figuratively. I'm feeling it's more about those who just don't live up to their potential, there's so much they can do but they choose a mediocre life. And some of the consequences from...

BTW, thanks everyone for all the replies.

Cover art for Join The Ranks lyrics by Rise Against

definitely as others have said........

sounds like Tim's getting at this half-baked "mental strength" that many have (a misguided headstrong attitude I suppose) that pushes them to beat on everyone who they think is trying to take something from them ("explain to me the details of your God-given rights ") but they are so confident and misguided (to the point of arrogance) that they can't recognize when they are taking from themselves

Song Meaning
 
Questions and Answers

Ask specific questions and get answers to unlock more indepth meanings & facts.

Ask a question...