Slumber

Wonderful song. This one has really helped me through some tough times. Always when I'm feeling small and useless, this song somehow eases the pain and makes me feel a a little better.

I don't think this song is sarcastic. I think it was intended to be comforting, just look at the lyrics:

Knowing we're all in this together, For such a short time anyway.

There's just no time to parade around sulking, I would rather laugh than cry, The rich the poor the weak we share this place together

He's dead on on all of that, no sarcasm. Anyways I feel that this is a very uplifting song.

I love how people on here constantly claim authority on what a band would never "say sincerely".

I also love (laughing at, in a sad way) how most of those who comment on Bad Religion's songs, fail to recognize that BR's music is laced with Biblical reference and influence time anad time again. Ever heard of the book of Ecclesiastes? For those that haven't, it's in the Old Testament, ie. pre-christian (Hebrew), part of the Bible.

“Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.” - Ecc 1:2

For with much wisdom comes much sorrow; the more knowledge, the more grief. - Ecc 1:18

14 The wise have eyes in their heads, while the fool walks in the darkness; but I came to realize that the same fate overtakes them both. 15 Then I said to myself, “The fate of the fool will overtake me also. What then do I gain by being wise?” I said to myself, “This too is meaningless.” 16 For the wise, like the fool, will not be long remembered; the days have already come when both have been forgotten. Like the fool, the wise too must die! - Ecc2:14-16

The only place I see a potential departure from the writer of Ecclesiastes would be the source of the historical significance of one's life. The conclusion is still, in essence the same. Both conclude that there is meaning in life, but the line "I don't fear the consequence" tends to negate the last part of the following passage (while the rest of the song echoes the sentiment);

15 So I commend the enjoyment of life, because there is nothing better for a person under the sun than to eat and drink and be glad. Then joy will accompany them in their toil all the days of the life God has given them under the sun. - Ecc8:15

Additionally, the futility of the Ecclesiastes passage; 18 I also said to myself, “As for humans, God tests them so that they may see that they are like the animals. 19 Surely the fate of human beings is like that of the animals; the same fate awaits them both: As one dies, so dies the other. All have the same breath[c]; humans have no advantage over animals. Everything is meaningless. 20 All go to the same place; all come from dust, and to dust all return. 21 Who knows if the human spirit rises upward and if the spirit of the animal goes down into the earth?”

22 So I saw that there is nothing better for a person than to enjoy their work, because that is their lot. For who can bring them to see what will happen after them? - Ecc3:18-22

...is summed up in BR's sentiment, "If life makes you scared and bitter, at least it's not for very long".

Ironically, the Bible as a whole, both Old and New Testaments (Hebrew and Christian), echoes the prophetic message that "we pitch in to help it die", but for different reasons.

I'm not saying that BR couldn't have come up with this prior to reading Ecclesiastes. We all read things that echoe our own personal feelings or thoughts all of the time. But given the fact that so many other BR songs scream themes parallelling other Ecclesiastical ideas (Pity the Dead, for one), and knowing that another of their often mentioned influences, Thomas Wolfe, considered Ecclesiastes to be one of the best pieces of LITERATURE of all time, I have no doubt they have read it. That's what makes them one of the most intelligent bands ever. They read, they ask why, and then decide for themselves what they believe. Everyone's free to believe what they want as long as they ask themselves why they believe that. But until you ask why you believe what you do, investigate the matter, and then come to your own decision, you're already a slave.

Yes, you!

Besides, no ideas are original, Ecclesiastes was written about 3,00 years ago, "...there is nothing new under the sun. - Ecc 1:9"

To me this song is not sarcastic. Actually to me if you change one line to "i've got a peace of news son" instead it makes perfect sense, haha. I think this song is calming, when you can't find peace of mind and life's just fucked up and shit and you're depressed perhaps. And this song is like saying you will definetely for sure find peace and we all strive towards it wheter we want to or not; death. Also i think it's saying that we really can make a difference on this earth in what we do in our life-time.

I don’t think this is supposed to be completely sarcastic or a consolation. Bad Religion lyrics don’t typically peddle hope, but it is true that each of us has a chance to make our life impactful. In the sense of human life lived moment by moment, our lives do span a significant time.

As a band, BR spans a significant time.

But in the sense of geological time, that’s different. The part that throws me off is “we pitch in to help it die” which could be a reference to the song “Watch It Die”. BR lyrics are sometimes self-referential.

This could be a reference to how the “plastic mirth” of capitalism is a quantifiable destructive force.

I don’t think the conclusion is hopeful but it is sympathetic. The consolation seems to be against existential dread the nervous drive to create significance and meaning in response to the fear of death. In other words: Stop worrying about today or tomorrow, you’ll die eventually but if you get to live tomorrow, make it the best day you can.

[Edit: Conciseness]

fucking awsome song br has such good lyrics !!!!

Yeah, this is a great one, it's about how short life is and you just gotta make the best out of it, no matter how bad it is seeming, just remember things'll be looking up soon enough.

Yeah i agree with Vullnoid...it's a funny song because its just basically saying "we're gonna destroy the earth and die soon anyway, so why be depressed?" It's like optimistic pessimism. Fantastic song though, very uplifting...could anyone tell me whether it's being sarcastic when it says "your life is historically meaningful, and spans a significant time"?

anyone else laugh the first time they heard that line? just doesn't seem to fit at first listen. i don't think he is being sarcastic. i think he means that the things we people do affect history and will continue to affect the world. the environmental pollution will scar this earth for a damn long time and we all contribute to it, so life is significant, in a bad way..

I am all for the sarcastic interpretation in this one. I mean: don't worry, you soon going to die. What makes one think that that kind of message isn't sarcastic (esp. taken that BR isn't much for preaching about the after world).