This is the song that gave me back my confidence and self belief. For the years I was at high school I suffered at the hands of bullies who wripped my confidence to shreds and left me in tatters. They basically chewed me up and spat me back out. This song is about attitude and self belief. I got into the metal scene and found an outlet and music I loved. Far from being the victim, I became the victor, this song was my anthem. I forgot all about the bullies and their cruel taunts, I became the person who I am now.
"Can't you see I'm easily bothered by persistence
One step from lashing out at you..."
I was bothered by the persistence of the bullies and I was literally ready to lash out at them...
"You want in to get under my skin
And call yourself a friend"
They tried to be my friends just so they could wrip me to shreads, just to get under my skin.
"I've got more friends like you
What do I do?"
Every friend I had was like them, only my friend on the surface, simply because they were not on my wavelength.
"Is there no standard anymore?
What it takes, who I am, where I've been
Belong"
There were no standards, the bullies had no standards! I wondered who I was and I tried to "belong", but just didn't.
"You can't be something you're not
Be yourself, by yourself
Stay away from me
a lesson learned in life
Known from the dawn of time"
Music became my outlet and helped me make new friends who were "different" just like me. I found I could only be myself and developed the confidence to say I liked myself and ask the bullies to "stay away from me".
"Run your mouth when I'm not around
It's easy to achieve
You cry to weak friends that sympathize"
This is EXACTLY what they were like, they would spread all sorts behind my back when I wasn't around. They had these shallow friends who were their sympathisers and joined in. They were the weak ones, not me. The violins symbolies how discordant their lives were!
"Those same friends tell me your every word"
The bully's so called friends ended up grassing them up to me.
RESPECT, WALK, WHAT DO YOU SAY!
Classic line repeated over and over to myself, my confidene, my spirt was never broken by them.
Now whenever I go to a club I always shout the words as if they were my own. I have a boyfriend who is as nuts and metal loving as I am and I am starting my Masters degree. More than these shallow people will ever have in their pitiful existences.
I liked your reply and think you get the song on a deep level. I would like to add my thoughts.
I liked your reply and think you get the song on a deep level. I would like to add my thoughts.
The term respect is quite perplexing to me and I wonder if it also was to the author of the song. Respect means that we should not verbally, physically, or emotionally crush someone, even if we think they are "wrong."
The term respect is quite perplexing to me and I wonder if it also was to the author of the song. Respect means that we should not verbally, physically, or emotionally crush someone, even if we think they are "wrong."
I think that the author is talking about "false respect." I think he is talking about those who claim to "respect" him, but who actually are trying to change him with their constant persuasion:...
I think that the author is talking about "false respect." I think he is talking about those who claim to "respect" him, but who actually are trying to change him with their constant persuasion: "Can you see I'm easily bothered by persistence."
Respect is when you don't try to change someone and you see good in them. It is when you truly sympathize with them and you truly love them for who they are. It is important for people who feel unloved to first "accept who they are" and to love themselves; this is the common advice of therapists: "You can't be something you're not, be yourself."
The genius of the song is that the author claims that when he is himself and accepts himself, then he gets a message from these so-called sympathizers or so-called friends, that he is not good enough. In other words, these false sympathizers listen to his story, pretend to respect and accept him for who he is, yet in the end he is left in isolation because they are not true friends. Therefore, the author is receiving a message from these people that "respect" equals "alone," or at least the type of "respect" that his "sympathizers" act out.
I think the author wants to "be himself" and still be accepted, rather than having "be yourself" be equal to "be[ing] alone."
Respect should not mean "walk." It should not mean loneliness and isolation, yet the fact is that those who preach respect to the author have essentially told him to walk.
@shoo_shoo I would like to agree, but does it not get to you that the song could be about something else, I only say this because I’ve seen footage of Phil anselmo being quite racist at live shows. Please don’t get me wrong, pantera are one of my favourite bands, but it does cause me an internal ethical struggle. Thoughts??
@shoo_shoo I would like to agree, but does it not get to you that the song could be about something else, I only say this because I’ve seen footage of Phil anselmo being quite racist at live shows. Please don’t get me wrong, pantera are one of my favourite bands, but it does cause me an internal ethical struggle. Thoughts??
This is the song that gave me back my confidence and self belief. For the years I was at high school I suffered at the hands of bullies who wripped my confidence to shreds and left me in tatters. They basically chewed me up and spat me back out. This song is about attitude and self belief. I got into the metal scene and found an outlet and music I loved. Far from being the victim, I became the victor, this song was my anthem. I forgot all about the bullies and their cruel taunts, I became the person who I am now.
"Can't you see I'm easily bothered by persistence One step from lashing out at you..."
I was bothered by the persistence of the bullies and I was literally ready to lash out at them...
"You want in to get under my skin And call yourself a friend"
They tried to be my friends just so they could wrip me to shreads, just to get under my skin.
"I've got more friends like you What do I do?"
Every friend I had was like them, only my friend on the surface, simply because they were not on my wavelength.
"Is there no standard anymore? What it takes, who I am, where I've been Belong"
There were no standards, the bullies had no standards! I wondered who I was and I tried to "belong", but just didn't.
"You can't be something you're not Be yourself, by yourself Stay away from me a lesson learned in life Known from the dawn of time"
Music became my outlet and helped me make new friends who were "different" just like me. I found I could only be myself and developed the confidence to say I liked myself and ask the bullies to "stay away from me".
"Run your mouth when I'm not around It's easy to achieve You cry to weak friends that sympathize"
This is EXACTLY what they were like, they would spread all sorts behind my back when I wasn't around. They had these shallow friends who were their sympathisers and joined in. They were the weak ones, not me. The violins symbolies how discordant their lives were!
"Those same friends tell me your every word" The bully's so called friends ended up grassing them up to me.
RESPECT, WALK, WHAT DO YOU SAY!
Classic line repeated over and over to myself, my confidene, my spirt was never broken by them.
Now whenever I go to a club I always shout the words as if they were my own. I have a boyfriend who is as nuts and metal loving as I am and I am starting my Masters degree. More than these shallow people will ever have in their pitiful existences.
I won RIP DIME!
Shoo shoo,
Shoo shoo,
I liked your reply and think you get the song on a deep level. I would like to add my thoughts.
I liked your reply and think you get the song on a deep level. I would like to add my thoughts.
The term respect is quite perplexing to me and I wonder if it also was to the author of the song. Respect means that we should not verbally, physically, or emotionally crush someone, even if we think they are "wrong."
The term respect is quite perplexing to me and I wonder if it also was to the author of the song. Respect means that we should not verbally, physically, or emotionally crush someone, even if we think they are "wrong."
I think that the author is talking about "false respect." I think he is talking about those who claim to "respect" him, but who actually are trying to change him with their constant persuasion:...
I think that the author is talking about "false respect." I think he is talking about those who claim to "respect" him, but who actually are trying to change him with their constant persuasion: "Can you see I'm easily bothered by persistence."
Respect is when you don't try to change someone and you see good in them. It is when you truly sympathize with them and you truly love them for who they are. It is important for people who feel unloved to first "accept who they are" and to love themselves; this is the common advice of therapists: "You can't be something you're not, be yourself."
The genius of the song is that the author claims that when he is himself and accepts himself, then he gets a message from these so-called sympathizers or so-called friends, that he is not good enough. In other words, these false sympathizers listen to his story, pretend to respect and accept him for who he is, yet in the end he is left in isolation because they are not true friends. Therefore, the author is receiving a message from these people that "respect" equals "alone," or at least the type of "respect" that his "sympathizers" act out.
I think the author wants to "be himself" and still be accepted, rather than having "be yourself" be equal to "be[ing] alone."
Respect should not mean "walk." It should not mean loneliness and isolation, yet the fact is that those who preach respect to the author have essentially told him to walk.
That's what this song means to me.
@shoo_shoo thank you for your reaction. it really helped me fully grasp and understand a line or two.
@shoo_shoo thank you for your reaction. it really helped me fully grasp and understand a line or two.
@shoo_shoo I would like to agree, but does it not get to you that the song could be about something else, I only say this because I’ve seen footage of Phil anselmo being quite racist at live shows. Please don’t get me wrong, pantera are one of my favourite bands, but it does cause me an internal ethical struggle. Thoughts??
@shoo_shoo I would like to agree, but does it not get to you that the song could be about something else, I only say this because I’ve seen footage of Phil anselmo being quite racist at live shows. Please don’t get me wrong, pantera are one of my favourite bands, but it does cause me an internal ethical struggle. Thoughts??