What each line of the lyrics means:
(to my point of view)
The Whole Song
Meaning:
It's like the continuous and improvised version of the song "Ready to Fall". All we need to do is to change are ways to and for our Earth. Whatever we do to our Earth will result to us but not to it.
"When our rivers run dry and our crops cease to grow"
"When our summer grow longer and winters won’t snow"
and -
"From the bank of the ocean and the ice in the hills"
Meaning:
The message simply points out towards Global Warming and Climate Change. It's very similar to the song "Ready to Fall".
"To the fight in the desert where progress stands still"
Meaning:
The line has a similar message to the song "State of the Union". The US soldiers are fighting and protecting the nation to have "progress" to the country, but all it results in is more war and abuse to power of the country and corruption.
"When the air that we breathe becomes air that we choke"
Meaning:
The line simply brings out a message towards Pollution. It also reflects on the "air that we breathe", as the losing oxygen in our world, and the "air that we choke", as the majoring carbon dioxide and poisonous air that we are and will breathe somehow in the future.
We should find a way to avoid it, and we should have true knowledge about it of what will result to this in the near future --- in which it's already happening. The lines are similar to "Ready to Fall" and closely to "Give It All".
"When the marsh fever spreads from the swamps to our homes"
Meaning:
"Marsh Fever" means Malaria. The message reflects towards the spreading sickness, of not just Malaria, but other sicknesses as well.
It can also result in of Pollution. We should do something about it, and do it right now.
"When your home on the range has been torn down and paved"
and -
"The buffalo roam to a slaughterhouse grave"
Meaning:
The lines are perfect examples of the song "Ready to Fall". It gives out a message of Animal Cruelty and Environment Abuse. The "home on the range" simply says the pure land of forests or farm land that was changed or "torn down" into "paved" or commercial sites for only the use of money.
The "buffalo" symbolizes the animals of all species existing, and to it they are abused, eaten by us and being killed, by it "to a slaughterhouse grave". They only do it for personal gain, money, and for just food.
Side Note:
Rise Against, as an activist band, the band members are all-vegan, meaning vegetarian, and are very active to PETA.
"This is a chance to set things straight"
"To bend or break the rules back into place"
"There is no middle ground, no compromise, we’ve drawn the line"
"With perfect aim, we stand back and throw"
and -
"Glass windows break and it’s all about to blow"
Meaning:
The message points out of how activists and those who care about our world, have had enough of what's happening to us and they will do anything, even to break the rules and laws, to change our world for the better and best, of and for, us and our Earth. The line can be similar to "Prayer of the Refugee" because it emphasizes activism in a way that they would do anything for the change of our world and to us.
"Lights go out as we pass the torch again"
and -
"In hope that is stays lit"
Meaning:
The lines are simple quotes by Rise Against, but has the best meaning in the song itself. "Lights go out" means the fading or disappearing people who care for our world, and "as we pass the torch again" symbolizes the passing and future generation, in which they will continue their term in protecting and changing our world for the best of it and to our next generations.
"In hope that is stays lit" finalizes that the strength of hope towards the change will never end and the hope that it will never end.
"This is not a test, oh no"
"This is cardiac arrest"
"Of a world too proud to admit our mistakes"
and -
"We kiss the ground as we'll fall from grace"
Meaning:
The chorus simply means regret and at the same time, hope. "This is not a test, oh no" is a line symbolizing reality and what could result in will change everything. "This is cardiac arrest" means that the downfall of our world will result to our abuses to it.
"Of a world too proud to admit our mistakes" simply says that we are always not sorry of our faults and "mistakes" towards our world. "We kiss the ground as we'll fall from grace" states that we should always be ready and face to what things we have done and do will result in, and "from grace" meaning the hope of change in our world. The chorus is definitely the same with the song "Ready to Fall".
Summary:
We should overlook our actions towards our mistakes and we should and now do something about it to change everything, though having one chance, we should be positive to our hopes to the changes we will do for the better and best of our world. Let that time be right now.
What each line of the lyrics means: (to my point of view)
The Whole Song Meaning: It's like the continuous and improvised version of the song "Ready to Fall". All we need to do is to change are ways to and for our Earth. Whatever we do to our Earth will result to us but not to it.
"When our rivers run dry and our crops cease to grow" "When our summer grow longer and winters won’t snow"
"To the fight in the desert where progress stands still" Meaning: The line has a similar message to the song "State of the Union". The US soldiers are fighting and protecting the nation to have "progress" to the country, but all it results in is more war and abuse to power of the country and corruption.
"When the air that we breathe becomes air that we choke" Meaning: The line simply brings out a message towards Pollution. It also reflects on the "air that we breathe", as the losing oxygen in our world, and the "air that we choke", as the majoring carbon dioxide and poisonous air that we are and will breathe somehow in the future.
We should find a way to avoid it, and we should have true knowledge about it of what will result to this in the near future --- in which it's already happening. The lines are similar to "Ready to Fall" and closely to "Give It All".
"When the marsh fever spreads from the swamps to our homes" Meaning: "Marsh Fever" means Malaria. The message reflects towards the spreading sickness, of not just Malaria, but other sicknesses as well.
It can also result in of Pollution. We should do something about it, and do it right now.
"When your home on the range has been torn down and paved"
The "buffalo" symbolizes the animals of all species existing, and to it they are abused, eaten by us and being killed, by it "to a slaughterhouse grave". They only do it for personal gain, money, and for just food.
Side Note: Rise Against, as an activist band, the band members are all-vegan, meaning vegetarian, and are very active to PETA.
"This is a chance to set things straight" "To bend or break the rules back into place" "There is no middle ground, no compromise, we’ve drawn the line" "With perfect aim, we stand back and throw"
"Lights go out as we pass the torch again"
"In hope that is stays lit" finalizes that the strength of hope towards the change will never end and the hope that it will never end.
"This is not a test, oh no" "This is cardiac arrest" "Of a world too proud to admit our mistakes"
"Of a world too proud to admit our mistakes" simply says that we are always not sorry of our faults and "mistakes" towards our world. "We kiss the ground as we'll fall from grace" states that we should always be ready and face to what things we have done and do will result in, and "from grace" meaning the hope of change in our world. The chorus is definitely the same with the song "Ready to Fall".
Summary: We should overlook our actions towards our mistakes and we should and now do something about it to change everything, though having one chance, we should be positive to our hopes to the changes we will do for the better and best of our world. Let that time be right now.