Audience Of One Lyrics

Lyric discussion by SomniumOmega 

Cover art for Audience Of One lyrics by Rise Against

I can still remember The words and what they meant As we etched them with our fingers In years of wet cement

-Early childhood memories that shaped their life. the wet cement analogy is because human arent static. our opinions and beliefs change. wet cement can be written in an then wiped over to clean it then written in again.

The days blurred into each other Though everything seemed clear We cruised along at half speed But then we shifted gears

-this is probably at high school. from experiance i know that high school passes very quickly so that explains that line. everything is clear in a teenagers mind; they are right and you are wrong :). Slacking off and not doing work is a typical teenager so that explains "we cruised along at half speed. Shifting gears implys the rapid change from high school to living in th real world.

We ran like vampires from a thousand burning suns But even then we should have stayed But we ran away Now all my friends are gone

-Id imagine that vampires would be in a rush to get away from a thouand burning suns just like the few months after school when former students realise they arent going back. also i believe that theyd scatter much the same as friends do after high school. some go overseas, some go to university and others work full time. "but even then we should have stayed" makes me think of standing in the face of adversity so i think it means facing the future together which many dont. But we ran away, is pretty elf explanatory. same for now all my friends are gone.

Maybe we’ve outgrown all the things that we once loved Runaway But what are we running from ? A show of hands from those in this audience of one Where have they gone ?

-maybe weve outgrown all the things that we once loved reminds me of how we have to mature and give up stuff that we loved to make way for our careers. running away is symbolic of leaving those things behind. But what are we running from makes me think of the times weve enjoyed buy have forgotten i.e when you were a kid and had fun just mucking around with mates. A show of hands from this audience of one is a metaphor for his childhood and the things he loved sticking its hand up and saying "thats me that you ran away from". Where have they gone referring to the thing he once loved in his childhood

Identities assume us As nine and five add up Synchronizing watches To the seconds that we lost

Identities assume us is in reference to how our career shapes what events we will encounter in our life also identity could be a reference to how we take job titles i.e assistant to the state manager. As nine and five add up is a reference to the working hours and how much time we spend on our careers. synchronizing watches is a reference to his childhood again, him and his childhood metaphor synchronizing their lives. To the seconds that we lost is reference to when we realise how much time weve wasted on absolutely nothing and how life doesnt usually turn out how you plan

I looked up and saw you I know that you saw me We froze but for a moment In empathy

-I looked up and saw you this is him talking about his childhood metaphor. I know that you saw me, we froze but for a moment, in empathy is them pausing and looking from the others point of view at whats happened throughout his life.

I brought down the sky for you but all you did was shrug You gave my emptiness a name

-I brought down the sky for you but all you did was shrug, i think is how he has this amazing career but the childhood metaphor doesnt want any of that he just wants to enjoy himslef. You gave my emptiness a name shows that he realises that the things he loved from his childhood that he pushed aaway are the reason his life is empty.

But you ran away Now all my friends are gone Maybe we’ve outgrown all the things that we once loved Runaway But what are we running from ? A show of hands from those in this audience of one Where have they gone ?

-But you ran away, is in reference to how he just realised why he was empty and now he cant recall the memories he misses. the rest of this paragraph is basically the same as in the first chorus

We’re all ok, until the day we’re not The surface shines, while the inside rots We raced the sunset and we almost won We slammed the brakes, but the wheels went on

  • Were all okay until they day were not is a reference to how we suddenly breakdown sometimes. The surface shine while the inside rots is in reference to how we put up a facade to mask what we really feel and to stop others getting too close. we raced the sunset and we almost won i think is an analogy to the way we lie to ourselves about things but then they catch up with us. we slammed the brakes but the wheels went on is an analogy to when the truth comes out (slamming the brakes on) but there are consequences that follow afterward.

We ran away Now all my friends are gone Maybe we’ve outgrown all the things that we once loved Runaway But what are we running from ? A show of hands from those in this audience of one Where have they gone ?

-this is similar to the first chorus

Song Meaning

I really really like this analogy.

Ditto.

perfect interpertaion. I'm sure it could be about something else, but it'd be hard to beat this arguement.

Plus if you watch the video, its Bush Jr as a kid in the white house, i think this works perfectly into the video. Nice job

My Interpretation