I think the song is about a repressive government - "Big Brother" is the name for repressive governments who control every aspect of life and culture in their state and hold the populace helpless - this metaphor comes from George Orwell's book, 1984.
Hand over my face. I am related to my enemy.
(He is being repressed by the government.)
My house on fire, and my big brother come put the blame on me.
(His house was burned down by the government, and to make matters worse, he was framed for it.)
He's a-pushin'...I'm being pushed from above.
(The government is crushing him - since they are in a position of power, they're pushing "from above".)
Oh, and a brother, back to back to back,
Better back off of him.
You should not question at all his authority...
(People defending the gov't warn dissidents to "back off" from fighting it.)
Use a flag as a bandage.
(Using patriotism/nationalism to cover up & distract from the problems in the nation.)
Stick 'em up, show us your pocket hypocrisy.
("Stick 'em up" probably refers to a gun, and "pocket hypocrisy", well, guns are kept in pockets, and could be viewed as hypocritical by Vedder.)
In the closet, my pleasures
'Cause my big brother don't want to just let me be.
(The things made illegal by the government, i.e. dissident literature, drugs, etc. have to be hidden)
Oh, and I'm pushin'...oh if I could get above...
(He's pushing the gov't as well, but he's pushing from below because he's just a lone civilian vs. a corrupt dictatorship.)
Oh, and a brother back to back back,
Keep your back off.
Oh, and I'm pushin'...I'm being pushed from above.
Oh, and a brother, back to back to back,
Better back off of him...
Face down...brother...
Face down... [3X]
("Face down" means either being made helpless by the system, or literally face down before being summarily executed.)
In my mind there's a clearing.
Black clouds flow through grey still skies.
And the birds don't even whisper.
I'm flying out...I'm flying...
(I don't know how this relates to the song. I guess it sounds nice because it's nice soft visuals for the quieter bridge.)
Back to back back, better back off... brother...
Face down...brother
Face down...almost fired
Face down...I got a gun
(He's holding a gov't agent face down, and about to kill him.)
Aah, fuck it, I'm just gonna go home, turn on the fuckin' TV...
Watch the nightly news and drink a beer...
Like I could even change the world, yeah right...
(He stops his revolution and becomes a sheep, just like everyone else, thinking, like everyone else, that nothing he can do could change it.)
I think the song is about a repressive government - "Big Brother" is the name for repressive governments who control every aspect of life and culture in their state and hold the populace helpless - this metaphor comes from George Orwell's book, 1984.
Anyway, using the correct lyrics from the comments page here: https://www.pearljam.com/song/brother
Hand over my face. I am related to my enemy. (He is being repressed by the government.)
My house on fire, and my big brother come put the blame on me. (His house was burned down by the government, and to make matters worse, he was framed for it.)
He's a-pushin'...I'm being pushed from above. (The government is crushing him - since they are in a position of power, they're pushing "from above".)
Oh, and a brother, back to back to back, Better back off of him. You should not question at all his authority... (People defending the gov't warn dissidents to "back off" from fighting it.)
Use a flag as a bandage. (Using patriotism/nationalism to cover up & distract from the problems in the nation.)
Stick 'em up, show us your pocket hypocrisy. ("Stick 'em up" probably refers to a gun, and "pocket hypocrisy", well, guns are kept in pockets, and could be viewed as hypocritical by Vedder.)
In the closet, my pleasures 'Cause my big brother don't want to just let me be. (The things made illegal by the government, i.e. dissident literature, drugs, etc. have to be hidden)
Oh, and I'm pushin'...oh if I could get above... (He's pushing the gov't as well, but he's pushing from below because he's just a lone civilian vs. a corrupt dictatorship.)
Oh, and a brother back to back back, Keep your back off. Oh, and I'm pushin'...I'm being pushed from above. Oh, and a brother, back to back to back, Better back off of him...
Face down...brother... Face down... [3X] ("Face down" means either being made helpless by the system, or literally face down before being summarily executed.)
In my mind there's a clearing. Black clouds flow through grey still skies. And the birds don't even whisper. I'm flying out...I'm flying... (I don't know how this relates to the song. I guess it sounds nice because it's nice soft visuals for the quieter bridge.)
Back to back back, better back off... brother... Face down...brother Face down...almost fired Face down...I got a gun (He's holding a gov't agent face down, and about to kill him.)
Aah, fuck it, I'm just gonna go home, turn on the fuckin' TV... Watch the nightly news and drink a beer... Like I could even change the world, yeah right... (He stops his revolution and becomes a sheep, just like everyone else, thinking, like everyone else, that nothing he can do could change it.)