Maniac (R.O.D.) Lyrics

Lyric discussion by AHHHrealmonsters 

Cover art for Maniac (R.O.D.) lyrics by Four Year Strong

I think, to put it simply, this song's about becoming successful and what it takes to get there.

"You gave it up, to give it down What it was that gave you definition You'll say for what? Besides the will to give in to temptation Think of what your asking for It's only right that it hurts more than it should To remain select and understood" I think this part is about selling out, or changing your ideas/beliefs to make it big. The person talking says it's good that it cost them a lot to do that, because they shouldn't have. ("It's only right that it hurts more than it should")

"So let me tell you it's cold out there at the top of the world You look alone and scared with nothing to hold You're being black and blue when your coulda been gold So let me tell you it's cold out there at the top of the world" Now that this person has made it big, or got what they wanted, they're alone. They could've stayed where they were, out have not taken the easy way to get what they wanted and stuck to their beliefs and not sold out, but they did, so they're "black and blue" instead of "gold" The "black and blue" makes me think of someone getting beat up, too, so maybe they're friends turned on them?

"Here at the top of the world. I've always heard that the good die young There's little time left to prove them wrong You burned the bridge that you walked here on Here at the top" Either this is saying that someone who's "bad" will die young, or someone who's "good" will live long, but I think it's the former. And the "burned the bridge" part is basically saying that this person's stuck where they are now and there isn't a way out.

"Tonight we save the world Today we have to save ourselves" Basically, fix yourself before you go on trying to fix things bigger.

"We have to save ourselves from losing on what we pride ourselves on choosing It's all that's left that we can depend on" Don't make it so you have to do something. Keep your options.

"But it gets to hard to have an opinion on the loyalties unspoken and the thoughts that can't be broken" This part is the one I can't really find words to explain. Maybe it's hard to have an opinion on things that can't/won't be changed?

I could be wrong, but that's my interpretation, haha. And did it take anyone else a while to figure out the "R.O.D." in the song title stood for "Rise Or Die"? Maybe it's just me...