I'm not certain, but this album seems to have a pretty political feel to it. Maybe it's only because I just looked up Hammerhead on here, but I sense a bit of current events inspiration in this song. Perhaps it could be a reference to the hate for America in the Middle East?
"One is for envy and one just for spite / The cuts in my heart, they show in your eyes / It don't make it better / Twisting knife that turns by itself onto someone else"
The first two lines could be as wired_57 pointed out references to their jealousy, but not of an individual, of American quality of life? The last third line of that passage could be a reference to the fact that their hate doesn't help their situation. "Twisting knife that turns by itself onto someone else" could be saying that trying to stab America in the back with surprise attacks could have turned their anger toward the rest of the world with the Madrid bombings and other events outside of America.
"Your self liberation will leave this behind / Beyond slings and arrows raining on your mind / You'll make it better / Shake it off, it never mattered anyway"
"Self liberation" with America's assistance of Iraq and Afghanistan, or perhaps against American oppression in those countries? "Beyond slings and arrows raining on your mind" a reference to the insulted feeling of having your country invaded? "You'll make it better" by fighting back against the invasion. "Shake it off, it never mattered anyway" could mean either the life of a suicide bomber, and everything he holds dear. It could also suggest that they should just give up on their fight because the invasion of their country never mattered and that their leadership is just being replaced by America's equally oppressive rule.
"If we don't make it alive / It's a hell of a good day to die. / All our light that shines strong / Only lasts for so long. / And it's ashes to ashes again / Should we even try to pretend? / All our light that shines strong / Only lasts for so long."
I feel like this is the line that gives the most support to my theory. The lyrics could easily be referring to the words of a suicide bomber/millitant who wants to fight against American rule. I'll admit, however that the line "Should we even try to pretend" has some trouble fitting into this description.
"The banner you're waving is burning and red / It's blocking sunlight that shines overhead / You against the world / Diamonds and pearls, voices inside you churn / Watch the city burn"
The banner could refer to a burning American flag. The flag is blocking the sunlight because it's just making things worse in the country by throwing society into a state of uncertainty and chaos. "You against the world" could easily refer to the fact that the invasion began as a coalition force of British, French, and American soldiers. "Diamonds and pearls" was a book published, I believe, in 2002 and is written about a woman who inherits a fortune, but has some deep secret? I'm not certain if this is an accurate connection, but if so could symbolize America's wealth masking the bankrupt morality of its society, though I'll leave "voices inside you churn" up for further interpretation. And finally, "watch the city burn" could be another reference to the chaos of the war in Iraq.
That's just my two cents, and I'm by no means an English major or an expert on the Offspring's lyrics. What does everyone else think of this interpretation? Amazing song btw, and if its meaning parallels my interpretation, it's very deep and symbolic. And yes everyone, "If we don't make it alive / It's a hell of a good day to die." is one of the most powerful lines from the Offspring :D Great band!
Clarification: The [burning of the] flag [in the country] is blocking the sunlight because it's just making things worse in the country by throwing society into a state of uncertainty and chaos
Clarification: The [burning of the] flag [in the country] is blocking the sunlight because it's just making things worse in the country by throwing society into a state of uncertainty and chaos
You just turned my view of this song around. I think you're right. It's like a talk with the "terrorists" trying to get them to see that we're all here for a short time, why should we fight, and that the banner they wave that american lifestyle (well and european and probably asian too) is inpure, is burning in red, as their acts are quite savage and the red is the blood they've spilled. It's blocking the sun because the rage they feel against other countries prevents them from focusing on improving themselves, so there's no "sun" as in illumination...
You just turned my view of this song around. I think you're right. It's like a talk with the "terrorists" trying to get them to see that we're all here for a short time, why should we fight, and that the banner they wave that american lifestyle (well and european and probably asian too) is inpure, is burning in red, as their acts are quite savage and the red is the blood they've spilled. It's blocking the sun because the rage they feel against other countries prevents them from focusing on improving themselves, so there's no "sun" as in illumination of their minds. I could even say that "one is for envy and one just for spite could be references to 9/11, but it's just a take on it, and one I'm not even very sure about.
"You against the world" would be obvious.
"And it's ashes to ashes again " and "watch the city burn" because their attacks destroy cities, and intice other countries to go into war, ending in ashes to ashes on both sides.
I just can't see what "If we don't make it alive, It's a hell of a good way to die" means, because it should be referring to either dying because of their actions (terrorism, war), and it's not quite a good day to die...
I'm not certain, but this album seems to have a pretty political feel to it. Maybe it's only because I just looked up Hammerhead on here, but I sense a bit of current events inspiration in this song. Perhaps it could be a reference to the hate for America in the Middle East?
"One is for envy and one just for spite / The cuts in my heart, they show in your eyes / It don't make it better / Twisting knife that turns by itself onto someone else"
The first two lines could be as wired_57 pointed out references to their jealousy, but not of an individual, of American quality of life? The last third line of that passage could be a reference to the fact that their hate doesn't help their situation. "Twisting knife that turns by itself onto someone else" could be saying that trying to stab America in the back with surprise attacks could have turned their anger toward the rest of the world with the Madrid bombings and other events outside of America.
"Your self liberation will leave this behind / Beyond slings and arrows raining on your mind / You'll make it better / Shake it off, it never mattered anyway"
"Self liberation" with America's assistance of Iraq and Afghanistan, or perhaps against American oppression in those countries? "Beyond slings and arrows raining on your mind" a reference to the insulted feeling of having your country invaded? "You'll make it better" by fighting back against the invasion. "Shake it off, it never mattered anyway" could mean either the life of a suicide bomber, and everything he holds dear. It could also suggest that they should just give up on their fight because the invasion of their country never mattered and that their leadership is just being replaced by America's equally oppressive rule.
"If we don't make it alive / It's a hell of a good day to die. / All our light that shines strong / Only lasts for so long. / And it's ashes to ashes again / Should we even try to pretend? / All our light that shines strong / Only lasts for so long."
I feel like this is the line that gives the most support to my theory. The lyrics could easily be referring to the words of a suicide bomber/millitant who wants to fight against American rule. I'll admit, however that the line "Should we even try to pretend" has some trouble fitting into this description.
"The banner you're waving is burning and red / It's blocking sunlight that shines overhead / You against the world / Diamonds and pearls, voices inside you churn / Watch the city burn"
The banner could refer to a burning American flag. The flag is blocking the sunlight because it's just making things worse in the country by throwing society into a state of uncertainty and chaos. "You against the world" could easily refer to the fact that the invasion began as a coalition force of British, French, and American soldiers. "Diamonds and pearls" was a book published, I believe, in 2002 and is written about a woman who inherits a fortune, but has some deep secret? I'm not certain if this is an accurate connection, but if so could symbolize America's wealth masking the bankrupt morality of its society, though I'll leave "voices inside you churn" up for further interpretation. And finally, "watch the city burn" could be another reference to the chaos of the war in Iraq.
That's just my two cents, and I'm by no means an English major or an expert on the Offspring's lyrics. What does everyone else think of this interpretation? Amazing song btw, and if its meaning parallels my interpretation, it's very deep and symbolic. And yes everyone, "If we don't make it alive / It's a hell of a good day to die." is one of the most powerful lines from the Offspring :D Great band!
Forgot to include a link to Diamonds and Pearls on Google Books. It seems like a pretty pussy book, still wondering if this could possibly be the true connection. "Diamonds and Pearls" was also an album/songs by Prince and Kansas? http://books.google.com/books?id=_mBEepRH9jsC&dq=%22diamonds+and+pearls%22+-prince&source=gbs_summary_s&cad=0
Forgot to include a link to Diamonds and Pearls on Google Books. It seems like a pretty pussy book, still wondering if this could possibly be the true connection. "Diamonds and Pearls" was also an album/songs by Prince and Kansas? http://books.google.com/books?id=_mBEepRH9jsC&dq=%22diamonds+and+pearls%22+-prince&source=gbs_summary_s&cad=0
Clarification: The [burning of the] flag [in the country] is blocking the sunlight because it's just making things worse in the country by throwing society into a state of uncertainty and chaos
Clarification: The [burning of the] flag [in the country] is blocking the sunlight because it's just making things worse in the country by throwing society into a state of uncertainty and chaos
You just turned my view of this song around. I think you're right. It's like a talk with the "terrorists" trying to get them to see that we're all here for a short time, why should we fight, and that the banner they wave that american lifestyle (well and european and probably asian too) is inpure, is burning in red, as their acts are quite savage and the red is the blood they've spilled. It's blocking the sun because the rage they feel against other countries prevents them from focusing on improving themselves, so there's no "sun" as in illumination...
You just turned my view of this song around. I think you're right. It's like a talk with the "terrorists" trying to get them to see that we're all here for a short time, why should we fight, and that the banner they wave that american lifestyle (well and european and probably asian too) is inpure, is burning in red, as their acts are quite savage and the red is the blood they've spilled. It's blocking the sun because the rage they feel against other countries prevents them from focusing on improving themselves, so there's no "sun" as in illumination of their minds. I could even say that "one is for envy and one just for spite could be references to 9/11, but it's just a take on it, and one I'm not even very sure about. "You against the world" would be obvious. "And it's ashes to ashes again " and "watch the city burn" because their attacks destroy cities, and intice other countries to go into war, ending in ashes to ashes on both sides.
I just can't see what "If we don't make it alive, It's a hell of a good way to die" means, because it should be referring to either dying because of their actions (terrorism, war), and it's not quite a good day to die...