The following is a decomposition of the song “Savior” by Rise Against off the album “Appeal to Reason.” Please note that the use of the term America refers to moral values that the country was built on as opposed to the land mass, though I do make references to the degradation of the land.
“She”, “woman”, “girl”, all represent the female in general. Terms relation to females do not necessarily equal a human physical being of a girl. Many songs refer to the USA and/or the World as a woman figure. Also, sailors for years have referred to their ship as “she”. We therefore can conclude that “girl” does not necessarily mean a woman.
This leaves options as to what “girl” is referring to: namely America, the World, an actual girl, or the government.
The most literal of these seems to be a girl, yet I doubt this to be validated. Many of the lyrics seem to deal with the other issues as opposed to a love song.
1 It kills me not to know this but I've all but just forgotten
2 What the color of her eyes were and her scars or how she got them
3 As the telling signs of age rain down, a single tear is dropping
4 Through the valleys of an aging face that this world has forgotten
This first stanza definitely does not seem to support the argument that the woman is of a love interest. A logical derived conclusion would be to state that Tim is referring to a mother figure, perhaps in his life, or in general.
9 That's when she said, "I don't hate you boy
10 I just want to save you while there's still something left to save"
11 That's when I told her, "I love you girl
12 But I'm not the answer for the questions that you still have"
The chorus seems to support this with “I just want to save you while there’s still something left to save” yet Tim responds to that by saying he is not the answer for questions you still have. It is not a normal archetype of a mother to be asking questions of her son.
We must then move to more abstract meanings looking for stronger meanings. My personal conclusion is that this song refers to either America or the World in general.
Beginning with America, the first stanza (above) seems to definitely support my theory. Eyes could be symbolism for natural things (such as trees, etc.) in the world around us that have been destroyed from the creation of factories and general industrialization of our country. This definitely complies with Rise Against’s message. “…her scars or how she got them”, I believe refers once again to destruction of our country. The next two lines refer to how only “a single tear” is being shed for all of this description. “The valleys of an aging face” refers to the country that “the world has forgotten”. Also, I believe the use of the worlds “the world” disallows the meaning of the song to refer to the planet as a whole.
5 There is no reconciliation that will put me in my place
6 And there is no time like the present to drink these draining seconds
7 But seldom do these words ring true when I'm constantly failing you
8 Like walls that we just can't break through until we disappear
In line 5 (I added numbers myself for ease of use), I believe Tim is stating that the damage has been done, and cannot be reversed. I then think he is making a satirical statement in line 6 that parallels the phrase “Eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we die.” In line 7, Tim states that the American people have failed America and he continues this in line 8 by implying the moral degradation until the cessation of life.
The chorus, however, is the most proving to my theory.
9 That's when she said, "I don't hate you boy
10 I just want to save you while there's still something left to save"
11 That's when I told her, "I love you girl
12 But I'm not the answer for the questions that you still have"
When replacing “she” with America, and “he” with humanity we get:
9 That's when America said, "I don't hate you humanity
10 I just want to save you while there's still something left to save"
11 That's when humanity told her, "I love you America
12 But I'm not the answer for the questions that you still have"
He depicts humanity as merely discrediting what “she” is trying to tell him. She offers to save humanity, yet humanity rejects. I think that Rise Against is also trying to depict America, or the girl, being curious about what Humanity will throw at it again.”
13 And the day pressed on like crushing weights for no man does it ever wait
14 Like memories of dying days that deafen us like hurricanes
15 Bathed in flames we held the brand uncurled the fingers in your hand
16 Pressed into the flesh like sand, now do you understand?
This verse, I believe, talks about the pressures on humanity to destroy the earth in order to gain an advantage from a business perspective. Lines 15 and 16, I believe, refer to purposefully destroying the land and moral values. This has an allusion to slavery with the branding of slaves, thus making America slave to humanity.
17 One thousand miles away, there's nothing left to say
18 But so much left that I don't know
19 We never had a choice, this world is too much noise
20 It takes me under, it takes me under once again
This verse shows how humanity acts when shown they are wrong. They make excuses such as “We never had a choice” in line 19. In line 20, it ends the song by talking about taken under.
In conclusion, these are my thoughts on Savior. They might not all be correct but, nonetheless, it is a very good song designed to make us think. I thought, have you?
The following is a decomposition of the song “Savior” by Rise Against off the album “Appeal to Reason.” Please note that the use of the term America refers to moral values that the country was built on as opposed to the land mass, though I do make references to the degradation of the land.
“She”, “woman”, “girl”, all represent the female in general. Terms relation to females do not necessarily equal a human physical being of a girl. Many songs refer to the USA and/or the World as a woman figure. Also, sailors for years have referred to their ship as “she”. We therefore can conclude that “girl” does not necessarily mean a woman.
This leaves options as to what “girl” is referring to: namely America, the World, an actual girl, or the government.
The most literal of these seems to be a girl, yet I doubt this to be validated. Many of the lyrics seem to deal with the other issues as opposed to a love song.
1 It kills me not to know this but I've all but just forgotten 2 What the color of her eyes were and her scars or how she got them 3 As the telling signs of age rain down, a single tear is dropping 4 Through the valleys of an aging face that this world has forgotten
This first stanza definitely does not seem to support the argument that the woman is of a love interest. A logical derived conclusion would be to state that Tim is referring to a mother figure, perhaps in his life, or in general.
9 That's when she said, "I don't hate you boy 10 I just want to save you while there's still something left to save" 11 That's when I told her, "I love you girl 12 But I'm not the answer for the questions that you still have"
The chorus seems to support this with “I just want to save you while there’s still something left to save” yet Tim responds to that by saying he is not the answer for questions you still have. It is not a normal archetype of a mother to be asking questions of her son.
We must then move to more abstract meanings looking for stronger meanings. My personal conclusion is that this song refers to either America or the World in general.
Beginning with America, the first stanza (above) seems to definitely support my theory. Eyes could be symbolism for natural things (such as trees, etc.) in the world around us that have been destroyed from the creation of factories and general industrialization of our country. This definitely complies with Rise Against’s message. “…her scars or how she got them”, I believe refers once again to destruction of our country. The next two lines refer to how only “a single tear” is being shed for all of this description. “The valleys of an aging face” refers to the country that “the world has forgotten”. Also, I believe the use of the worlds “the world” disallows the meaning of the song to refer to the planet as a whole.
5 There is no reconciliation that will put me in my place 6 And there is no time like the present to drink these draining seconds 7 But seldom do these words ring true when I'm constantly failing you 8 Like walls that we just can't break through until we disappear
In line 5 (I added numbers myself for ease of use), I believe Tim is stating that the damage has been done, and cannot be reversed. I then think he is making a satirical statement in line 6 that parallels the phrase “Eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we die.” In line 7, Tim states that the American people have failed America and he continues this in line 8 by implying the moral degradation until the cessation of life.
The chorus, however, is the most proving to my theory.
9 That's when she said, "I don't hate you boy 10 I just want to save you while there's still something left to save" 11 That's when I told her, "I love you girl 12 But I'm not the answer for the questions that you still have"
When replacing “she” with America, and “he” with humanity we get:
9 That's when America said, "I don't hate you humanity 10 I just want to save you while there's still something left to save" 11 That's when humanity told her, "I love you America 12 But I'm not the answer for the questions that you still have"
He depicts humanity as merely discrediting what “she” is trying to tell him. She offers to save humanity, yet humanity rejects. I think that Rise Against is also trying to depict America, or the girl, being curious about what Humanity will throw at it again.”
13 And the day pressed on like crushing weights for no man does it ever wait 14 Like memories of dying days that deafen us like hurricanes 15 Bathed in flames we held the brand uncurled the fingers in your hand 16 Pressed into the flesh like sand, now do you understand?
This verse, I believe, talks about the pressures on humanity to destroy the earth in order to gain an advantage from a business perspective. Lines 15 and 16, I believe, refer to purposefully destroying the land and moral values. This has an allusion to slavery with the branding of slaves, thus making America slave to humanity.
17 One thousand miles away, there's nothing left to say 18 But so much left that I don't know 19 We never had a choice, this world is too much noise 20 It takes me under, it takes me under once again
This verse shows how humanity acts when shown they are wrong. They make excuses such as “We never had a choice” in line 19. In line 20, it ends the song by talking about taken under.
In conclusion, these are my thoughts on Savior. They might not all be correct but, nonetheless, it is a very good song designed to make us think. I thought, have you?
-Jon LeBoutillier