Wait For Me

I have been listening to this song all day (and the album the past two days), and this one is probably my favorite.

I'm not expert in instruments, but the chords in the beginning certainly have a way of absorbing and captivating me. It's definitely got the tone of desperation. I'm actually going to take the relationship approach to this, but that's the beauty of Rise Against: their songs can be looked at from so many different perspectives, and I know someone will come up with their own fascinating interpretation.

He's asking the person, "Do you see the world in different colors, or is everything black and white?" I once told someone that not everything is black and white, there is a grey area, and she responded, "no, the world is colored." I'll never forget it; we are all a consequence of circumstance. So he's asking this person, maybe for another chance, to look at his situation and realize that it is unique and should be looked at differently. Maybe he wronged someone. Maybe he fought with his girl? Maybe his life is going as great as he'd like. This question sets up the tone of the song, and keep this question in mind, it will come up again!

"Alone in your thoughts. I've stood where you stand today." There was a time when he was in her position, and now the tables have turned and he needs help. He's crying out for help, and he's turned to the person whom he helped once. But maybe this person is fed up with his mistakes, and so he asks,

"Can you wait for me now?" Just like I waited for you before, now I'm asking you, not because you owe me, but because I need you, so, "[will] you wait for me now?"

And so the girl asks why should I wait for you? The response: "A promise of safe return I delivered..." Her life was on the brink of destruction, and he promised that if she stuck with him, she'd be safe; a promise he delivered. But maybe now being with her is too much? Maybe he realizes this burden on his shoulder is heavier than he first thought, hence the verse:

"But the ocean is wider than I first guessed." Maybe dealing with her problems and dealing with his problems on his own was harder than he'd expected. The ocean being a metaphor for his problems: wide, vast, seemingly endless. It wasn't always an ocean of problems, however; in fact, there were roads. He had a clear path, which is why he says,

"When roads disappeared, I followed the rivers." Indeed, those roads disappeared he followed the rivers, meaning things were getting messy, but to some degree manageable, nevertheless. But somewhere in this mess, "I got in over my head," and it became too much. And so the rivers ran to the ocean,

"And so a deep breath I'll take in," meaning he's out of options. He needs help, but he sees his life getting worse and worse until he finally decides there is no turning back. His life is messed up, and he is drowning. Will she save him, like he saved her? Will she "wait for me now. Air is running out."

I agree with the last verse being purely metaphorical. Dreams shattered, the house on fire (once something's burned it can never be perfect again), a tangled web (so intricately designed, so easily destroyed), the key turning to see the locks changed (what worked before isn't working now), in time to hear the backdoor slam (he came to her, and she slammed the door in his face. she was his last hope, and it's gone), a sound to this day he'll never forget. He'll never forget the day she said she won't wait for him

And all of this answers the question posed in the beginning, "Do you see the world in colors, or is it black and gray?"

"The colors turned to black and gray." Not only does she see things that way, but his life is now that way. The irony here however, is that her life actually is no different. Both of their lives are black and grey. The end's robbed me now!

Well, thanks for reading =D