The line “get up today with red on your face” is metonymy for the paint that warriors wear on their faces, which is often the color red because red symbolizes strength, anger, and rebellion. The line itself has two possible meanings. The first meaning is to remain strong in the face of corruption. This interpretation is strengthened by the line right after which says to “fight down” —as a warrior would– those that make their money in politics by “keeping the pace,” or by protecting the current corrupt practices of politicians that make their living at the expense of others (“bet on the race”). The second interpretation is that the lyricist wants people to remain determinedly strong in the face of adversity. The chorus of the song repeats the line “when the volcano erupts, don’t look up, because all you can see is ashes.” This is a metaphor for optimism; when bad things happen, don’t dwell on the dark side. Therefore, the message implied by the metonymy may also be to mentally fight against misfortunes in order to sustain happiness.
The line “get up today with red on your face” is metonymy for the paint that warriors wear on their faces, which is often the color red because red symbolizes strength, anger, and rebellion. The line itself has two possible meanings. The first meaning is to remain strong in the face of corruption. This interpretation is strengthened by the line right after which says to “fight down” —as a warrior would– those that make their money in politics by “keeping the pace,” or by protecting the current corrupt practices of politicians that make their living at the expense of others (“bet on the race”). The second interpretation is that the lyricist wants people to remain determinedly strong in the face of adversity. The chorus of the song repeats the line “when the volcano erupts, don’t look up, because all you can see is ashes.” This is a metaphor for optimism; when bad things happen, don’t dwell on the dark side. Therefore, the message implied by the metonymy may also be to mentally fight against misfortunes in order to sustain happiness.