This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
I see the Middle Kingdom between Heaven and Earth
Like the Chinese call the country of their birth
We all figure that our homes are set above
Other people than the ones we know and love
In every place with a name
They play the same territorial game
Hiding behind the lines
Sending up warning signs
The whole wide world
An endless universe
Yet we keep looking through
The eyeglass in reverse
Don't feed the people
But we feed the machines
Can't really feel
What international means
In different circles
We keep holding our ground
Indifferent circles
We keep spinning round and round
We see so many tribes -- overrun and undermined
While their invaders dream of lands they've left behind
Better people -- better food -- and better beer
Why move around the world when Eden was so near?
The bosses get talking so tough
And if that wasn't evil enough
We get the drunken and passionate pride
Of the citizens along for the ride
They shoot without shame
In the name of a piece of dirt
For a change of accent
Or the color of your shirt
Better the pride that resides
In a citizen of the world
Than the pride that divides
When a colorful rag is unfurled
Like the Chinese call the country of their birth
We all figure that our homes are set above
Other people than the ones we know and love
In every place with a name
They play the same territorial game
Hiding behind the lines
Sending up warning signs
The whole wide world
An endless universe
Yet we keep looking through
The eyeglass in reverse
Don't feed the people
But we feed the machines
Can't really feel
What international means
In different circles
We keep holding our ground
Indifferent circles
We keep spinning round and round
We see so many tribes -- overrun and undermined
While their invaders dream of lands they've left behind
Better people -- better food -- and better beer
Why move around the world when Eden was so near?
The bosses get talking so tough
And if that wasn't evil enough
We get the drunken and passionate pride
Of the citizens along for the ride
They shoot without shame
In the name of a piece of dirt
For a change of accent
Or the color of your shirt
Better the pride that resides
In a citizen of the world
Than the pride that divides
When a colorful rag is unfurled
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Bron-Y-Aur Stomp
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Hayalperest
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This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
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Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
When We Were Young
Blink-182
Blink-182
This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
"We get the drunken and passionate pride of the citizens along for the ride"
Ah yes, nationalism. That which allows people from all walks of life to come together and forget that whatever vague cause they're cheering has absolutely fuckall to do with the borders of their homeland. I don't know about the rest of the world, but in the US you can see these misguided flag-wavers on both the right and the left. They plaster their Hummers/hybrids with shallow slogans about what they think of "America" but don't realize that their notion of "America" has been dead for decades. The American Way is causing all our problems and the American Dream is taken for granted, so what's America but lines in the sand?
"Can't really feel What international means"
Yes, I agree with a lot of the ideas mentioned here. This quotation above really sums it up for me. We claim that ideas like globalization really exists. We claim to have peace among ourselves. Yet we are surrounded and divided by borders. I think this song is suggesting how ridiculous nationalism can be; that we should just consider ourselves human, men and women of Earth, and function entirely the way our countries function--together.
Perfect explanation and what I believe also to be the true spirit of this song.
I like to look at this as "Subdivions" on a larger scale. It is about the petty rivalies that occur between countries and even differents regions.
In my opinion, Territories is a call for unity, almost expounding on John Lennon's calls for unity in Imagine and his public appearances. This is a call for peace; a wake up call, if you like. Rush is asking us to look through the eyeglass correctly. Quit creating divisions from our differences, but instead, find our similarities. 'Citizen of the World' really seems to convey the idea of the song best.
It's like ... every country is so detached from each other. But it's all one world -- we should see ourselves as citizens of the world, and not identify with only one part of it.
Great song!
This song goes beyond nationalism. It's the whole "us vs them...we rule-you suck'" mentality.
The line "or the color of your shirt" refers to sports teams, I think. Fans of opposing teams getting in fights at ball games over what happens in the game. How ridiculous is THAT? People living vicariously through a bunch of overppaid, steroidal prima donnas? Why? Because people have done nothing in their own lives to be proud of...so they leech onto a sports team and try to pretend they deserve some of the credit for the team's success.
Not just professional of collegiate level teams. Ever see parents at little league games acting like a freaking kids' game is a matter of life and death?
People do that with bands, too. For a perfect example of this idiotic mentality, just look at the first page of comments on Tom Sawyer in this very website. Pathetic!
The song to me is about everyone thinking that they are the best. Each country will claim to have the best beer, the best foods, the best sports teams, but all this "I'm the best" mentality keeps people from understanding and appreciating other places "Can't really feel what international means" and it's this mentality that keeps everyone from seeing the broad picture and appreciating the entire world "The whole wide world, and endless universe, yet we keep looking at the eyeglass in reverse" It's like looking through binoculars backwards and not seeing what's off in the distance, only what is right here in front of you.
One thing I see people not mentioning, or somehow I have missed being mentioned, is the chorus itself.
"Don't feed the people, but we feed the machines."
That this was true back when the song was written and is more prevalent today, is truly frightening.
We serve that which is supposed to serve us. Corporations receiving benefits that other's don't even have the option to die for. Greedy closed-minded people who care nothing for anything outside of their immediate world, waving their own 'flags' on capital hill in the hands of lobbyists.
They send our children to die for them and keep us myopic and afraid of anything outside of ourselves so that we'll never question them.
This is a protest song as much as anything else. It is an anthem against the machine as much as anything Rage had ever created.