having been a say anything fan for a while and reading band bios and such it seems to me that he wrote this song at the record companies promising the band they would be "the next blink 182" if they did exactly what hey were told and let someone else write for them. hey brought up their hopes and dashed them wonderfully. belt symbolizing pride, the companies left them with nothing but them, biut the jokes on them lets meet in the alley talks about like oh what now were awsome you shouldn't have been such a prick!!

I would like to say one more thing. If you didn't catch it in the unscripted opening then you should of realized it with the open line, "I wouldn't sell my belt to industry..." meaning the music industry and the media in general utilize musicians' mental illnesses to make a couple of bucks. They did it to Jimi Hendrix, Ian Curtis (Joy Division), Kurt Cobain, etc. And Max wouldn't sell himself out to a major label where they would use his mental illness as a ploy to make money. "His lyrics are so talented. His bi-polar swings are expressed in 'Yellowcat (slash) Redcat". Of course it was inevitable because the media wears down and tears apart every and anything they want. It's a shame because having a mental illness isn't a gift..

Thank you, returnsandexchanges. I completely agree with you. First and foremost, music fans quickly associate music with religion too quickly. If the song has any biblical references, that does not make it a 'Christian' song. Max cites religion in sarcastic ways throughout the album but the general consensus is that his sarcasm leans against the conformity of religion. Underoath, especially old Underoath lyrics are written specifically Christian driven. The whole thing with the belt being his father's once was hit right on the mark except mental illnesses (some) skip a generation but he wasn't trying to be too technical rather just express it. Of course there doesn't have to be one underlying meaning in a song. I agree with many of you and the references of rebellion towards government. Not specifically capitalism but any crooked government (music industry) that governs society, stripping them of their integrity creativity.

I hope I made sense. I think I did.

By the way, Hebrew is a language and being Jewish is a religion. Jesus Mary Joseph Allah Ghandi David Christ, how can people be THAT ignorant? LOL

you're all wrong.

the "belt" is an allusion to mental illness. listen to the clip at the beginning of the song. that's not scripted. max was on MAOIs (really strong anti-depressants for suicidal patients, also anti-psychotic?) for awhile.

yes, he got his "belt" from his father. mental illness is inheritable.

how does this tie into music and the music industry?

oh, i don't know. let's think of some other really famous artists that were bipolar. hmm.. jimi hendrix? anyone? a lot of people who were musical geniuses also suffered from mental illness. within our neurotic tendencies lies our wisdom.

in case you still don't get it, i'll continue to elaborate.

carting him off = being institutionalized (read the bio max wrote)
the good gendarme = people trying to put him/keep him in the institution
stripped of natural charm = on meds, which dampens his extreme mood swings

i guess you guys got the rest of it right.


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and what say you and all youre friends meet all of my friends in the alley tonight?

absolute gold
i love it

i actually incorporated this into a tattoo design

>.<

Max must have overdosed...fucking stoner.

the end reminds me of west side story.

I was under the impression that belt was a synonym for pride.

what if 'belt' means his voice.

He wouldn't sell the songs he belts out, to industry so they showed him their business cards and carted him off.

I met Max in Charleroi Pennsylvania at a show that was so low key that he stood on the floor to play. It was at a local VFW and Plain White T's played with them too before they were famous for their highly overplayed song hey there delilah-

anyways the point is we partied afterwards- and we were trashed-but i remember a very nice talk about alot of his songs and what they meant to him. First off- alot of you are right and alot are over interpreting it. Secondly- he really is a little fucked in the head.

so here it is:

I wouldn't sell my belt to industry
So they carded me
And they carted me off.
Naked with that belt around my waist
It was my father's once
I still see his face
They carted me off.

-these lines are indeed a reference to the music industry. He hates them and the way allllll things work in our society nowadays. He hates the fact that you grow up being told you can be anything you want, when in actuality you have to fuck people over and sell out to get it. His dad taught him his ways- his dad fought through a rough time trying to get jobs when jews were made fun of or looked down upon in america, causing him to have to fight for what he wanted. The belt is an allusion to what he was taught, and what his father has already gone through, almost like passing the torch doesnt mean actually passing the torch, but teaching someone something and letting them follow in your footsteps.

But I maaged to escape the good gendarme
And I fled through field and farm stripped of natural charm
Naked but that belt I wear so well
Past the pyramids
And the liberty bell
Hey this is something I have to do for myself
I have to for myself.

this part alludes to the music industry telling him how he should play his songs- how they should be produced, and instead although he has little, he holds on to that 'belt' that idea of fighting for what you want the way you want it. And it's something he has to do for his own self. Cue the next line-

I ignored the sheep and shepherds on my way
What could their small words say
When they say them that way

This small bit is talking about the people that want to 'tag along for the ride' or the ones that are always giving him advice, when they say (he was pist when he talkedabout this) things like "yea man real cool, i really like your lyrics, you should hear some of my stuff and we should team up and play together." he hates that. nothing but small words. and what can their small words say, when his lyrics are nothing but art, and their conversations are nothing but shit. Keep in mind he was searching for people he wanted to play with for his cd. It was sort of a catch 22 thing, where he wanted to hear your shit to find out if you were good, but didnt feel like going through all the bullshit conversation to find out. He has sort of a god complex, he already thinks he's better than alot of artists and people, so why does he need their help? he doesnt take advice, he gives it.

Bathed in sweat and feathered as a crow
I laid a beating on the sleet and snow
With my frostbitten toes.
I remained unrecognized in my home town
Beneath my monstrous gown
Of feather and down

Alot of this song is meant to illustrate his struggle, so feathered as a crow is him not shaving, laying a beating on the frozen snow is him making his trip, past the pyramids and liberty bell is him showing how hes been through alot to get where he is- with that out of the way-two people are already right about the next lines:

tarred and feathering- not about 'not paying your taxes" but rather about blacks, and how they were ousted just for being black, and the whole. Blacks represent a tough struggle in american history as does max's fathers past, and his music career.
the reference of being unrecognized in his own hometown is in fact a ref. to the bible. although jewish, max is an avid reader and doesn't necessarily fully believe in the jewish faith. he tried to see what the christian faith is about, but he doesnt love either one. He told me that line was different for a long period of time until he read the bible, and then changed it.

But I gathered up and army made of those
Who aimed to shake them
From their repose
We took up weapons
And took off our clothes

again someone already was dead on with this. he finally rounds up a band he likes, and he aims to shake everyone with his music. show them whats up so to speak. Weapons is just a metaphor as many of you may already know. and the we took off our clothes "just seemed and sounded right" is what max said. He didnt even come up with the line, his guitarist did at the time. but for obvious reasons it goes with the whole idea of the song.

So what say you
And all your friends
Meet all of my friends
In the alley with knives
What say you
And all your friends
Step up to my friends
In the alley tonight

When they played the song at practice they would jam out for a while after the song, and Max, a fan of musical theater is referencing west side story, but really he just liked the words and the way it sounded when he came up with a new guitar part for the end.

i talk to him now from time to time on aol instant messenger, he's hardly ever on, and even when i message him he doesnt talk, so we arent buddy buddy good friends or anything, but we do talk music from time to time. I plan on posting more on this site as time goes- and i want to all let you know that there might be a musical coming out soon with max's music a main feature and majority of the entire thing.

i think the first line pretty much sums up the meaning. oh and i love this song mostly for the awesome verse repeating in the end

Personally I think it's more like "Hey I don't want to give into what everyone says." In the CD booklet thing it says that Say Anything has been criticized for being too honest. I believe by "belt" he really means "what I say and how I put it into my music." But it would seem that this song is taking place in France for some reason. A gendarme is a French police officer. At the end about the rising up, I think that is more like "My friends who have the same feeling about music are going to take over." But yea. That's just my thoughts.

Okay. So I think this song is about howeverything is all screwed up in the world, and you have to do everything by yourself, not many people will really beleive in you and you have to keep beleiving in yourself. But then you will find people who do beleive in you, and themselvvves, and you realize that there are actually good people in the world, and not everyone is trying to stop you.

Yeppers.

=]

"because max is very anti-capitalist"

thats a good one, haha.

LOVE THIS SONG!!!

You're all wrong. This song is OBVIOUSLY about Pootie Tang.

still. why would he write a song about jesus?

but being jewish doesn't always mean you believe in that religion your mom/dad can be jewish which makes you a jew but if you don't believe in judaism that don't take your jewness away.....loser

D1
"Jesus was not Jewish, he was a Hebrew"

lmfao! idiot. Hebrew is the language the jews spoke.
jesus was a jew. stop trying to be a smartass.

"I ignored the sheep and shepherds on my way
What could their small words say
When they say them that way"

Maybe, since he is Jewish, this part could mean something about getting harrassed from Christians? Or something to that effect, seeing as the song is all about him rebelling the "man," which could be seen as a big majority as well, such as Christians.

oh and i almost forgot

notice how all onedollar bills all have a pyramid on the back?

"past the pyramids and the liberty bell" in my opinion is referring to how he refused to sign to a major label despite the perks of money (pyramids) and national fame [?] (liberty bell)

national fame may be a bit far-fetched but i think the rest is right

i agree with D1 very much

but

i think that "belt" refers to him 'belting' out the song which also symbolizes his rebellion against the industry.

the fact that it is "around his waist" just shows the other meaning of the word, and the fact that without it- he has nothing.

"it was my fathers once" might be referring to, though im not quite sure, his father's same gruff and sarcastic tone as though he too were 'belting' out all of his words

i very much doubt that the end has anything to do with West Side Story. in fact, i think Max - with his army of hardcore fans as D1 said - is calling out the industry. they are fighting to show that he doesnt NEED a major record company to create amazing music and to gather people who will enjoy it.

otherwise, believe what you would like.

songs mean different things to different people and if you look to closely they only show their true nature which is, of course, somebody elses thoughts and ideas.

so keep your own stories about werewolves and the new testament, this explanation is simply for those who dont have enough creativity to find a meaning themself.

^from a middleschooler, bitch.

thanks you for clearing that up.

and obviously this song is about anti-conformity and rebellion.

funstuff

Jesus was not Jewish, he was a Hebrew. Max being Jewish means he probably wouldn't write songs about Jesus. He wouldn't reference the New Testament, which is from a different religion. Lineinthesand makes specific references to specific verses that people who don’t read the bible probably wouldn’t know. So I really doubt this is a Christian song.

I think it’s clearly that this is “a song of rebellion”… as he states in the beginning.

Obviously the he talks about running. I think most people would agree that he uses “running” as a symbol for rebelling against mainstream music.

“But I managed to escape the good gendarme”

“I fled through field and farm stripped of natural charm”

“Past the pyramids and the liberty bell”

“Bathed in sweat”

“I ignored the sheep and shepherds ON MY WAY”

“I laid a beating on the sleet and snow with my frostbitten toes.”


I think is his rebellion is something very personal and important to him (he is an artist). People around him don’t understand why he feels he must do what he is doing. Here are some examples of that.

“Hey this is something I have to do for myself I have to for myself.”

“I ignored the sheep and shepherds”

“What could their small words say when they say them that way”


I think he feels that he isn’t by any means famous or well known, but he has reached some level of celebrity among hardcore fans. Most the bands fans are probably very loyal and would be his fans not matter what.

“I remained unrecognized in my home town”

“But I gathered up and army made of those who aimed to shame them from their repose”

“We took up weapons”

“What say you and all your friends Step up to my friends In the alley tonight”


As for the “belt”, being “feathered as a crow”, and the “monstrous gown of feather and down” I am going to admit that I don’t have a clue. I really doubt they have anything to do with werewolves. He anything is possible…

I agree with the werewolf idea. i think his belt bothe represents his creativity and turns him into a werewolf. i think he 'passed the sheep and shepards' to excersize anti-conformity.