Awolnation – Sail

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  General Comment:Listening to the lyrics alone, then the ADD is definitely Attention Deficit Disorder. As someone living with ADD/ADHD, I can attest that the lyrics accurately describe what I go through. We are not the same. We ARE a different breed. We can't always express our love, our feelings, our emotions the best; sometimes, we lash out against those who we love. The "angel dies" is slightly ambiguous. The death of the angel could be the result of us lashing out; or, it is us killing ourselves slowly by hurting those we love, yet failing to accept the consequences. We are often considered proud or arrogant. After all this, we are presented to options, humbling ourselves and asking for help, or remaining proud and arrogant and committing suicide.
  
  But, after all this, we arrive back to being a different breed. I personally do not consider ADD/ADHD an actual disorder. If anything has a disorder, it the society that demands conformation to preset, pre-approved standards. We are just, different.

  Flag sandyvv97on May 24, 2013   Link

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  Song Meaning:nytimes.com/2013/02/03/us/…&

  Flag Hilzon April 15, 2013   Link

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  Song Meaning:It's about addiction to ADD medications such as adderal and rittalin...

  Flagged Hilzon April 15, 2013   Link

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  Song Meaning:After watching the music video, it seems like the song is about being different.
  
  Awol is running from something, like he is being chased, then he becomes paranoid and runs for his tape recorder, to record something before they reach him. The they is obviously something no one else believes in, and looking at the wall of photos, it seems extraterrestrial.
  
  He is saying come sail away with me, almost saying "believe me", like he knows or believes something everyone else does not.

  Flagged xtrabiotoxinon April 11, 2013   Link

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    interesting considering it sounds a bit like amphetamine psychosis

    Flag groktruthon May 07, 2013  
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  My Interpretation:This song represents the corruption in the music industry being unlike any of their other songs with multiple meanings to the well thought out lyrics selling(sale) out.
  
  A.D.D. has three meanings; Attention deficit disorder meaning were all distracted by hooks and beats to really think about whats going on. Alcohol drug dependency and add(adds running our lives making decisions for us leading to sales. the all seeing eye is the power over us and the music industry controlling how we think.
  sail with me into the dark is also reference to the eye which is one of the Illuminati(light) symbols meaning away from their grasp he expresses the hopelessness he feels in the lines "maybe im not listening, maybe i should cry for help, maybe i should kill myself blame it on my A.D.D." "This is how I show my love I made it in my mind because" is his way of trying to spread truth even if subtly."This is how an angel dies Blame it on my own sick pride" this is how people get bought off.
  "Maybe I'm a different breed" refers to his status as a performer and "This is how an angel dies Blame it on my own sick pride" is the performer (angel) falling due to pride, status or money giving into the system.

  Flagged Voidamion March 29, 2013   Link

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  Song Meaning:This song is a part of an overall storyline. In this video, he can be seen running from the illuminati, which is represented by the bright lights. He makes it look like he killed himself in tub, that's why its goes away. Then, he gets heard and it kidnaps him; dragging him out of his life as represented by the house; he says maybe they will kill him and blame it on his ADD as a cover up.
  
  He can be seen looking at the illuminati sign around 1:04 in the song. He can also be seen searching for his tape recorder to tell his story just incase he is killed; that way someone can find it to know what happened. In an oppressive state - one who expresses himself against elitist or governmental policies, will be punished.
  
  During the song, he expresses that, "Maybe I'm a different breed, Maybe I'm not listening, So blame it on my A-D-D baby" he cannot to conform to the status quo - which is set forth by the illuminati. People who are aware of the illuminati agenda are seen as crazy conspiracy theorists, which is what people probably see him as. Maybe he's just not right in the head so blame it on his A.D.D. baby.

  Flagged dean20on March 28, 2013   Link

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  My Interpretation:The song “Sail” by Owelnation can be interpreted in multiple ways and is a vague song in itself. No one can know the abouts of it as much as the one who wrote it. It’s a personal song that is sung from the heart of the individual. It’s private as much as it is not. He wants the listeners to know something he does without sounding too revealing. I believe this song is one of a kind and displays a much deeper meaning when looking beyond the surface.
  The song, I believe, is about complicated relationships; whether it’s a love relationship or relationship with certain entities or organizations. The singer is singing about what’s on his heart and mind; what he’s going through and experiencing. There’s a tone of desperation when following through the lyrics, as if he is crying out for help out of anger.
  
  The tone of the song is definitely anger, resentment, and arrogance. He’s angry about certain circumstances in his life which he can’t change and doesn’t express those feelings in a loving way. “This is how I show my love” resembles his hurtful feelings which he seems to be aware of. He’s angry at the world and doesn’t seem to care what others think, “I made it in my mind because”. He doesn’t answer why he’s acting this way, but leaves us hanging at just “because”. He doesn’t feel the need to go in depth or explain himself. This displays arrogance and a form of ignorance. As well as, “I blame it on my own sick pride” he admits to his arrogance. Although he admits to it, I feel he’s ashamed of it as well. He’s angry for the way he feels and I think he wishes to change but can’t due to his circumstances and the situation he is in or was in.
  
  Not only that but the individual is very troubled psychologically as well as emotionally. He feels he’s been corrupt or “ruined” in a way, and in turn, can’t help but hurt others. “This is how an angel dies” can be talking about himself or someone he has hurt. To excuse his hatred or cruel conduct or “lack of focus”, he looks for excuses to justify his behavior and attitude, “Blame it on my ADD baby”. That’s the line he uses to excuse his lack of attention to other people, their needs or emotions; basically his lack of focus and attention to what’s around him. This is another example that resembles his arrogance and indifference for those around him. “Maybe I should cry for help, maybe I should kill myself”. He’s admitting to needing some kind of help and understands that what he’s experiencing is not normal or ok. He may be suicidal and clearly sounds troubled and depressed in so many ways. There’s a very strong tone of indifference throughout the song.
  
  “Maybe I’m a different breed”, again he realizes he’s different from others and has a hard time relating to other people it seems. He knows his behavior and attitude is destructive and not normal, he feels misunderstood and too “different” from others. He’s also indifferent to what others say or think about him, “maybe I’m not listening”, plainly says, “I just don’t care”. People’s opinions clearly mean nothing to him. He realized he needs help but his pride is in the way or he thinks no one can help him anyways, so he doesn’t take help from those who wish to help. Or he simply doesn’t trust others.
  
  This individual just wants to escape reality because of his experiences, emotional state, or outlook on life; or all of those. Throughout the song he repeats the phrase “Sail” multiple times, he just wants to escape and not deal with all he’s dealing with. He’s considering suicide as an option because no one can help him, or in his case, maybe everyone IS the problem. He’s misunderstood and just wants to leave or in his case “sail away”.
  A strong sense of indifference goes on when he chants, “la la la la la, la la la la la oh” multiple times throughout the song. Since no one truly even cares about him or actually willing helping him, his revenge is to not care about others either. His attitude is the reflections of what happened or what’s happening to him, and this is simply how he chooses to respond. He also understands that his thinking and attitude is harmful, destructive, and dark. “Sail with me in the dark”, is his invitation to join. He feels no hope or point in improving anything. His direction is darkness itself, and he knows that’s where he’s heading. He’s angry and does not seem to care at all.

  Flagged Kate92on March 28, 2013   Link

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  Song Meaning:People are overlooking the fact that ADD has two meanings. There is obviously Attention Defeceit disorder, but the ADD the vocalist s referring to is Alcohol & Drug Dependancy. Doesn't that make more sense with the other references he makes in the song? Alcohol & Drug Dependancy affects people in a lot of ways, all of which are addressed subtley within the song. 'This is how I show my love, I made it in my mind' due to his drug-influenced train of thought. 'this is how an angel dies' because many influential people have died because of it. 'Maybe I should cry for help, maybe I should kill myself', all mindsets a person affected by Alchohol & Drug Dependancy goes through.
  
  That is what I think Sail is about.

  Flagged Baubleson March 09, 2013   Link

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    according to urban dictionary, another meaning of the word sail is to take a hit of marijuana, so your explanation makes sense.

    Flag harlemsailon March 17, 2013  

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    Thanks for getting the true meaning of ADD in this song. As a person who has recovered from alcohol & drug dependancy the first time I heard this song knew what he was saying. And it makes perfect sense in that context

    Flagged mygraceon March 23, 2013  

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    Very well put. You have a very sound interpretation. Thank for enlightening me with your perception.

    Flag Chan102on April 22, 2013  
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  My Interpretation:I think a lot of us have that one thing that we are diagnosed with either by the world or an actual doctor. And when people start labeling you with that certain thing (ADD, manic depressive, anxiety, schizophrenia, borderline personality disorder, etc.) we blame our lashing out or shutting down or whatever on that thing just because it's easier than explaining our emotions and opening up to people. In my opinion, and you may not agree with me, I feel that this song is about that. About a person who has just had it with people being upset with him for being certain ways or doing certain things so they're just like whatever maybe I am a different breed or maybe I should kill myself. And this person may just be fed up with people lashing out on him asking why he acts this way or whatever so he just uses his label as an excuse.
  
  I guess I feel this way because I know someone who has borderline personality disorder and when we fight he just throws the BPD card around like an excuse for everything to avoid talking about his feelings. And I, myself, am guilty of doing that with my panic disorder. And I'm sure there's many other people out there who do that too.
  
  This was somewhat of a rambling interpretation, but these are just the first things I thought of when I really listened closely to the song.

  Flagged forkkson February 26, 2013   Link

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  General Comment:This song has nothing to do with ADD or someone having ADD.
  
  PERIOD.
  
  It's nearly the opposite, calling ADD a cover up or excuse... thus ' blame it on my ADD'
  
  So you can stop with the 'only if you have ADD' garbage. Everyone has some form of ADD, just some parents like to 'blame it on the ADD'.

  Flagged ozone33on February 20, 2013   Link

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