The Execution of All Things
Rilo Kiley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I feel the earth beneath my feet.
I'm feeling badly,
It's not an attempt at decency.
And if you're well off,
Well then I'm happy some for you.
But I'd rather not celebrate
My defeat and humiliation here with you.
Someone come quickly,
This place was built for moving out.
Leave behind buildings,
The city planners got mapped out.
Bring with you history,
And make your hard earned feast.
Then we'll go to Omaha to work and exploit
The booming music scene and humility.
And we've been talking all night
Oh god come quickly,
The execution of all things.
Let's start with the bears and the air
And mountains, rivers, and streams.
Then we'll murder what matters to you
And move on to your neighbors and kids.
Crush all hopes of happiness
With disease 'cause of what you did.
And lastly, you're all alone
With nothing left but sleep.
But sleep never comes to you,
It's just the guilt
And forever wakefulness of the weak.
It's just you and me
The execution of all things.
The execution of all things.
The execution of all things.
Rilo Kiley’s song “The Execution of All Things” presents a bleak look at life through the portrayal of the impending destruction of nature and the guilty conscience that will come with it. The opening lines are of a person sensing an impending doom and desperately reaching out to soldiers for help. However, they soon realize that they are better off embracing their defeat than celebrating their humiliation. This is a representation of how when people are privileged, they tend to overlook the struggles of others and appreciate what they have, instead of empathizing with those who are suffering.
The next stanza furthers this theme by encouraging listeners to leave behind their cities and to bring with them their histories and stories, instead of the material possessions. This insinuates that people need to reconnect with their roots and find humility in their lives. The call to go to Omaha and explore the burgeoning music scene connotes an escape from the present and embracing a more hopeful future by using art and creative expression. The repetition of “And we've been talking all night” underscores how the characters in the song are trying to come up with solutions and make sense of their predicament.
In the final stanza, the song turns darker, addressing the execution of all things. The chorus implies that nature is being destroyed, starting with the bears, air, mountains, rivers, and streams. The destruction will result in the crushing of hopes, happiness and the guilt that the weak will forever carry with them. The song is a lament for the damage that humans have inflicted on nature and ourselves. It encourages listeners to confront the damage already done and work on ways of preventing further harm to our world.
Line by Line Meaning
Soldiers come quickly,
Emergency, attention required.
I feel the earth beneath my feet.
An ominous feeling or warning of something bad about to happen.
I'm feeling badly,
Emotional and physical discomfort.
It's not an attempt at decency.
A sense of hopelessness or despair in trying to do the right thing.
And if you're well off,
Acknowledgement and congratulations to those with success and fortune.
Well then I'm happy some for you.
A sincere but subdued expression of happiness for others' success, while feeling personal discomfort and disappointment.
But I'd rather not celebrate
Disinclined to join in on a celebration of personal defeat and shame.
My defeat and humiliation here with you.
Choosing not to share the negative emotions and experiences with others.
Someone come quickly,
Urgency needed, time is of the essence.
This place was built for moving out.
A sense of restlessness or discomfort with staying in one place for too long.
Leave behind buildings,
Choosing to stray from a traditional path of success and stability.
The city planners got mapped out.
Following predetermined paths and expectations set forth by others.
Bring with you history,
Bringing personal experiences and stories to new environments.
And make your hard earned feast.
Celebrating personal successes with those who understand and appreciate the journey.
Then we'll go to Omaha to work and exploit
A journey to a place with opportunities for personal growth and advantage.
The booming music scene and humility.
Appreciating the culture and creativity in a new place, while remaining humble and open to new experiences.
And we've been talking all night
The emotional and introspective conversation surrounding personal growth and change.
Oh god come quickly,
A plea for help in the face of impending doom.
The execution of all things.
The destruction and loss of everything.
Let's start with the bears and the air
The callous disregard for nature and the environment.
And mountains, rivers, and streams.
The destruction of natural beauty and resources.
Then we'll murder what matters to you
The intentional harm and destruction of what others hold dear.
And move on to your neighbors and kids.
The continuation of destruction, bringing harm and pain to others.
Crush all hopes of happiness
The destruction of any possible source of joy or contentment.
With disease 'cause of what you did.
The natural consequences of one's actions, catching up with them and causing misery and pain.
And lastly, you're all alone
The isolation and loneliness of those who caused harm and pain to others.
With nothing left but sleep.
The inevitable exhaustion and sleep that comes with facing the consequences of one's actions.
But sleep never comes to you,
The continued emotional unrest and guilt felt by those who caused harm to others.
It's just the guilt
The all-consuming feeling of shame and regret.
And forever wakefulness of the weak.
The continued mental and emotional burden of those who were unable to make things right.
It's just you and me
The shared burden and guilt of those who experienced and caused pain and destruction.
The execution of all things.
The total and complete loss of everything.
The execution of all things.
The death and destruction of everything, including oneself.
The execution of all things.
The finality and inevitability of destruction and loss in life.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind