You gave it up, to give into
What it was that gave you definition
You're safe from what?
Besides the will to give in to temptation
Think of what your asking for
It's only right that it hurts more than it should
To remain select and understood

So let me tell you it's cold out there at the top of the world
You're left alone and scared with nothing to hold
You're being black and blue when you coulda been gold
So let me tell you it's cold out there at the top of the world
(Here at the top of the world)

I've always heard that the good die young
There's little time left to prove them wrong
You burnt the bridge that you walked here on
Here at the top

Tonight we save the world
Today we have to save ourselves
We have to save ourselves from losing on what we pride ourselves on choosing
It's all that's left that we can depend on
But it gets to hard to have an opinion
On the loyalties unspoken and the thoughts that can't be broken

So let me tell you it's cold out there at the top of the world
You look alone and scared with nothing to hold
You're being black and blue when you coulda been gold
So let me tell you it's cold out there at the top of the world
(Here at the top of the world)

I've always heard that the good die young
There's little time left to prove them wrong
You burnt the bridge that you walked here on
Here at the top of the world.

(War)
Tonight
Here at the top of the world
Tonight
Here at the top of the world

Rise or die
Here at the top of the world
Rise or die
Here at the top of the world

Here at the top of the world
Here at the top of the world

Rise or die
Here at the top of the world
Rise or die
Here at the top of the world

Overall Meaning

Four Year Strong's song Maniac speaks to the struggle of achieving success and what it costs a person to get there - both in terms of personal sacrifice and the sacrifices of others. The first verse speaks to the idea that in order to achieve greatness, one often has to give up some part of themselves, and to some extent, it's about knowing what those sacrifices are and understanding the consequences of those choices. The lines "Think of what your asking for / It's only right that it hurts more than it should" speaks to the idea that sometimes greatness is achieved at a great cost.

The chorus speaks to the idea that once a person has made it to the top, it's not necessarily the utopia they thought it would be. The "cold" at the top of the world is a reference to the isolation that often comes with success, and the idea that the person has lost something by gaining the success they sought after. "You're being black and blue when you coulda been gold" refers to the idea that sometimes, pursuing success means making choices that hurt oneself and others, when really we could have been content with something simpler and pure.

The final verse is a call to action for the listener. It speaks to the urgency of living in the present and being true to oneself in the pursuit of success. The line "Tonight we save the world / Today we have to save ourselves" is a metaphor for the idea that in order to make a change in the world, we have to first change ourselves. The ending is a stark reminder that achieving success is not easy, and the cost of not succeeding is even greater. The lines "Rise or die / Here at the top of the world" is a call to action for the listener to take control of their own destiny and not be weighed down by the sacrifices they made to achieve success.

Line by Line Meaning

You gave it up, to give into
You abandoned your principles and values in order to succumb to temptation.

What it was that gave you definition
The thing that gave you your sense of identity and purpose.

You're safe from what?
What exactly are you protecting yourself from?

Besides the will to give in to temptation
Other than your desire to do something you know you shouldn't.

Think of what your asking for
Consider the consequences of your actions before you act on impulse.

It's only right that it hurts more than it should
The pain you feel from your bad decisions is justified, because you knew it was wrong to begin with.

To remain select and understood
To maintain your sense of self and be understood by those around you.

So let me tell you it's cold out there at the top of the world
Being successful and on top can be a lonely and difficult place to be.

You're left alone and scared with nothing to hold
When you achieve success, the things that once brought you comfort and security may no longer be there for you.

You're being black and blue when you coulda been gold
You're taking unnecessary hits and setbacks when you could have been successful and thriving.

I've always heard that the good die young
There is a common belief that good people often have shorter lives.

There's little time left to prove them wrong
There is only a limited amount of time to change this commonly held belief.

You burnt the bridge that you walked here on
You destroyed the relationships and connections that helped you achieve success.

Tonight we save the world
We will do something heroic and significant tonight.

Today we have to save ourselves
We must prioritize our own well-being and survival before we can save the world.

We have to save ourselves from losing on what we pride ourselves on choosing
We must protect ourselves from failing at the things we value and choose to do.

It's all that's left that we can depend on
Our ability to survive and protect ourselves is the only dependable thing we have.

But it gets to hard to have an opinion
It becomes difficult to hold onto your beliefs and values in certain situations.

On the loyalties unspoken and the thoughts that can't be broken
The unspoken allegiances and unbreakable thoughts that may be hidden from others.

Rise or die
We must either take action and succeed, or fail and suffer the consequences.

Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Alan Clifford Day, Daniel Patrick O'Connor, Jackson Russell Massucco, Joseph Flanders Weiss, Joshua Bo Lyford

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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Comments from YouTube:

Milk And Cereal

2y↑3

You gave it up, to keep it down
What it was that gave you definition
You'll say for what?
Besides the will to give in to temptation
Think of what your asking for
It's only right that it hurts more than it should
To remain select and understood

So let me tell you it's cold out there at the top of the world
You live alone and scared with nothing to hold
You're beaten black and blue when your coulda been gold
So let me tell you it's cold out there at the top of the world (Here at the top of the world)
I've always heard that the good die young
There's little time left to prove them wrong
You've burnt the bridge that you walked here on
Here at the top
Tonight we save the world
Today we have to save ourselves
We have to save ourselves from losing on what we pride ourselves on choosing
It's all that's left that we can depend on
But it gets to hard to have an opinion
On the loyalties unspoken and the bonds that can't be broken
So let me tell you it's cold out there at the top of the world
You live alone and scared with nothing to hold
You're beaten black and blue when your coulda been gold
So let me tell you it's cold out there at the top of the world (Here at the top of the world)
I've always heard that the good die young
There's little time left to prove them wrong
You burnt the bridge that you walked here on
Here at the top of the world!

Tonight!
Here at the top of the world!
Tonight!
Here at the top of the world!
Rise! Or! Die!
Here at the top of the world!
Rise! Or! Die!
Here at the top of the world!
Here at the top of the world!
Here at the top of the world!
Rise! Or! Die!
Here at the top of the world!
Rise! Or! Die!
Here at the top of the world!