Little Boxes
♫ Rise Against Lyrics

Little boxes on the hillside,
Refers to the cookie-cutter homes built in the suburbs.

Little boxes made of ticky-tacky,
Refers to the cheap and mass-produced nature of the suburban homes.

Little boxes on the hillside,
Repeats the first line as the singer continues to observe the sameness.

Little boxes, all the same.
Highlights the monotony of suburban living.

There's a green one and a pink one
Points out the variety of colors available in the homes, but they still look the same.

And a blue one and a yellow one
Continues listing the colors of the homes, highlighting their uniformity despite the colors.

They're all made out of ticky-tacky,
Reiterates the cheap and flimsy construction of the homes.

And they all look just the same.
Repeats the song's central point of how identical the houses are.

And the people in houses
Shifts focus to the people living in the homes.

who went to the university,
Indicates a level of education and privilege.

where they put in boxes,
Refers to higher education as a means of fitting individuals into society's predetermined expectations.

And they all came out the same.
Emphasizes the homogeneity and lack of diversity among highly-educated individuals.

There's doctors and lawyers
Lists examples of typical high-paying jobs sought after by highly-educated individuals.

And business executives,
Includes another common occupation of the educated elite.

They're all made out of ticky-tacky
Describes these individuals as being just as replaceable and cheap as their suburban homes.

And they all look just the same.
Reiterates the song's central point that even highly-educated and successful people are ultimately the same.

And they all play on the golf-course,
Describes the affluent lifestyles of these individuals.

And drink their Martini dry,
Continues the description of the luxurious lifestyle of the suburban elite.

And they all have pretty children,
Highlights the conformity and expectations placed upon individuals to have children and for them to conform to societal norms of beauty.

And the children go to school.
Highlights the emphasis placed on education and the cyclical nature of life with children living the same kinds of lives as their parents.

And the children go to summer camp
Highlights the privileged youth of the suburban lifestyle and their participation in typical summer activities.

And then to the university,
Continues the emphasis on education and the cycle of societal expectations.

They all get put in boxes
Reiterates the idea that education is a means of fitting individuals into societal expectations and norms.

They all come out the same.
Emphasizes the homogeneity and lack of diversity that results from societal expectations and norms.

And the boys go into business,
Shifts focus to sons who follow in their fathers' footsteps to become business executives.

And marry, raise a family,
Highlights the societal expectations for men to marry and start families.

And they all get put in boxes,
Repeats the cycle of fitting individuals into societal norms.

Little boxes, all the same.
Concludes the song by reiterating the central point of the sameness and conformity of suburban life.