Against The Grain
-Bad Religion Lyrics
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A lonely restitution of pavement, pomp and show
I seek a thousand answers, I find but one or two
I maintain no discomfiture, my path again renewed
Against the grain, that's where I'll stay
Swimming upstream, I maintain against the grain
Here labeled as a lunatic, sequestered and content
There ignored and defeated by the government
There's an oriented public whose magnetic force will pull
But away from the potential of the individual
Against the grain, that's where I'll stay
Swimming upstream, I maintain against the grain
The flow is getting stronger with small increments of time
And eddies of new ideas are increasingly hard to find
You need all that the other has, it's your right to seize the day
But in all your acquisitions you will soon be swept away
Against the grain, that's where I'll stay
Swimming upstream, I maintain against the grain
There's a common consensus and an uncomfortable cheer
A reverberating chorus that anyone can hear
It sings 'leave your cares behind you, just grab tenaciously'
This lulling sense of purpose will destroy us rapidly
Against the grain, that's where I'll stay
Swimming upstream, I maintain against the grain
Against the grain, against the grain
Against the grain
This song by Bad Religion is an introspective musing on the individual's place in society and the struggle to maintain one's individuality and integrity in the face of conformity and societal pressure. The first verse paints a picture of a vast and lonely wilderness, in which the singer is searching for answers but finding only a few. The metaphor of swimming upstream highlights the difficulty of going against the flow of society, but the singer maintains that this is where they must stay.
The second verse references the societal pressure to conform and the potential to be ignored or defeated by the government. The line "There's an oriented public whose magnetic force will pull, but away from the potential of the individual" highlights the idea that society can be a powerful force that can lead individuals away from their own potential. The third verse acknowledges the importance of learning from others but warns against the danger of losing oneself in the process. The final chorus reinforces the idea that the singer will continue to resist conformity and maintain their independence, even if it means going against the grain.
Overall, the song encourages individuality and standing up for what one believes in, even if it goes against the norm. It's a message of resistance against a conformist society that can stifle the potential of individuals.
Line by Line Meaning
Three thousand miles of wilderness overcome by the flow
I have traveled far, but society still pulls me along with its currents.
A lonely restitution of pavement, pomp and show
In this city, materialism and superficiality abound.
I seek a thousand answers, I find but one or two
I am searching for meaning, but clarity is hard to come by.
I maintain no discomfiture, my path again renewed
I am comfortable with my unconventional path and will continue on it.
Against the grain, that's where I'll stay
I will resist conforming to societal expectations and follow my own path.
Swimming upstream, I maintain against the grain
I am fighting against the tide of societal expectations in order to be true to myself.
Here labeled as a lunatic, sequestered and content
Society may view me as crazy, but I am happy with who I am and where I am.
There ignored and defeated by the government
The government may not support or understand me, but I will not let that stop me.
There's an oriented public whose magnetic force will pull
Society is oriented towards conformity, and its pull can be strong.
But away from the potential of the individual
This conformity stifles individuality and creativity.
The flow is getting stronger with small increments of time
Societal pressure to conform is increasing over time.
And eddies of new ideas are increasingly hard to find
It is becoming more difficult to find original and innovative ideas in a conformist society.
You need all that the other has, it's your right to seize the day
Society encourages us to acquire material possessions and compete with others, but this will ultimately lead to failure.
But in all your acquisitions you will soon be swept away
The pursuit of material possessions will leave you unfulfilled and lost in the current of conformity.
There's a common consensus and an uncomfortable cheer
Society encourages us to follow a common path and celebrate conformity.
A reverberating chorus that anyone can hear
This message of conformity is everywhere and hard to ignore.
This lulling sense of purpose will destroy us rapidly
Conformity may offer a sense of security, but it will ultimately lead to our destruction.
Against the grain, against the grain
I will continue to resist societal expectations and stay true to myself.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: GREG GRAFFIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@wam-yx1vs
Jesus said he would rid the world of evil. Odin said he would rid the world of frost giants. I don’t see any frost giants!!
@sketchartist1964
Jesus never said that.
@sketchartist1964
Religion will always be with us. Humans are religious by nature. Even when they drop mainstream religions, they sign up for a replacement secular "religion" of another sort.
@FEiSTYFEVER
Our nature abhors a void.
@MrWhitmen1981
That’s just flawed logically. Religion requires a level of shared organisation for the spread of its own concept. Atheism is nothing of the sort.
@sketchartist1964
@@MrWhitmen1981 Why do you think so many atheists join up with satanists? Because they are looking for precisely that. Something to belong to.
@mikalliz2167
What rock did he crawl out from under? He looks drugged out
@guff9567
Churching is fun
@CheckFred
There's only ONE Religion now
And it's only 23 years old >>> #TheChurchOfThePoisonedMinds <<< On @X! 😎
@MrChrisdube
The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God. 'nuff said.
Sane people don't believe the idiocy of athiests.