Not The One
-The Offspring Lyrics
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I'm not the one who caused the problems started long ago
But now I deal with all the consequence that troubles our times
I carry on and never once have even questioned why
I'm innocent
But the weight of the world is on my shoulders
I'm innocent
We 're not the ones who leave the homeless in the streets at night
We're not the ones who've kept minorities and women down
Still we grow and then the problems they become our own
We carry on without even realizing why
We're innocent
But the weight of the world is on our shoulders
We're innocent
But the battles left us are far from over
We're not the ones whose pollution blackened our skies
And ruined our streams
We're not the ones who made the nuclear bombs
That threaten our lives
We're not the ones who let the children starve in faraway lands
We're not the ones who made the streets unsafe to walk at night
And even if we try and not become so overwhelmed
And if we make some contribution to the plight we see
Still our descendants will inherit our mistakes of today
They'll suffer just the same as we and never wonder why
The Offspring's song "Not the One" is about being burdened by the weight of the world despite not being responsible for the problems that were originated from long ago. The lyrics suggest that although the current generation did not contribute to the world's issues, they still have to bear the consequences. The song highlights how the weight of the world is on the shoulders of the innocent, and the battles started in the past still continue today.
The song's emphasis is on how society has normalized the sufferings and have overlooked the problems such as homelessness, racial and gender discrimination, pollution, and nuclear weapons. These issues have been passed down over generations and are continually leaving scars on society. Through this song, the band wants to address the need for change before it's too late.
Overall, "Not the One" calls for society to take responsibility for the issues that have been created in the past and continue to contribute to the problems of today. It urges people to take action and bring change to the world.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm not the one who made the world what it is today
I am not responsible for the current state of the world
I'm not the one who caused the problems started long ago
The problems of the world existed before my time
But now I deal with all the consequence that troubles our times
I am forced to deal with the consequences of past actions
I carry on and never once have even questioned why
I continue living without stopping to question why things are the way they are
We 're not the ones who leave the homeless in the streets at night
We are not responsible for the homelessness crisis
We're not the ones who've kept minorities and women down
We did not create the societal oppressions faced by marginalized groups
Still we grow and then the problems they become our own
Despite not being at fault, we inherit the problems of the world as we grow up
We carry on without even realizing why
We continue living without understanding the root causes of the world's issues
We're innocent
We are not guilty of causing the world's problems
But the weight of the world is on our shoulders
Despite innocence, we carry the burden of dealing with the problems of the world
But the battles started are far from over
The problems of the world are ongoing and difficult to solve
We're not the ones whose pollution blackened our skies
We did not cause environmental destruction
And ruined our streams
We did not cause the degradation of natural resources
We're not the ones who made the nuclear bombs that threaten our lives
We did not create the weapons of mass destruction
We're not the ones who let the children starve in faraway lands
We did not cause global hunger and poverty
We're not the ones who made the streets unsafe to walk at night
We did not create the issue of crime and public safety
And even if we try and not become so overwhelmed
Even if we attempt to not let these issues consume us
And if we make some contribution to the plight we see
If we try to make a difference in the world's problems
Still our descendants will inherit our mistakes of today
Future generations will have to deal with the consequences of our actions
They'll suffer just the same as we and never wonder why
The problems and suffering of the world will continue, and future generations may never understand why
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BRYAN HOLLAND
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind