AFI has released eleven studio albums, ten EPs, one live album and one DVD. The band first reached substantial commercial success with their fifth album, The Art of Drowning (2000), which peaked at number 174 on the Billboard 200. They then broke into the mainstream with their sixth, Sing the Sorrow (2003), which peaked at number five on the Billboard 200 and remained on the chart for 51 weeks. The album was supported by popular singles "Girl's Not Grey" and "Silver and Cold", both of which peaked at number seven on America's Hot Modern Rock Tracks chart in 2003. "The Leaving Song Pt. II" was also released as a single, reaching number 16 on the chart. Sing the Sorrow was certified Platinum by the RIAA in 2006 and is AFI's best-selling release, having sold over 1.26 million copies as of September 2009.
AFI's seventh album, Decemberunderground (2006), debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and featured the hit single "Miss Murder", which topped the Hot Modern Rock Tracks chart and reached number 24 on the Billboard Hot 100. Another single, "Love Like Winter", reached number four on the Modern Rock Tracks chart. The album was certified Platinum by the RIAA in 2013.[6] Decemberunderground was followed three years later by Crash Love (2009), and then four years later by Burials (2013); both albums were also successful, peaking at number twelve and number nine, respectively, on the Billboard 200. The band's tenth and latest album, AFI (The Blood Album), was released in 2017, and peaked at number five on the Billboard 200, making it their second-highest chart position.
Advances In Modern Tech
AFI Lyrics
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Awake while everyone else sleeps
I'm giving unease to anyone I meet
My generosity can never run out
Because I give a gift from what's within myself
No hope at all
Take nothing from nothing
I can't recall
I can't recall a moment in my life
When life was at its best
Everyone avoids my stare
And no one cares to ever dare
To look into the eyes
Of what they most fear
And they're taught to fear to fear no evil
And they know no fear
They've learned to love themselves
No hope at all
Take nothing from nothing
And you'll have nothing left
I can't recall
I can't recall a moment in my life
When life was at its best
Forever unlucky 'cause I'll own tomorrow
Forever unwanted outcast today
I'm not mislead, got no one to follow
Everywhere to go, no place to stay
No hope at all
Take nothing from nothing
And you'll have nothing left
I can't recall
I can't recall a moment in my life
When life was at its best
The lyrics of AFI's song 'Advances In Modern Technology,' are melancholic and somewhat dark, delving into the feelings of isolation and being misunderstood. The first verse talks about the feeling of being alone in the world, walking the streets while everyone is asleep, and the unease that one feels when encountering others.
The lines "My generosity can never run out/Because I give a gift from what's within myself," paint a picture of someone who is willing to give whatever they have to others, regardless of how much they themselves may be struggling.
The chorus, "No hope at all/Take nothing from nothing/And you'll have nothing left/I can't recall/I can't recall a moment in my life/When life was at its best," suggests that the singer feels like they have nothing left to give, and that all they've ever known is a life of struggle and despair.
The second verse delves deeper into the sense of isolation and rejection that the singer feels, with the lines "Everyone avoids my stare/And no one cares to ever dare/To look into the eyes/Of what they most fear." The final lines of the song leave the listener with a sense of hopelessness, as the singer declares that they have nowhere to go and no place to stay.
Overall, 'Advances In Modern Technology' is a powerful exploration of the human experience of loneliness, isolation, and despair, and the message of the song resonates with anyone who has ever felt misunderstood or rejected by others.
Line by Line Meaning
Every night I walk the streets
I am constantly wandering aimlessly, unable to find purpose in the world around me.
Awake while everyone else sleeps
I am always alert and aware, never able to turn off my anxious or troubled mind.
I'm giving unease to anyone I meet
My own pain and struggles weigh so heavily on me that they begin to affect those around me.
My generosity can never run out
Despite my own hardships, I still give all that I can to those around me, often to the point of sacrificing my own well-being.
Because I give a gift from what's within myself
The only thing I have to offer is my own internal suffering, which I give in the form of empathy and understanding to others.
No hope at all
I feel completely hopeless and without any direction or purpose in life.
Take nothing from nothing
When you start with nothing, you cannot expect to build something meaningful or worthwhile from it.
And you'll have nothing left
If you invest in something that has no substance, you will always end up with nothing to show for it.
I can't recall
I cannot remember a time when my life felt meaningful or fulfilling.
I can't recall a moment in my life
Even when I try to reflect on my past, I cannot think of any memories that bring me joy or comfort.
When life was at its best
There is no point in time that I can look back on as a time when I felt truly happy or content.
Everyone avoids my stare
My pain and anxiety are so visible on my face that others avoid making eye contact with me, as if they can sense my discomfort.
And no one cares to ever dare
No one is willing to take the risk of engaging with me or trying to ease my pain.
To look into the eyes
To see the pain and struggle that I carry within me.
Of what they most fear
People are afraid to confront the reality of suffering and pain, and they would rather turn a blind eye than face it head-on.
And they're taught to fear to fear no evil
Society has conditioned us to believe that we should not be afraid of anything, even when faced with real, tangible threats.
And they know no fear
We have been desensitized to the realities of fear and pain, to the point where we no longer recognize them.
They've learned to love themselves
People are so focused on self-preservation and self-love that they fail to see others in need of their compassion and empathy.
Forever unlucky 'cause I'll own tomorrow
I feel burdened by the weight of the future, knowing that I will carry my pain and suffering with me always.
Forever unwanted outcast today
I feel isolated and disconnected from others, always on the outside looking in.
I'm not mislead, got no one to follow
I am not fooled by the empty promises and false hopes that others offer, and I have no one to guide me through my own struggles.
Everywhere to go, no place to stay
I am constantly searching for a sense of belonging, but I always feel like an outsider, unable to find a place to call my own.
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing
Written by: ADAM A. CARSON, DAVID MARCHAND, HUNTER L. BURGAN, JADE E. PUGET
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind