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.
The Conductor
AFI Lyrics
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Today I felt the drain
I'll climb back up to you
On ladders of the rain
Break them down, shake up their beliefs
I'll show them, show them a believer
Three hundred thousand amps
When they kill the lights
You'll remain my conductor
And if they didn't drain your life
I'll become your conductor
Don't cut the connection
Bleed in to black clouds
And I will lick them clean
Turn to a tourniquet
And cinch yourself to me
Strike down now, shake their frail beliefs
And make them new born believers
Three hundred thousand amps
And I'm your warm receiver
When they kill the lights
You'll remain my conductor
And if they didn't drain your life
I'll become your conductor
When they kill the lights
You'll remain my conductor
You'll remain my conductor
You'll remain my conductor
In "The Conductor," AFI presents an unsettling yet powerful image of a society that has lost its way and a protagonist who seeks to change it. The singer speaks of feeling drained and dropping like a needle, suggesting a sense of disorientation and despair. However, they also express a determination to climb back up and restore connection, using the image of ladders of rain to suggest a path to renewal.
The singer then goes on to describe their mission to break down and shake up the beliefs of others. They use the metaphor of becoming a warm receiver of three hundred thousand amps to suggest the power and intensity of their conviction. They also pledge loyalty to a figure known as the conductor, who seems to represent a guiding force in their life.
The song concludes with a plea to not cut the connection and a repetition of the singer's loyalty to the conductor. Throughout "The Conductor," AFI uses vivid language and striking imagery to convey a sense of urgency and intensity, painting a picture of a protagonist who is determined to effect change in a world that has lost its way.
Line by Line Meaning
Drop like the needle
Starting afresh, my energy replenished to take on the world
Today I felt the drain
Recently, I've been feeling drained of energy and motivation
I'll climb back up to you
I won't let this defeat me - I'll rise above and strive for success
On ladders of the rain
Despite the obstacles in my way (represented by the rain), I'll push through and persevere
Break them down, shake up their beliefs
I'll challenge others to rethink their beliefs and break down the barriers that hold them back
I'll show them, show them a believer
I'll lead by example and show others what it means to truly believe in something
Three hundred thousand amps
I possess an immense amount of energy and passion
And I'm your warm receiver
I'm open to receiving and sharing positive energy and enthusiasm
When they kill the lights
When things seem hopeless or challenging
You'll remain my conductor
I'll look to the guiding forces in my life to help me through tough times, whether that's a person or a belief system
And if they didn't drain your life
If I haven't been completely defeated by the challenges I've faced
I'll become your conductor
I'll lead the way and continue striving towards success
Don't cut the connection
I won't give up, even when things get tough
Bleed in to black clouds
Suffer negative consequences as a result of my actions or beliefs
And I will lick them clean
I'll learn from those negative experiences and try to come out stronger on the other side
Turn to a tourniquet
Be a source of strength and support for myself and others who need it
And cinch yourself to me
Stay connected to my beliefs and my goals, even in the face of adversity
Strike down now, shake their frail beliefs
Force others to examine and challenge their own beliefs
And make them new born believers
Help others create new, more positive belief systems that will drive them forward
You'll remain my conductor
I'll keep looking for guidance in my life to help me through tough times
You'll remain my conductor
I'll never lose sight of what's important, even when things seem impossible
You'll remain my conductor
I'll always have a guiding force to lead me towards success
Lyrics © O/B/O CAPASSO, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Adam A Carson, David Paden Marchand, Hunter Lawrence Burgan, Jade Errol Puget
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind