I Was A Teenage Anarchist
Against Me! Lyrics
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I had the style, I had the ambition.
I read all the authors, I knew the right slogans.
There was no war but the class war.
I was ready to set the world on fire.
I was a teenage anarchist, looking for a revolution.
Do you remember when you were young and you wanted to set the world on fire?
I was a teenage anarchist, but the politics were too convenient.
In the depths of their humanity all I saw was bloodless ideology.
And with freedom as the doctrine, guess who was the new authority?
I was a teenage anarchist, but the politics were too convenient.
Do you remember when you were young and you wanted to set the world on fire?
I was a teenage anarchist, but then the scene got too rigid.
It was a mob mentality, they set their rifle sights on me.
Narrow visions of autonomy, you want me to surrender my identity.
I was a teenage anarchist, the revolution was a lie.
Do you remember when you were young and you wanted to set the world on fire?
I was a teenage anarchist.
The lyrics of "I Was A Teenage Anarchist" by Against Me! speaks about the journey of a former teenage anarchist, who was looking for a revolution. The song begins with the singer being a young rebel seeking to overthrow the existing political order. He had read all the authors and knew all the right slogans- "There was no war but the class war." The singer had the enthusiasm and the passion to set the world on fire. In his young age, he was impressionable and fascinated with the anarchistic political ideology that preached freedom and liberty as keys to a perfect society.
However, as the song progresses, the singer realizes the flaws in the political system. He understands that politics was too convenient, that it had lost its essence, and that the leaders portrayed a bloodless ideology. The politics he believed in was no longer what he thought it was, and the freedom he wanted was replaced with a new authority. The singer soon realizes that the revolution he was looking for was a lie, and he was looking for a purpose that didn't exist.
Towards the end, the song speaks about the mob mentality that the anarchist movement has created. The singer was increasingly feeling restricted by the movement's narrow vision of autonomy, which was demanding him to surrender his identity. The revolution, which was supposed to bring a fresh breath of air, was slowly suffocating him, and he understood that it was all a trap. The song ends with the singer being a former teenage anarchist, who looks at the world with a different perspective.
Line by Line Meaning
I was a teenage anarchist, looking for a revolution.
I was a young person seeking major change through political means.
I had the style, I had the ambition.
I had the image and drive to make a statement.
I read all the authors, I knew the right slogans.
I had extensively studied the principles and catchphrases of anarchist movements.
There was no war but the class war.
I believed that class struggle was the only true conflict in society.
I was ready to set the world on fire.
I felt fully prepared to make a radical impact on society.
I was a teenage anarchist, but the politics were too convenient.
I identified as an anarchist but saw flaws in the political ideology.
In the depths of their humanity all I saw was bloodless ideology.
I saw that many anarchists lacked true compassion or empathy in their beliefs.
And with freedom as the doctrine, guess who was the new authority?
I recognized that the pursuit of freedom in anarchism can sometimes lead to the exertion of authority over others.
I was a teenage anarchist, but the politics were too convenient.
I identified as an anarchist but saw flaws in the political ideology.
It was a mob mentality, they set their rifle sights on me.
The anarchist community had a narrow, conformist mentality that turned on me.
Narrow visions of autonomy, you want me to surrender my identity.
Their concept of individual freedom was too limited and restrictive, to the point where it demanded that I give up my own identity.
I was a teenage anarchist, the revolution was a lie.
I ultimately realized that the idea of a successful anarchist revolution was unrealistic and unattainable.
I was a teenage anarchist.
I once self-identified as an anarchist, but my beliefs have evolved since then.
Lyrics © ROUGH TRADE PUBLISHING
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Jessie F
I was a teenage anarchist, looking for a revolution.
I had the style, I had the ambition.
I read all the authors, I knew the right slogans.
There was no war but the class war.
I was ready to set the world on fire.
I was a teenage anarchist, looking for a revolution.
Do you remember when you were young and you wanted to set the world on fire?
I was a teenage anarchist, but the politics were too convenient.
In the depths of their humanity all I saw was bloodless ideology.
And with freedom as the doctrine, guess who was the new authority?
I was a teenage anarchist, but the politics were too convenient.
Do you remember when you were young and you wanted to set the world on fire?
I was a teenage anarchist, but then the scene got too rigid.
It was a mob mentality, they set their rifle sights on me.
Narrow visions of autonomy, you want me to surrender my identity.
I was a teenage anarchist, the revolution was a lie.
Do you remember when you were young and you wanted to set the world on fire?
I was a teenage anarchist.
Mattia Contarino
[Verse 1]
I was a teenage anarchist, looking for a revolution
I had the style, I had the ambition
I read all the authors, I knew the right slogans
There was no war but the class war
I was ready to set the world on fire
I was a teenage anarchist, looking for a revolution
[Chorus]
Do you remember when you were young and you wanted to set the world on fire?
[Verse 2]
I was a teenage anarchist, but the politics were too convenient
In the depths of their humanity all I saw was bloodless ideology
And with freedom as the doctrine, guess who was the new authority?
I was a teenage anarchist, but the politics were too convenient
[Chorus]
[Verse 3]
I was a teenage anarchist, but then the scene got too rigid
It was a mob mentality, they set their rifle sights on me
Narrow visions of autonomy, you want me to surrender my identity
I was a teenage anarchist, the revolution was a lie
[Chorus]
[Outro]
I was a teenage anarchist
Eric Silins
The two guys who run in,that's what we need more of in this world.
havable
Only make it two thousand.
Andy Hooper
Seems like the mainstream media likes to paint folks like that as "looters and rioters"
John Doe
Buwahahaha.
Listen to the lyrics.
"The revolution was a lie!"
John Doe
dylan foley
Anarchists used to be cool.
Now they all rage on behalf of the machine.
John Doe
dylan foley
You dont know me.
Dont assume.
ThorOfThunders
Laura's voice is perfect for her style of music. And she is a hero for accepting herself in a society that does not.
Alfredo Bravo
👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
goose
I definitely don't read this song as anticommunist or anti-anarchist--just jaded. I'm only in my 20s but I can imagine it must really suck to have all these plans and ideas as a kid, and decades later...the revolution never came. Sometimes the most you can do is just do volunteer work to strengthen your community, and try to help people cope with the horrendous system as-is.
James Price
I had huge plans as a kid to stand up to corporate greed and not fall victim to the system the designed now that I'm in my very early adulthood (I'm 20) I realize that it's a pointless effort to try and fight the system because even if you win when you die its just going to go right back the way it was and no-one is going to remember what you fought for so you might as well make the best of a bad situation and try to help others who might be experiencing the pain and anger you felt in you're youth