Stop
Against Me! Lyrics
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Stop! Take some time to think, figure out what's important to you
Stop! Take some time to think, figure out what's important to you
Stop! Take some time to think, figure out what's important to you
You've got to make a serious decision
It could be me up there in stage lights
It could be me on the TV in your living room
Appearing live in concert one night only, tickets sold out
[Chorus]
There I am giving candid disclosure to press in interview
There I go on my way through the crowd up to the podium
On behalf of our fans we'd like to accept this award
Smile for the camera, boys, gold record in hand
[Chorus]
All of our lives in waiting
All of our lives traded for their roses and applause
All of our lives dedicated to shoving it right back in their fucking face
Stop! Take some time to think, figure out what's important to you
Stop! Take some time to think, figure out what's important to you
Stop! Take some time to think, figure out what's important to you
You've got to make a serious decision
Said, you've got to make a serious decision
Stop! Take some time to think
Through the lyrics of "Stop!", Against Me! provides a commentary on the nature of fame and the music industry. The chorus repeats the command to "Stop! Take some time to think, figure out what's important to you," emphasizing how the lure of fame and success can make individuals forget their true values and priorities. The verses give concrete examples of the potential trappings of success, including performing on stage, appearing on television, and accepting awards. The lyrics mention "our fans," suggesting that the song is being sung from the perspective of a musician or band.
However, the song takes a turn in the last verse where it suggests that the dedication and sacrifice put into achieving success ultimately becomes a form of rebellion. Against Me! sings, "All of our lives dedicated to shoving it right back in their fucking face," which implies that even though the business side of the music industry can be corrupt and exploitative, the artists themselves can use their platform to subvert the system.
Overall, "Stop!" encourages listeners to critically evaluate what they truly value and not to blindly pursue fame and success.
Line by Line Meaning
Stop! Take some time to think, figure out what's important to you
Pause and reflect on what truly matters to you
Stop! Take some time to think, figure out what's important to you
Pause and reflect on what truly matters to you
Stop! Take some time to think, figure out what's important to you
Pause and reflect on what truly matters to you
You've got to make a serious decision
You need to make an important choice
It could be me up there in stage lights
I could be the one in the spotlight
It could be me on the TV in your living room
I could be the one you see on your screen
It could be me jet-setting with my band all across the world
I could be traveling the world with my band
Appearing live in concert one night only, tickets sold out
Performing one night only, with tickets selling out
There I am giving candid disclosure to press in interview
There I am being honest with the media
There I go on my way through the crowd up to the podium
There I go, making my way to the stage through the crowd
On behalf of our fans we'd like to accept this award
Accepting an award on behalf of our fans
Smile for the camera, boys, gold record in hand
Posing for a photo with a gold record
All of our lives in waiting
Our lives on hold
All of our lives traded for their roses and applause
We've sacrificed our lives for praise and recognition
All of our lives dedicated to shoving it right back in their fucking face
We're determined to show them what we're capable of
Said, you've got to make a serious decision
Again, it's emphasized that a serious choice must be made
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: THOMAS JAMES GABEL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@jakecat87
Looking back at against me videos after not listening to them for years, makes you realise how fucking badass they were. Now that you know what Laura was dealing with in her head back then. They're the ultimate punk rock band.
@svengoolie007
It's really a shame he didn't get the psychological help he needed.
@Marrok131
+svengoolie007 first she, and she did. She's a true punk badass
@jakecat87
Pretty sure she will go down as one of the most iconic people in the history punk rock bro. That's like the opposite of ruining your career.
@WarpedEngine
+svengoolie007 You're having a little difficulty understanding but that's OK. We all have a brain and we all have a body but it is the brain that defines us. We emotionally feel things and one of these things is the gender that we are but in many cases does that not align with the body. For example, one may feel like a male but may have a female body. This presents itself with desires to remove the parts that a male should not have (in this case, breasts and vagina). It's not the brain that has to align with the body, its the other way around as it's the brain that controls the body. It's similar to a driver and their car in that they will often buy a car that they like and that reflects their personality. If you owned a car you did not like one bit, you would not be very happy with it and would either try to modify it or trade it in for something you do like. It is obviously not you that has to align with the car but the car has to align with you because you cannot change how you are. Hopefully this makes it more sense for you to understand.
@svengoolie007
+Jean-Luc Tallis Oh, I certainly understand the concept of it. It's just that back before our society lost their collective minds, we called that insanity. If you think your mind belongs in a different body, it's because you are insane and need treatment. Instead of celebrating insanity, I urge people to get the help that they need, and if they're beyond helping, they should be committed to asylums.
@mikenike97L6
Punk is not the sound of the Music, it's the message of the song. This is as "poppy" as The Clash. No rightful "Punk" fan will say The Clash is NOT punk. There are many Punk artists who have Acoustic songs. For some reason People think Punk should never evolve, and if it doesn't fit THEIR definition of Punk, or if they sell more than 100,000 records then they are NOT Punk. Punk is NOT just playing as fast as possible, playing very loud, screaming into the mic, and moshing, it's about sending a message.
IMO, Punk would do the world a lot better if they were able to spread their message to as many people as possible. You get popular and get your music playing to as many people as possible, THAT's the best way to do it.
However, then you have people who think Punk is just doing what the majority of people don't do and "sticking it to the man" and not conforming to what corporate America wants you to be, which in that case, they really don't give a shit about Punk music, they just care about being against the grain.
@rileyharris84
how punk is to label what is and isn't punk?
@mikenike97L6
I'm sorry Riley I don't get what you mean.
@athenahitchin7738
The Clash is one of the founding bands of what punk is