Unaware
Allen Lyrics

Allen Stone's song Unaware is a poignant examination of the detachment between the rich and poor in society. Stone begins the song by addressing the growing deficit between the wealthy and the poor- the rich get richer and the poor stay poor. The wealthy spend more than they own, even as they claim to care. This idea is emphasized with the words, “All you do is push, pull, tear, We can't stretch it any farther”. Here, Stone highlights the chasm between those who have and those who do not. While the rich push for more and more, the poor are being pulled apart, trying to make ends meet. This makes it difficult for them to care about esoteric ideas such as taxation policies.

The second verse of the song begins by asking whether America is really the "land of the free" spoken of in its national anthem. Stone's father, who he calls “Papa,” explains that although America is the land of the free, it comes at a great sacrifice, with many breaking their backs to make ends meet. In the last stanza of the song, Stone repeats the phrase “push, pull, tear” to emphasize the inaction from the people who claim to care while the gap between the rich and the poor grows ever larger. Overall, with these lyrics, Allen Stone successfully critiques the individual and systemic failures that result in income inequality, pushing society to rethink its priorities.