Anthrax's lineup has changed numerous times over their career, leaving Ian as the only constant member of the band. The band has had a revolving cast of singers and lead guitarists, including Neil Turbin, John Bush, Dan Spitz and Rob Caggiano. Since 2013, the band has consisted of Ian, drummer Charlie Benante, bassist Frank Bello, vocalist Joey Belladonna and lead guitarist Jonathan Donais. Ian and Benante (who replaced one-time drummer Greg D'Angelo in 1983) are the only two members to appear on every album, while Bello has been a member of Anthrax since 1984, replacing original bassist Dan Lilker. After two stints in Anthrax, from 1984 to 1992 and again from 2005 to 2007, Belladonna returned to the band in 2010.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthrax_(American_band)
Studio albums
Fistful of Metal (1984)
Spreading the Disease (1985)
Among the Living (1987)
State of Euphoria (1988)
Persistence of Time (1990)
Sound of White Noise (1993)
Stomp 442 (1995)
Volume 8: The Threat Is Real (1998)
We've Come for You All (2003)
Worship Music (2011)
For All Kings (2016)
Gridlock
Anthrax Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You tell me how you think I should be
It's so easy
You tell me what people want from me
Well I'll just be myself
It's the only way I can be but you don't see
You accuse, abuse integrity
Not one damn thing
Build me up and then you tear me down
Curse my name when I'm not around
You're so hard until the truth is found
What goes round always comes around
And it's a
Long time, long time
A long time comin'
A long time, long time
A long time comin', a vicious circle
In your face I'll come runnin'
Try and stop me
A long time, much too long
And I'm comin'
Try and stop me
I like to keep my friends around me close
But my enemies closer
Friends accept me for just who I am
Not someone I'm supposed to be
Or something they expect for free
Do you know me?
I live with myself, I know my place
Wipe that bullshit smile off your face
The show is over
Build me up and then you tear me down
Curse my name when I'm not around
You're so hard until the truth is found
What goes round always comes around
And it's a
Long time, long time
A long time comin'
A long time, long time
A long time comin', a vicious circle
In your face I'll come runnin'
Try and stop me
A long time, much too long
And I'm comin'
Try and stop me
You and me are gonna take a walk
I think it's time we had a little talk
I said, you and me are gonna take a walk
And we're gonna do more than walk and talk
Let me see how you think I should be
You think it's so easy?
Put yourself on trial everyday
Against a hung jury
You don't know a thing about me
You believe the hype you see
But in my heart god knows I'll be true
To what my life will bring
And it's a
Long time, long time
A long time comin'
A long time, long time
A long time comin', a vicious circle
In your face I'll come runnin'
Try and stop me
A long time, much too long
And I'm comin'
Try and stop me
"Gridlock" by Anthrax is a song that seems to be about a person who is tired of being pigeonholed and judged by others. The lyrics suggest that the singer is tired of being told how to behave or what is expected of him. He wants to be himself, even if he may not fit the mold that his critics desire. The chorus of the song is "It's a long time, long time, a long time comin'," which can be interpreted as a statement of perseverance - the singer is going to stand his ground and continue to be himself, no matter what others may think.
The song also touches on the theme of betrayal - someone close to the singer builds him up and then tears him down. The singer is frustrated and disappointed by the actions of this person, and feels as though he cannot trust anyone. The song culminates in a confrontation between the singer and this person, with the line "You and me are gonna take a walk, and we're gonna do more than walk and talk" suggesting a physical fight.
Overall, "Gridlock" is a song about identity, perseverance, and betrayal. It encourages listeners to be true to themselves and to stand up for what they believe in, despite any opposition they may face.
Line by Line Meaning
It's a long time, a long time comin'
I've been waiting a long time for this moment.
You tell me how you think I should be
You're trying to shape me into something I'm not.
It's so easy
It's easy for you to criticize and judge me.
You tell me what people want from me
You're more concerned with what others think of me than what I think of myself.
Well I'll just be myself
I'll stay true to who I am, even if you don't like it.
It's the only way I can be but you don't see
Being true to myself is the only way I can be happy, but you fail to understand that.
You accuse, abuse integrity
You attack my character and have no respect for my values.
You don't know one damn thing about me
You don't truly know or understand me at all.
Not one damn thing
You're completely clueless about who I am or what I stand for.
Build me up and then you tear me down
You act like you support me, but then turn around and try to sabotage me.
Curse my name when I'm not around
You talk badly about me behind my back.
You're so hard until the truth is found
You demand perfection from me, but are quick to judge and criticize when I make mistakes.
What goes round always comes around
Karma will catch up to you eventually.
And it's a long time, long time
This has been building up for a while.
A long time comin', a vicious circle
This cycle of building me up and tearing me down has been ongoing and is just getting worse.
In your face I'll come runnin'
I'm not going to run away from this anymore, I'm going to confront you head-on.
Try and stop me
I won't let you hold me back or control me anymore.
I like to keep my friends around me close
I value the support of my true friends and keep them close to me.
But my enemies closer
I keep my enemies close so I can stay aware of their actions and protect myself.
Friends accept me for just who I am
My true friends love and accept me for exactly who I am.
Not someone I'm supposed to be or something they expect for free
My friends don't try to pressure me into being someone I'm not or expect me to do things for them without any appreciation.
Do you know me?
You don't really know me at all, despite all your attempts to control and manipulate me.
I live with myself, I know my place
I am comfortable in my own skin and know where I stand in the world.
Wipe that bullshit smile off your face
Stop pretending to care about me or be happy for me when you're really just trying to use me.
The show is over
I'm done playing along with your games or pretending to be someone I'm not.
You and me are gonna take a walk
We're going to have a frank conversation about our relationship and how you've been treating me.
I think it's time we had a little talk
We need to communicate honestly and openly if this relationship is going to continue.
And we're gonna do more than walk and talk
We're going to address the underlying issues in our relationship and work to resolve them.
Put yourself on trial everyday
Reflect on your own actions and hold yourself accountable to your values.
Against a hung jury
Even when you're not sure what the right thing to do is or when you make mistakes, you have to keep trying and learning.
You believe the hype you see
You're too swayed by what other people say or by appearances.
But in my heart god knows I'll be true
I know who I am and what I stand for, and that's what matters most.
To what my life will bring
I'm ready to face whatever comes my way, good or bad.
And it's a long time, long time
This has been coming for a while.
A long time comin', a vicious circle
This cycle of manipulation and control has been ongoing and is destructive for both of us.
In your face I'll come runnin'
I'm not going to back down or let you walk all over me anymore.
Try and stop me
You can't hold me back or control me anymore.
A long time, much too long
This has gone on for far too long and needs to be addressed.
And I'm comin'
I'm ready to take control of my life and confront the issues in our relationship.
Try and stop me
You can't hold me back or control me anymore.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: CHARLIE L. BENANTE, DANIEL ALAN SPITZ, FRANK JOSEPH BELLO, JOSEPH A. BELLARDINI, SCOTT IAN ROSENFELD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Evillive
on Now its dark
Jesus… you need your art spoon-fed to you.
Now It’s Dark is about the movie Blue Velvet.