As of 2009, the band consists of Kristen Henderson on bass guitar/bg vocals, Cathy Henderson on lead guitar/bg vocals, Dena Tauriello on drums and Nini Camps on rhythm guitar and lead vocals.
The band is primarily known as a touring band, at one time performing 260 shows a year. They earned a dedicated fanbase early on that follows them from concert to concert along the East Coast and increasingly across the country. Fans refer to the band simply as "AR" or "Antigone".
Their first four albums were recorded mostly with independent labels and financed through fan donations. In 2003 they signed up with Lava Records after label president Jason Flom spotted them playing at one of their gigs. In 2005, they became the first artists to be promoted in Starbucks' Hear Music Series, created to discover and spotlight new music. The high visibility, exclusive sale, in-store promotion and airplay at Starbucks across the country helped the band's acoustic EP From the Ground Up sell over 450,000 copies by the end of 2005. The album's single, "Don't Look Back," was very popular among country audiences, and its video received heavy airplay on CMT.
Antigone Rising have shared the stage with Joan Jett, The Rolling Stones, moe., Rob Thomas, Aerosmith, The Allman Brothers and The Bangles[1]. They performed at Lilith Fair 1998 and SXSW 2005 and have co-written with Chris Trapper of The Push Stars and Rob Thomas.
Choke
Antigone Rising Lyrics
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I was inside
Your downward spiral
Dying slow
Distracted life
Keep it all bound
Deserted, not another soul around
Fair weathered friends
Keep it, keep all of your madness
Drown in all you sadness
Choke on all your pain
Cause I don't want to
You had me pinned
Under your thumb
My mind divided
For protection
Illusion with
Mirrors and screens
Black and white dragging
Through the in between
Farewell my friends
Survival wins
Keep it, keep all of your madness
Drown in all your sadness
Choke on all you pain
Cause I don't want to
Keep it, keep all of your sorrow
Suffer through tomorrow
Choke on all your shame
Choke on all your madness, choke
Keep it, keep all of your madness
Drown in all your sadness
Choke on all your pain
Cause I don't want to
Keep it, keep all of your sorrow
Choke on all your shame
Keep it, keep all of your darkness
Don't forget to mark this
Bitter holiday
Choke!
You asked a thousand times, choke!
Please write a song that's mine, choke!
Well this is what I say to you, choke!
You drank yourself half blind, choke!
I live inside your lie, choke!
But I'm not meant to die that way, choke!
The song "Choke" by Antigone Rising is a powerful and emotional plea for someone to release themselves from their own self-destructive tendencies. The lyrics speak of a person who was once caught up in this individual's downward spiral, but has now found the strength to move past it. The singer acknowledges that this person's life is filled with distractions and pain, and urges them to let go of the madness and the darkness that they are holding onto.
The lyrics paint a vivid picture of the kind of life the person is living, with "mirrors and screens" and a mind that is "divided for protection". The singer speaks of their own experience being trapped under this person's thumb, but now they have found a way to escape. Throughout the song, the lyrics repeat the refrain, "Keep it, keep all of your madness, drown in all your sadness, choke on all your pain, 'cause I don't want to." The repetition of this phrase emphasizes the singer's desperation for this person to release themselves from their pain and suffering.
Overall, "Choke" is a moving and powerful song that speaks to the struggle of trying to help someone who is trapped in their own self-destructive behaviour. It is a reminder that sometimes the best thing we can do for someone is to urge them to let go and find their own way out of the darkness.
Line by Line Meaning
Not long ago
Recently, a short time ago
I was inside
I was a part of
Your downward spiral
Your uncontrollable decline
Dying slow
Slowly dying
Distracted life
Life filled with distractions
Keep it all bound
Keep everything restrained
Deserted, not another soul around
Abandoned, no one else present
Fair weathered friends
Friends who are only reliable during good times
Convenience wins
Prioritizing convenience above all else
Keep it, keep all of your madness
Retain all of your chaos
Drown in all you sadness
Succumb to your sadness
Choke on all your pain
Suffer from your pain
Cause I don't want to
Because I choose not to
You had me pinned
You had me under your control
Under your thumb
Completely controlled by you
My mind divided
My thoughts split
For protection
As a means of self-preservation
Illusion with
Trickery involving
Mirrors and screens
Reflections and electronic devices
Black and white dragging
Dragging on in a monotonous way
Through the in between
In the middle of two points
Farewell my friends
Goodbye to my friends
Survival wins
The need to survive comes first
Keep it, keep all of your sorrow
Retain all of your grief
Suffer through tomorrow
Endure tomorrow's hardships
Choke on all your shame
Be consumed by your shame
Choke on all your madness, choke
Suffer from your insanity
Keep it, keep all of your darkness
Retain all of your negativity
Don't forget to mark this
Make sure to remember this
Bitter holiday
Sad and unpleasant occasion
You asked a thousand times, choke!
You asked repeatedly
Please write a song that's mine, choke!
Create a song specifically for you
Well this is what I say to you, choke!
This is my response to you
You drank yourself half blind, choke!
You drank excessively
I live inside your lie, choke!
I am part of your falsehood
But I'm not meant to die that way, choke!
But I am not supposed to die like that
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CASSIDY CATANZARO, CATHY HENDERSON, CATHY A. HENDERSON, KRISTEN HENDERSON, KRISTEN L. HENDERSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind