Governed By Contagions
At the Drive-In Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Portrait of a family force-fed through tunnel straws
Singing cannibal hymns of the bourgeoisie
There's a narc on every corner, knock-knock-knock on every door
With a homemade remedy to loosen every tongue

How many bites do you think it takes to get to the cyanide tooth?
Brace yourself, my darling
Brace yourself, my love

Smuggled in their faith like an orbit in decay
Drools the cloying adulation of piss ants
One shot for every snitch leads the needle to the stitch
It's a homemade remedy to loosen every tongue

How many bites do you think it takes to get to the cyanide tooth?
Brace yourself, my darling
Brace yourself, my love

How many cries will the owners fake to save pathological truths?
Brace yourself, my darling
Brace yourself, my love

That's the way the guillotine claps
She's the one who's governed by contagions
That's the way the guillotine claps
She's the one who's governed by contagions

Life! Is not the answer
Cry! Will you assimilate love in the time of gilded crumbs?
Crawl! Until you weep with blood
Life! Is not the answer, canaries in the coal mine dropping like flies

How many bites do you think it takes to get to the cyanide tooth?
Brace yourself, my darling
Brace your pole-axed love

That's the way the guillotine claps
She's the one who's governed by contagions
That's the way the guillotine claps
She's the one who's governed by contagions

Too many bodies shriveled up in their tributes
Too many bodies flayed with a grin
Brace yourself, my darling
Brace yourself for a flood

He's the man behind the dresser giving Zodiac advice
He says there will come a day to delete everything
Brace yourself, my darling
Brace yourself for a flood

There's a woman eating her newborn under a tractor's frame
She says barren are the fields from the Nephilim rain
Brace yourself, my darling
Brace yourself for a flood

That's the way the guillotine claps
He's the one who's governed by contagions
That's the way the guillotine claps
He's the one who's governed by contagions





Governed by contagions
Governed by contagions

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of At the Drive-In's song Governed By Contagions are rife with cryptic imagery that evoke an atmosphere of chaos and paranoia, and the song's meaning can be interpreted in multiple ways. One possible interpretation is that the song describes a dystopian society ruled by an oppressive dictatorship that uses fear-mongering and false propaganda to control its citizens. The lines "Portrait of a family force-fed through tunnel straws" and "Singing cannibal hymns of the bourgeoisie" suggest a society where people are forced to conform to a narrow set of beliefs and values that benefit the ruling class, and where dissenters are punished severely. The "homemade remedy to loosen every tongue" could refer to a drug that makes people more compliant or confess to crimes they didn't commit.


Line by Line Meaning

Portrait of a family force-fed through tunnel straws
A family being excessively controlled and manipulated through narrow channels, to the point of force-feeding.


Singing cannibal hymns of the bourgeoisie
Mocking the upper-class as cannibals who feed off the lower-class, and celebrating their downfall through song.


There's a narc on every corner, knock-knock-knock on every door
Implying that society is overly paranoid and encourages suspicion among its citizens, with everyone under constant surveillance.


With a homemade remedy to loosen every tongue
Offering a solution to communication problems caused by paranoia/surveillance, while implying that the remedy itself may be harmful or manipulative.


How many bites do you think it takes to get to the cyanide tooth?
Pondering how much harm or manipulation one can take before the situation turns toxic and deadly.


Brace yourself, my darling
Preparing oneself for the incoming disaster or chaos.


Smuggled in their faith like an orbit in decay
Religion being passed down like a disease or a dying system, gradually decaying.


Drools the cloying adulation of piss ants
Describing the nauseating worship of those who are insignificant and have no actual power.


One shot for every snitch leads the needle to the stitch
Encouraging violence against those who betray or snitch, but acknowledging that violence begets violence.


How many cries will the owners fake to save pathological truths?
Questioning how much pain and suffering the ruling class is willing to ignore or hide to maintain their status quo.


That's the way the guillotine claps
Referring to the inevitable downfall of the upper-class, who will eventually face the consequences of their actions.


She's the one who's governed by contagions
The person in power is affected and controlled by their own corrupt system, rather than governing it properly.


Life! Is not the answer
Rejecting the notion that life has clear and easy solutions, especially in a corrupted system.


Cry! Will you assimilate love in the time of gilded crumbs?
Asking if anyone can feel love or empathy in a society that values wealth and power over compassion.


Crawl! Until you weep with blood
Urging people to fight and resist the oppressive system, even if it means they will have to suffer and bleed for their cause.


Canaries in the coal mine dropping like flies
Comparing the suffering and death of the working-class to canaries dying in a coal mine, indicating that the system is flawed and dangerous.


Too many bodies shriveled up in their tributes
Too many people have died or suffered needlessly for the sake of honoring the ruling-class, who have done little to help them.


Too many bodies flayed with a grin
The ruling-class are cruel and inhumane towards those beneath them, and even seem to enjoy causing them pain or suffering.


He's the man behind the dresser giving Zodiac advice
Referring to someone who is manipulative and possibly violent, offering harmful advice or knowledge.


There's a woman eating her newborn under a tractor's frame
Highlighting the extreme desperation and inhumanity that can result from living in a harsh system that doesn't value human life or dignity.


Governed by contagions
Summing up the central theme of the song - that those in power are themselves controlled by the corrupt and harmful systems they've created.




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Songtrust Ave
Written by: Cedric Bixler, Keeley Dixon Davis, Antoine Hajjar, Paul Hinojos, Omar Alfredo Rodriguez

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found
Most interesting comments from YouTube:

Maria Diaz

[Verse 1]
Portrait of a family force fed through tunnel straws
Singing cannibal hymns of the bourgeoisie
There's a narc on every corner
Knock, knock, knock on every door
With a home made remedy to loosen every tongue

[Refrain 1]
How many bites do you think it takes to get to the cyanide tooth?
Brace yourself, my darling
Brace yourself, my love

[Verse 2]
Smuggled in their faith like an orbit in decay
Drools the cloying adulation of the piss ants
One shot for every snitch leads the needle to the stitch
It's a homemade remedy to loosen every tongue

[Refrain 1]
How many bites do you think it takes to get to the cyanide tooth?
Brace yourself, my darling
Brace yourself, my love

[Refrain 2]
How many cries will the owners fake to save pathological truths?
Brace yourself, my darling
Brace yourself, my love

[Hook]
That's the way the guillotine claps
She's the one who's governed by contagions
That's the way the guillotine claps
She's the one who's governed by contagions

[Verse 3]
Life! Is not the answer
Cry! Will you assimilate love in the time of gilded crumbs?
Crawl! Until you weep with blood
Life! Is not the answer
Canaries in the coal mine dropping like flies

[Refrain 3]
How many bites do you think it takes to get to the cyanide tooth?
Brace yourself, my darling
Brace your poleaxed love

[Hook]
That's the way the guillotine claps
She's the one who's governed by contagions
That's the way the guillotine claps
She's the one who's governed by contagions

[Bridge]
Too many bodies shriveled up in their tributes
Too many bodies flayed with a grin
Brace yourself, my darling
Brace yourself for a flood
He's the man behind the dresser giving zodiac advice
He says there will come a day to delete everything
Brace yourself, my darling
Brace yourself for a flood
There's a woman eating her newborn under a tractor's frame
She says barren are the fields from the nephilim rain
Brace yourself, my darling
Brace yourself for a flood

[Hook]
That's the way the guillotine claps
He's the one who's governed by contagions
That's the way the guillotine claps
He's the one who's governed by contagions

[Outro]
Governed by contagions
Governed by contagions



Gutts

Lyrics anyways xd

Portrait of a family force fed through tunnel straws
Singing cannibal hymns of the bourgeoisie
There's a narc on every corner
Knock, knock, knock on every door
With a home made remedy to loosen every tongue
How many bites do you think it takes to get to the cyanide tooth?
Brace yourself, my darling
Brace yourself, my love
Smuggled in their faith like an orbit in decay
Drools the cloying adulation of the piss ants
One shot for every snitch leads the needle to the stitch
It's a homemade remedy to loosen every tongue
How many bites do you think it takes to get to the cyanide tooth?
Brace yourself, my darling
Brace yourself, my love
How many cries will the owners fake to save pathological truths?
Brace yourself, my darling
Brace yourself, my love
That's the way the guillotine claps
She's the one who's governed by contagions
That's the way the guillotine claps
She's the one who's governed by contagions
Life! Is not the answer
Cry! Will you assimilate love in the time of gilded crumbs?
Crawl! Until you weep with blood
Life! Is not the answer
Canaries in the coal mine dropping like flies
How many bites do you think it takes to get to the cyanide tooth?
Brace yourself, my darling
Brace your poleaxed love
That's the way the guillotine claps
She's the one who's governed by contagions
That's the way the guillotine claps
She's the one who's governed by contagions
Too many bodies shriveled up in their tributes
Too many bodies flayed with a grin
Brace yourself, my darling
Brace yourself for a flood
He's the man behind the dresser giving zodiac advice
He says there will come a day to delete everything
Brace yourself, my darling
Brace yourself for a flood
There's a woman eating her newborn under a tractor's frame
She says barren are the fields from the nephilim rain
Brace yourself, my darling
Brace yourself for a flood
That's the way the guillotine claps
He's the one who's governed by contagions
That's the way the guillotine claps
He's the one who's governed by contagions
Governed by contagions
Governed by contagions



All comments from YouTube:

Jack Lennepkade

1:40 is confirmation of a true ATDI song. Those dueling guitars in the whiney pitch is their signature sound.

And 2:32-3:02 is so fucking good. The lyrics are amazing.

Revolution//Loss

Happy that Rise is slowly escaping their "scene label" reputation. This song is dope. Feels like they picked up right where they left off.

Joseph Rudowicz

There was never anything scene about At The Drive In. You're the only person who thought that.

usualdosage728

@Joseph Rudowicz he's talking about the record label smart guy

JudgeBigMansion

"Brace my poleaxed love" really took me by surprise
Goddamn, these guys are good

Alfonso Cardenas

RISE IS KILLING THE ROCK SCENE RIGHT NOW. STOKED FOR ALL THE RELEASES COMING IN THE FEW UPCOMING MONTHS. 👍👍👍

RedSkyDry

Just as chaotic and energetic as before. Can't wait to hear more new ATDI songs!

audrey quentin

i just found out about ATDI like three months ago and have been obsessed since! i'm so lucky to have heard them at the same time as their comeback after 16 years. i can't imagine how all of you OG fans did it for so long

Reuben Saunders

Song of the year 2016! Given me goosebumps every time. New album, here we come!

Mega BrandOn

We have waited YEARS for this. Music today needs this.

More Comments

More Versions