At the Drive-In was an American post-hardcore band from El Paso, Texas, for… Read Full Bio ↴At the Drive-In was an American post-hardcore band from El Paso, Texas, formed in 1994. The band most recently consisted of Cedric Bixler-Zavala (vocals), Omar Rodríguez-López (guitar, vocals), Paul Hinojos (bass), Tony Hajjar (drums) and Keeley Davis (guitar, vocals). After several early line-up changes, the band solidified into a five-piece, consisting of Bixler-Zavala, Rodríguez-López, Jim Ward, Hinojos and Hajjar. At the Drive-In released three studio albums and five EPs before breaking up in 2001. Their third and final album before their split, 2000's Relationship of Command, received a number of accolades and is cited as a landmark recording. Following the breakup, Bixler-Zavala and Rodríguez-López formed the Mars Volta while Ward, Hinojos, and Hajjar formed Sparta. At the Drive-In reunited in January 2012 and played the 2012 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, as well as the 2012 Lollapalooza Festival. In 2016, the band reunited for a second time, with guitarist and occasional lead vocalist Jim Ward no longer participating. He was replaced by Sparta's Keeley Davis. The band released their fourth studio album, in•ter a•li•a, in 2017. At the Drive In headlined the Neon Desert Music Festival in 2018 in El Paso, Texas. The band announced an indefinite hiatus in November 2018.

Initiation
At the Drive-In Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I-N-I-T-I, A-T-I-O-N

Follow you home after every show
Perforated into tiny fragments
Heavy breathing's your new fan club
A john handcock with the safety off after every show
And how this pedestal fits like a glove
Such a pity I built no ladder

For the roots, and above
I'll be hacking off, after every show

(I-N-I-T-I-A-T-I-O-N)
Initiation,
X3
(what---)
Whatcha doin,
There's no restraining order to keep me from you
Parting contestants never win
(Initiation, what---)
Watcha doin,
There's no restraing order, keep me from you
Parting contestants never seem to win

Watch you clap your hands by the stage
Lend me your ears, just another page
In the book that your friend signed yesterday
When I told you not to bother to holler
The telephone's the one that helped
Me wrap - the chord
Around - your neck
You know - you're beautiful
When you're dead

(I-N-I-T-I-A-T-I-O-N)
Initiation,
X3
(what---)
Whatcha doin,
There's no restraining order to keep me from you
(Initiation, what---)
Watcha doin,

There's no restraing order, keep me from you
Parting contestants never seem to win

Overall Meaning

At the Drive-In's song Initiation is a disturbing and haunting portrayal of a stalker's obsession with their victim. The song features a repetitive chant of "I-N-I-T-I, A-T-I-O-N" which is reminiscent of a cult-like initiation, suggesting that the stalker has developed an all-encompassing and possessive grip on the victim. The lyrics describe the stalker following the victim home after every show and becoming fixated on their heavy breathing. The stalker describes themselves as the victim's new fan club, with disturbingly violent undertones - they carry a loaded weapon with the safety off after every show.

The stalker seems to be caught in a cycle of idolizing their victim, placing them on a pedestal, and then destroying that pedestal. The stalker expresses regret that they didn't build a ladder for the roots and above, lamenting their inability to connect with the victim on a deeper level. The repetition of the phrase "after every show" is significant, suggesting that the stalker's obsession is tied to the victim's performances or public appearances. They describe the victim as beautiful when they're dead, which is an indication of the lengths to which the stalker is willing to go to possess the object of their obsession.

Line by Line Meaning

Follow you home after every show
I stalk you and follow you home after your concerts

Perforated into tiny fragments
Your existence is breaking down into pieces because of my obsession

Heavy breathing's your new fan club
The sound of my breathing has become your only audience

A john handcock with the safety off after every show
I carry a gun without safety and it's aimed at you after every show

And how this pedestal fits like a glove
I reach your height but with a twisted, criminal view

Such a pity I built no ladder
I regret not building a ladder to reach you legally

For the roots, and above
I'm a rootless person who grows from the bottom but looks above for its prey

I'll be hacking off, after every show
I'll be taking parts of you like a butcher at work, after every show

(I-N-I-T-I-A-T-I-O-N) Initiation, X3 (what---) Whatcha doin
I'm initiating my plan to capture you no matter what, and I'm asking you what you're going to do about it

There's no restraining order to keep me from you
You can't protect yourself legally from my madness

Parting contestants never win
Past victims like you never won against me

Watch you clap your hands by the stage
I'm watching you applauding on the stage

Lend me your ears, just another page
Give me your attention, you're another victim added to my notebook

In the book that your friend signed yesterday
Your friend also fell for my charm before you, and they're documented in my book

When I told you not to bother to holler
When I told you to ignore the noise, it was just to lure you to me

The telephone's the one that helped Me wrap - the chord, Around - your neck
The telephone was my tool to strangle you, and I remember the details clearly

You know - you're beautiful, When you're dead
You're only important to me when you're lifeless

Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: ADAM AMPERAN, CEDRIC BIXLER, OMAR RODRIGUEZ, RYAN SAWYER, JIM WARD

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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