(2) Attrition was also a short lived US Hardcore band from Washington DC
(3) Attrition is also a Canadian war metal band formed in 2017.
1. Attrition are pioneers in a darker electronica. Formed in 1980 in Coventry, England, influenced by a mix of punk ideology and experimental art aesthetics, they emerged as part of the early '80's UK Industrial scene alongside contemporaries Coil, Test Department, Legendary Pink Dots, In The Nursery, Portion Control et al.
Founder Martin Bowes has steered the band through a 25 year career, fueled by a succession of critically acclaimed albums...
The band has regularly toured Europe, North America and Mexico, appeared at major festivals and had their music included on a number of film soundtracks.... (most recently two of their songs are included on the US cult film “Mint in box” alongside the Pogues…)
Through their career Attrition have worked with musicians as diverse as psychedelic veterans The Legendary Pink Dot’s to punk legend TV Smith to Franck Dematteis of the Paris Opera.
Attrition’s music has featured on countless releases - from 1984’s “Bullshit detector” on Crass records to the hugely successful “Animal liberation” album alongside Siouxsie & the Banshees, The Smiths, Nina Hagen & Lene Lovich etc…
Recently their song “Acid Tongue” featured on KTEL’s Industrial story CD - a who’s who of industrial music with Cabaret Voltaire, Throbbing Gristle, Ministry, Nitzer Ebb, Neubauten et al…
In Germany Orkus magazine’s Best of the 90’s collection featured their darkwave classic “A girl called harmony”…
Attrition’s work been remixed by underground artists from an eclectic mix of genres including Chris n Cosey, Martin Atkins, Dance or Die and UK drum n bass act Rascal & Klone…(featured on the first Grand Theft Auto game soundtrack..)
Martin’s increasing studio production work has included mixes for The Damage Manual (Martin Atkins, Jah Wobble, Geordie Walker, Chris Connelly et al…), Die Form, In the Nursery, Black tape for a blue girl, Emilie Autumn and more…
He has contributed a song for the new Pigface album and is recording the narrators voice to an upcoming US horror film, “C for Chaos”…
2012... Invocation is the bands first full length film score...composed for US cult horror movie G.H.O.S.T.
2013... The Unraveller of Angels is the all new album...
(2) Attrition was also a short lived US Hardcore band from Washington DC
2. They existed from January 2005 - May 2007 and played a progressive style of emotionally charged, metallic hardcore influenced equally by screamo bands such as pg. 99 and Majority Rule, noisecore bands such as Converge and Botch, and more straight-forward hardcore bands. Their lyrical content approached issues such as anarchism, feminism, straightedge and veganism (an interesting similarity to their UK counterpart), but from a personal, anecdotal perspective, focusing more on alienation and frustration than on prescriptive politics. They toured the US once (partially with North Carolina crust band Requiem) and the East Coast once with Philadelphia vegan straightedge hardcore band Kingdom and self-released two CDEP's named, respectively, "Preface" and "Chapter One: We Are Fucking Serious". "Purist", from the second EP, was featured on "Open The Cages: SHAC 7 Benefit" on Catalyst Records and the previously unreleased "No Control" appeared only on "Keep Singing", an animal-rights benefit CD released by Exotic Fever Records. Their entire discography is available for free download at attrition.dead-city.org/.
Take Five
Attrition Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Should I laugh? I could have cried
I'm no saver and I'm no lie
This is the art of staying alive
Alive and I'm tired
Of telling time
Take five
Going down and I'm in doubt
There's so much of this about
We, the heroes, wonder why
This is the art of staying alive
Alive and I'm tired
Of telling time
Take five
Find the lady, find her crown
Ask her just what is allowed
There's only so much I can buy
This is the art of staying alive
Alive and I'm tired
Of telling time
Take five
God got up so early, so he missed the crowd
Saw me playing dirty while a guest in his house
Asked me what the matter was, I swore that I lied
Remember the art, remember the art of staying alive
Alive and I'm tired
Of telling time
Take five
I was on the phone to my mother's son
I tell you, not my brother, but the other one
He said, "There's a reason and it's good to cry"
Remember the art, remember the art of staying alive
Alive and I'm tired
Of telling time
Take five
The lyrics in Attrition's song "Take Five" explore the theme of survival and the various hardships that come with staying alive. The first verse, "Sixteen born and sixteen died, should I laugh? I could have cried," suggests that life is fragile and unpredictable. The following line, "I'm no saver, and I'm no lie," implies that the singer does not have the luxury of being complacent; they must constantly work to stay alive.
The chorus, "Alive and I'm tired, of telling time, take five," indicates the tiredness that comes with the monotony of survival. The repetition of "take five" is a call for a break, a pause from the chaos of life.
The second verse, "Going down and I'm in doubt, there's so much of this about. We heroes wonder why, this is the art of staying alive," touches on the idea that even those we perceive as strong or heroic also struggle with staying alive. The singer wonders why this is the case, but ultimately concludes that it is part of the "art" of survival.
The third verse, "Find the lady, find her crown, ask her just what is allowed. There's only so much I can buy, this is the art of staying alive," suggests that the singer is searching for guidance, but ultimately realizes that they can only rely on themselves to survive.
The fourth verse presents a religious tone, with God and the idea of redemption being introduced. The singer acknowledges their flaws and mistakes, but ultimately recognizes the importance of staying alive despite their imperfections.
The final verse features a phone call with an unknown family member who emphasizes the importance of crying and emotions in the art of staying alive.
Overall, "Take Five" is a contemplation on the hardships of survival and the constant struggle to stay alive, no matter the circumstances.
Line by Line Meaning
Sixteen born and sixteen died
The cycle of life and death is constant and balanced, but it can still evoke emotions.
Should I laugh? I could have cried
The singer is questioning their own emotional response to the balance of life and death.
I'm no saver and I'm no liar
The singer does not hoard resources, but is also truthful.
This is the art of staying alive
An approach to living that prioritizes honesty and authenticity over material success.
Alive and I'm tired
Surviving takes energy, and the artist is worn out.
Of telling time
Being constantly aware of the passage of time is tiring and stressful.
Take five
A call to take a break and recharge.
Going down and I'm in doubt
The artist is struggling and unsure of themselves.
There's so much of this about
The hardship the artist is experiencing is common and widespread.
We, the heroes, wonder why
Even those who are seen as strong and capable can struggle and question their situation.
This is the art of staying alive
A reminder that surviving difficult times is an art form that takes skill and practice.
Find the lady, find her crown
The artist suggests seeking out someone who is powerful or influential.
Ask her just what is allowed
If one is seeking something, it is important to understand what the boundaries and limitations are.
There's only so much I can buy
Even with money and resources, there are limits to what one can obtain.
This is the art of staying alive
A recurring reminder of the importance of survival skills during hard times.
God got up so early, so he missed the crowd
The artist alludes to early birds catching the worm, but implies that missing out on certain things can have its benefits.
Saw me playing dirty while a guest in his house
The artist is acknowledging their own misbehavior and mistakes.
Asked me what the matter was, I swore that I lied
God confronts the singer about their behavior, and the singer was dishonest in response.
Remember the art, remember the art of staying alive
A repeated call to prioritize survival skills and authenticity in one's approach to life.
I was on the phone to my mother's son
The artist is speaking with someone who is their half-sibling, but not from the same mother.
I tell you, not my brother, but the other one
The artist is clarifying the identity of the person they are speaking with.
He said, "There's a reason and it's good to cry"
The artist's half-sibling offers advice to allow oneself to express emotion and find meaning in doing so.
Remember the art, remember the art of staying alive
Once again, emphasizing the importance of embodying the skills necessary to endure hardship.
Contributed by Sophia M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.