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Exploder
Audioslave Lyrics
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For things he hadn't done
Innocence on a ball and chain
He'll never feel the sun
Again on his face or roses
In his hands but when he smiled
At me I could understand
If your head is clear you'll never free fall
If you're right you'll never fear the wrong
If your head is high you'll never fear at all
There was a daughter of a man
Who took his life too young
She swore she'd never do the same
Then did just what he'd done
And a boy who's gone insane
Voices in his head
No one knows what they say
Now his mother's dead
If you're free you'll never see the walls
If your head is clear you'll never free fall
If you're right you'll never fear the wrong
If your head is high you'll never fear at all
There was a man who had a face
That looked a lot like me
I saw him in the mirror and
I fought him in the street
And when he turned away
I shot him in the head
Then I came to realize
I had killed myself
If you're free you'll never see the walls
If your head is clear you'll never free fall
If you're right you'll never fear the wrong
If your head is high you'll never fear at all
The opening verse of Audioslave's song "Exploder" sets up what appears to be the central theme of the song - the idea of imprisonment whether physical or mental. The singer recounts meeting a man who has been locked away for crimes he hasn't committed, but despite his loss of freedom and the sun, the man continues to smile. The singer seems to understand the man's plight - freedom, whether physical or mental, is a state of being that is seemingly deceptively simple. The chorus repeats the idea that those who are free, clear-headed and righteous will never fear the walls, free fall or the wrong, and by extension the challenges that come with them.
The remaining verses of "Exploder" exemplify the themes already introduced in the song. The daughter of a man who took his own life struggles to overcome the legacy of her father. A boy who is tormented by inner demons he can't control, and who ultimately loses his mother, and the fourth verse rounds out the song by introducing the idea of the singer coming face to face with himself in the mirror. A realization of self-hatred and anger brings him to a violent confrontation with his image. The lyrics of "Exploder" paint an admittedly bleak picture of the human condition, but the chorus echoes a hopeful note that by being mindful and righteous, one can achieve a level of freedom that transcends physical limits.
Line by Line Meaning
I met a man locked away
The singer is introducing a man who is in jail.
For things he hadn't done
The man is in jail for a crime he did not commit.
Innocence on a ball and chain
The man's innocence is being held captive by the prison system.
He'll never feel the sun again on his face or roses in his hands
The man is facing a life sentence and will never experience simple pleasures again.
But when he smiled at me I could understand
The artist was able to connect with the man on a personal level despite his circumstances.
If you're free you'll never see the walls
The singer is suggesting that freedom allows us to exceed our boundaries and limitations.
If your head is clear you'll never free fall
Having a clear mind can prevent us from making irrational decisions that lead to failure.
If you're right you'll never fear the wrong
When we are confident in our beliefs and actions, we don't have to fear being wrong.
If your head is high you'll never fear at all
Having a strong sense of self-worth and confidence will keep us from being fearful or intimidated.
There was a daughter of a man who took his life too young
The artist is introducing a woman who lost her father to suicide.
She swore she'd never do the same then did just what he'd done
Despite making a vow to never follow in her father's footsteps, the woman ended up committing suicide as well.
And a boy who's gone insane, voices in his head
The artist mentions a boy who is experiencing mental health issues.
No one knows what they say, now his mother's dead
The boy's mental illness may have contributed to his mother's death.
There was a man who had a face that looked a lot like me
The singer is reflecting on a man who resembles him.
I saw him in the mirror and I fought him in the street
The singer had an internal struggle with his own identity.
And when he turned away I shot him in the head
The artist is using figurative language to represent him 'killing off' a part of himself.
Then I came to realize I had killed myself
The artist is acknowledging that he had killed a part of himself, and this represented a part of his own identity that he needed to let go of.
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Brad Wilk, Chris Cornell, Timothy Commerford, Tom Morello
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind