they provide the paint for the
Bandits of the Acoustic Revolution Lyrics

There is a...
Introduces a man with a face and name not remembered, who lives in the woods and warns the singer about being listened to

Always in a house in the middle of the woods.
Further describes where the man's house is located

He said once "son don't you laugh out loud. For they are listening, oh their listening.
The man's warning to the singer to be careful not to draw attention to themselves

Oooo ya gotta be strong.
Encouragement to be resilient given the situation

Oooo ya gotta keep holding on (cuz now it's just a matter of time!)
And to keep persevering despite the challenging circumstances

Heading for the hills go!
A call to action to escape the dangers the man is warning about

They provide the paint for the picture perfect masterpiece that you will paint on the inside of your eyelids.
Referring to the manipulative tactics of those in power to influence our thoughts and perspectives

Can you possibly see anything you wanna see now? (Hell no)
A rhetorical question questioning whether our thoughts are truly our own

There's nothing wrong with the way I see
A statement that the artist's perspective is their own

And he wanted to be a soldier in the next great war.
The man desires to be part of something significant, but something dark

he wanted to kill and fight and maim and not be told what he was fighting for,
The man desires to fight for glory and power, rather than a just cause

and that's the way, it's gonna have to be my friend. And that's the way it's gonna have to be my friend.
The man's determination and conviction that this is the only path forward

I passed a man on a corner in the city yesterday singing "Yada yada yada and tomorrow it will end."
The singer encounters someone who represents the mindlessness and complacency of society

And I never thought I'd live to see another sunny day, but I'm here and I feel I'll be here to the end.
The singer expresses gratitude for still being alive and optimistic about the future

So watch your mouth or you're gonna make a grave mistake Hold your tongue or you're gonna catch a bullet in the head Watch your mouth or you're gonna make a grave mistake Don't die for anything less than the best of life.
A repetition of the man's warning to be careful, and to value one's own life and opportunities

Things you said, went to your head You Never try, to understand What they take you will never take back Cuz they take what they take when they can from you.
Reflecting on how easily influenced and manipulated people can be, and the consequences of that

From then your falling but you never ask why and I wonder what you're under cuz its me another peice of the "I don't care I just do what they say say what to do in a matter of fact way." Don't stop cuz you might get burned and you might just learn how to stand on your own two feet. And I think it's neat how you learn to repeat everything that you hear in the street so well. You learn to repeat everything that you hear so well. You learn to repeat everything that you hear so well.
Describing the prevalence of conformity and blind obedience, and the dangerous path that leads down

Oh well and everyone was searching cuz they thought it was the end and even if it was then they decided to pretend and somewhere in the distance I can hear them wispering You can fight all you want they will win in the end.
A commentary on how many people are asleep to the true dangers and difficult realities that exist

Sometimes in the evening when I'm lying in my bed I get taken to that forest to the isolated shed And I wait with the words resonating in my head. And I can't stop thinking about the jist of what he said
The warning from the beginning of the song continues to resonate with the singer and affect their thoughts

So watch your mouth or you're gonna make a grave mistake Hold your tongue or you're gonna catch a bullet in your head Watch your mouth or you're gonna make a grave mistake Don't die for anything less than the best of Everyone settles for the rest not the best of Now we'll die for the last and the best of life.
The song ends with the repetition of the man's warning, followed by a message to aim for the best in life and not settle for less