Although Beyond Decay's opinions aren't universal and vary throughout many of their songs, concerns of homophobia in society, racism, the capitalist system, hidden corporate agenda’s, mass media, mass consumption, change, and ignorance, are some of the topics their music touches on. Lyrics differ from politically charged songs to some positive messages found in the reggae/dub songs such as, "Until the day the world unites, we will never rest."
Beyond Decay has proven time and time again, that they are a force to be reckoned with in the ska-punk scene. The release of their first EP “Buds Not Bombs” had a great success, selling the first 100 copies at their CD Release show. With a full length on the horizon, Beyond Decay shows no signs of slowing down. So keep yer eyes and yer ears open, because Beyond Decay is currently busy recording their full length album, releasing it in September/August 2007 and a split with Corporation due out July 6th.
Dust Off Your Back
Beyond Decay Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm no longer stuck on pills
Fight with all of my might
For my rights and my life
No longer am I plagued by a life of civil strife
We all are animals
Animal in a man
Man is now caged
Freedom to move
Migrate and relocate
No longer is allowed
Men in power get irate
So we pick up our bags
And continue to move on
Wipe the dust off your back
Before the movement is gone
It's now time, time to stand now
Till the day the world unites
We will never rest
We take each fact we're told with a grain of salt's best
The pollution in the air will lead us to a toxic death
But we know the people have the will to divert this deadly path
Asthma affects almost 50% of the youth
Stick to your heart and realize this is the truth
Keep your head on your shoulders
Don't drift off into space
Cause we have to stand together
To stop the arms race
Till the day the world unites
We will never rest
We take each fact we're told with a grain of salt's best
The sun rises in the east, but it sets in the west
And every single day I'm getting closer to death
Whether you choose, the bullet or the ballot
We gotta take a chance and resist it
Do your part, clean up a park
Maybe there's a light when all is dark
The lyrics of Dust Off Your Back by Beyond Decay convey the theme of perseverance, unity, and responsibility towards the environment. The first verse talks about the singer's transformation from being dependent on pills to fighting for their rights and lives. The line "We all are animals, Animal in a man" suggests that humans are not unlike animals, and we are caged by the laws of the land that restrain our freedom of movement. The following lines entreat people to keep moving on with their journey and wipe the dust off their backs before the movement fades away.
The second verse focuses on the grave issue of pollution, particularly how it affects the youth. The line "Stick to your heart and realize this is the truth" urges people to accept the harsh reality of the situation and strengthen their resolve to make a positive difference. The last verse encourages people to take a chance, stand together, and take responsibility for their environment.
Overall, the song is a call to action for people to rise above their struggles, unite to bring change, and take responsibility for their actions towards nature.
Line by Line Meaning
Hope now instilled
I have gained hope
I'm no longer stuck on pills
I have defeated addiction and no longer rely on medication
Fight with all of my might
I am determined to fight with all my strength
For my rights and my life
I want to fight for my rights and my life
No longer am I plagued by a life of civil strife
I no longer suffer from the conflicts of society
We all are animals
Humans are also classified as animals
Animal in a man
The animalistic nature resides within people
Man is now caged
Society has limited human freedom
By the laws of the land
This limitation is caused by the law and order of the country
Freedom to move
Freedom of movement is essential
Migrate and relocate
People should have the liberty to change their living places
No longer is allowed
Unfortunately, this freedom is now restricted
Men in power get irate
Powerful people get angry when their rules are not followed
So we pick up our bags
We pack our bags
And continue to move on
We still move forward and don't stop
Wipe the dust off your back
We must clean ourselves from any burden or problems before moving on
Before the movement is gone
Before the opportunity to take action is lost
It's now time, time to stand now
It is now the perfect moment to act
Till the day the world unites
Until the world comes together
We will never rest
We will not stop
We take each fact we're told with a grain of salt's best
We do not blindly accept everything that we are told
The pollution in the air will lead us to a toxic death
Air pollution is dangerous and can be deadly
But we know the people have the will to divert this deadly path
We believe we can take actions to stop pollution.
Asthma affects almost 50% of the youth
Asthma is prevalent among young people
Stick to your heart and realize this is the truth
Believe in yourself and acknowledge the reality of the situation
Keep your head on your shoulders
Stay alert and focused
Don't drift off into space
Don't get distracted or lose focus
Cause we have to stand together
We have to work together to succeed
To stop the arms race
We need to stop the accumulation of weapons
The sun rises in the east, but it sets in the west
Every day is a cycle of life and death
And every single day I'm getting closer to death
Every day brings us closer to death
Whether you choose, the bullet or the ballot
Both violent and peaceful ways can be used to create change
We gotta take a chance and resist it
We need to take action and resist the status quo
Do your part, clean up a park
Do your part to make your community better
Maybe there's a light when all is dark
There's always hope even in the darkest of times
Contributed by Lucy V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Bob Hoskins
Comment