The band existed for almost a decade before mainstream success. The members met and played in Our Lady of Mount Carmel Secondary School under the name Pezz and remained underground in Toronto's indie music scene until 2001. The band renamed itself Billy Talent after running into legal trouble with the old name. It was then that Kowalewicz's connection with an employee of Warner Music Canada's A&R department landed the band a record deal and launched them into mainstream success. Since then, Billy Talent has made three multi-platinum records in Canada and continues to expand their success overseas; this included touring for 20 months supporting their second album. They released their third album, Billy Talent III, in 2009, and their fourth album, Dead Silence, in 2012. Dead Silence was followed up by a full UK tour throughout October and November 2012. To commemorate the longevity since the release of their first studio album, the band has released a greatest hits album entitled Hits in 2014. In 2015, they began to prepare material for their fifth studio album. Just before entering the studio, drummer Aaron Solowoniuk decided to sit out the recording sessions while he continued his longstanding battle with multiple sclerosis. Fellow Canadian Jordan Hastings was quickly recruited to play as Solowoniuk's studio stand-in, and, in early 2016, the group completed work on Afraid of Heights, which was released in July of that year. The band's most recent album is Crisis of Faith, released in January 2022.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Talent
Studio albums
Billy Talent (2003)
Billy Talent II (2006)
Billy Talent III (2009)
Dead Silence (2012)
Afraid of Heights (2016)
Crisis of Faith (2022)
Man Alive!
Billy Talent Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't stand aside!
While people make demands
At first they'll take your liberties
Then tie them 'round your hand
Man alive!
Don't stand aside!
While people make demands
Their words are your command
Well the bloodsucker society, is looking for recruits
I took a sip of their sobriety, it doesn't taste that good
Well at first you're fine with working overtime
10 years go by til you're caught up in the grind
And can't escape the fact your youth is fading fast
These times won't last and once they're gone they don't come back
Man alive!
Don't stand aside!
While people make demands
At first they'll take your liberties
Then tie them 'round your hand
Man alive!
Don't stand aside!
While people make demands
When time goes by some day you'll find
Their words are your command
They try to fill you with anxiety, until you bite the hook
They drop a line of notoriety, they got a big cheque book
Oh they'll turn you blind for a nickel and a dime
Don't waste your time with their simple frame of mind
You can't escape the fact your youth is fading fast
These times won't last and once they're gone they don't come back
Man alive!
Don't stand aside!
While people make demands
At first they'll take your liberties
Then tie them 'round your hand
Man alive!
Don't stand aside!
While people make demands
When time goes by some day you'll find
Their words are your command
Attention all personnel!
Stand single file, resistance is futile!
We're gonna raise your hopes up
Just to knock them down
You got a bright bright future
If you can shut your mouth
And if you work the front lines
To keep us safe and sound
You won't be compensated
Until you're in the ground
So don't waste a single breath
On what society expects
If history don't lie
They're gonna take you for a ride until you die!
Man alive!
Don't stand aside!
While people make demands
At first they'll take your liberties
Then tie them 'round your hand
Man alive!
Don't stand aside!
While people make demands
When time goes by some day you'll find
Their words are your command
The song "Man Alive!" by Billy Talent is a critique of society and the way that it traps people into becoming obedient servants. The lyrics urge listeners to not stand aside while people make demands on them, starting by taking away their liberties and ending with making their words command. The song warns against the temptation to join the bloodsucker society, which is always looking for recruits. The society will offer sobriety and notoriety, but it will only trap you into the grind of working overtime and losing your youth.
The chorus of the song repeats the message to not stand aside while people make demands, as they will eventually take away your liberties and turn you into an obedient servant. The bridge brings in an announcement to all personnel to stand single file as resistance is futile, raising their hopes just to knock them down. Another warning comes against wasting a breath on what society expects, as they will take you for a ride until you die.
Line by Line Meaning
Man alive!
Wake up and pay attention!
Don't stand aside!
Don't let others take advantage of you!
While people make demands
When people ask for things from you
At first they'll take your liberties
At first they'll ask for small favors.
Then tie them 'round your hand
Then it will become a regular thing that you feel obligated to do
When time goes by some day you'll find
After a while, you'll find
Their words are your command
You'll do whatever they ask without question
Well the bloodsucker society, is looking for recruits
Society is trying to take advantage of you for their benefit
I took a sip of their sobriety, it doesn't taste that good
I tried to go along with their ideals, but I didn't like it
Well at first you're fine with working overtime
You're okay with doing extra work at first
10 years go by til you're caught up in the grind
After a while, you're stuck in a never-ending cycle
And can't escape the fact your youth is fading fast
You realize that your time is running out
These times won't last and once they're gone they don't come back
You can't get these moments of your life back, so use them wisely
They try to fill you with anxiety, until you bite the hook
They try to scare you into doing what they want
They drop a line of notoriety, they got a big cheque book
They try to impress you with their wealth and power
Oh they'll turn you blind for a nickel and a dime
They'll take advantage of you for very little gain
Don't waste your time with their simple frame of mind
Don't bother with their narrow-minded views
Attention all personnel!
Listen up, everyone!
Stand single file, resistance is futile!
They're trying to intimidate you into compliance
We're gonna raise your hopes up
We'll give you false hope
Just to knock them down
Just to disappoint you later
You got a bright bright future
You have a lot of potential
If you can shut your mouth
As long as you don't question us
And if you work the front lines
If you do the dirty work
To keep us safe and sound
To protect us
You won't be compensated
You won't be rewarded
Until you're in the ground
Not until you're dead
So don't waste a single breath
Don't waste your energy
On what society expects
Don't worry about pleasing others
If history don't lie
If we learn from the past
They're gonna take you for a ride until you die!
They'll manipulate you for their gain until you die
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: AARON SOLOWONIUK, BEN KOWALEWICZ, IAN D'SA, JON GALLANT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@ShanInsanity
Best song off Dead Silence, no doubt.
@_KikeSanhueza
For me Swallowed Up by the Ocean is the best of this album, but this in on my top 5 for sure🔥
@maxnine5973
Dead Silence is just perfect, all songs are 10/10
@esapelailee1229
@@maxnine5973 Yep 100%
@TheMultiEnabled
Just amazing
@Srki99Production
Best song EVER - Greetings from Serbia 🇷🇸
@kingcameronw
Best song eva!!!!
@pavel.makhorin
Man alive!
@luisdiaz4646
Don't stand aside!
@udontneedtoknow366
Tis song is fire🤪