Boysetsfire is an American post-hardcore band from Newark, Delaware that fo… Read Full Bio ↴Boysetsfire is an American post-hardcore band from Newark, Delaware that formed in October 1994. The band is composed of guitarists Chad Istvan and Josh Latshaw, vocalist Nathan Gray, and bassists Chris Rakus and Robert Ehrenbrand. Lyrical themes are often of an anti-capitalist, radical left-wing political perspective.

Current members:
Nathan Gray - lead vocals (1994–present)
Josh Latshaw - guitar (1994–present)
Chad Istvan - guitar (1994–present)
Rob Ehrenbrand - bass (2004–2011, 2013–present)
Chris Rakus - bass (2013–present)
Jared Shavelson - drums (2013–present)

Former members:
Darrell Hyde - bass guitar (1994–1999)
Rob Avery - bass guitar (1999–2004)
Marc Krupanski - bass guitar (2011–2013)
Matt Krupanski - drums (1994–2013)
Dan Pelic - drums (2013)
Lee Dickerson - lead guitar (2013)

Top Gun Anthem
BoySetsFire Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

You're just another anthem Guided by the bullet And you can take this all to hell With your fucking victims Down a toast of their blood with your wine While refining your ego's defense The glory of bullets, the fire, the mobs action to riot Your keen sense of interest in the revolution will end With the stains of innocence on your hands The flags that divide us grow stronger With your plastic refinement Plaster your picture of heads Lining your mantle Define your heresy with streets Lined with their entrails Your murders reek of their guns Your motives reek of their kind When you've fooled the people With your selfish intentions You can bask in the warmth Of your thugs in action When it all comes down You decide we're just looking for another leader To bring us down Your anthem will die with you Like all those before you Killing off the masses that you Claim to liberate Back to square one As the swine take on the faces Of their masters

Overall Meaning

The song “Toy Gun Anthem” by BoySetsFire appears to be a criticism of those who use violence as a means to an end, particularly in the context of revolution. The lyrics suggest that those who are guided by the bullet or the gun are merely playing into a cycle of violence, and that their actions are ultimately self-serving and egotistical. The imagery of toasting with the blood of victims and defining one’s heresy with streets lined with entrails is particularly gruesome and emphasizes the senselessness of violence. The song also suggests that those who engage in such actions are ultimately doomed to fail, as their leaders will die with them and the swine will take on the faces of their masters, effectively bringing them back to square one.

Overall, the message of “Toy Gun Anthem” seems to be that true liberation cannot be achieved through violence, as violence ultimately only serves to perpetuate the same systems of oppression that it seeks to overthrow. Instead, true liberation must be achieved by breaking free from these cycles of violence and working towards a better future through peaceful means.

Line by Line Meaning

You're just another anthem Guided by the bullet
You are just another song that promotes violence and is controlled by those who use weapons

And you can take this all to hell With your fucking victims
You can take all of your violent actions and bring them to damnation along with your innocent victims

Down a toast of their blood with your wine While refining your ego's defense
You celebrate the spilling of innocent blood as you defend your ego and sense of self-importance

The glory of bullets, the fire, the mobs action to riot
You find pleasure and admiration in the use of firearms, destruction by fire, and the actions of a violent mob

Your keen sense of interest in the revolution will end With the stains of innocence on your hands
Your strong desire to bring about change through violent means will ultimately result in the guilt of innocent lives lost on your conscience

The flags that divide us grow stronger With your plastic refinement
Your attempts to manipulate and refine society only strengthen the divisions and hatred between different groups

Plaster your picture of heads Lining your mantle
You display trophies of your violent deeds on your wall, proud of the lives you have taken

Define your heresy with streets Lined with their entrails
You define your rebellious actions by the streets you leave covered in the guts and remains of your victims

Your murders reek of their guns Your motives reek of their kind
Your killings are reminiscent of those who use weapons for their own selfish motives

When you've fooled the people With your selfish intentions You can bask in the warmth Of your thugs in action
When you have successfully deceived the public with your selfish goals, you can enjoy the support of your violent accomplices

When it all comes down You decide we're just looking for another leader To bring us down
When everything falls apart, you blame the people for being easily swayed by leaders like you who bring them to ruin

Your anthem will die with you Like all those before you
Your message and violent actions will not be remembered, and will only result in the same demise as those before you

Killing off the masses that you Claim to liberate Back to square one As the swine take on the faces Of their masters
Your violent actions only lead to the death of the people you claim to be liberating, bringing society back to square one. The followers of your movement become no different from those in power, consumed by greed and violence

Lyrics © RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: CHAD ISTVAN, DARRELL HYDE, JOSHUA LATSHAW, MATT KRUPANSKI, NATHAN GRAY

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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