When
Brett Gurewitz/Greg Graffin/Mr. Brett Lyrics


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One day my life will be a chocolate shake
And late night t.v.
But right now I'm afraid of everything
That is goin' down too many decisions
Too much responsibility and no one is
There to hold me when I fail like the

Deer who knows he won't survive the
Winter so he runs in fear the drifts
Too deep, the browse too scarce, the
Able too strong to compete and I wonder




If I was stronger when I didn't care if
No one was there to hold me when I fail

Overall Meaning

When? by Brett Gurewitz/Greg Graffin/Mr. Brett is a song that reflects on feelings of fear, doubt, and uncertainty. The song begins with the idea of a future where life is simple and enjoyable, represented by a chocolate shake and late-night television. However, the present is filled with too many decisions and responsibilities, which leaves the singer feeling overwhelmed and afraid. They express a desire for someone to support them through their failures, but they feel alone and vulnerable.


The second part of the song compares the singer's struggles to those of a deer facing winter. Despite the deer's fear and struggle to survive, it cannot rely on anyone to help it. Similarly, the singer wonders if they were stronger when they didn't care if anyone was there to support them through failure. The song ends with a repetition of the question "when?" suggesting that the singer is waiting for something to change or improve their situation.


Overall, When? is a contemplative and introspective song that portrays universal feelings of fear and doubt. It highlights the importance of support and the difficulty of facing struggles alone.


Line by Line Meaning

One day my life will be a chocolate shake
Someday my life will be enjoyable and easy like a chocolate shake.


And late night t.v.
I will be able to relax and watch late night TV without any worries.


But right now I'm afraid of everything
But currently, I am scared of everything.


That is goin' down too many decisions
I have too many difficult decisions to make right now.


Too much responsibility and no one is
I have too much responsibility to handle and no one to support me.


There to hold me when I fail like the
I feel like a deer who has no support and is afraid of failing.


Deer who knows he won't survive the
Like a deer who knows it won't live through the winter.


Winter so he runs in fear the drifts
I am afraid of the uncertainties in life and feel like I need to run from them.


Too deep, the browse too scarce, the
Like a deer in winter, the challenges I am facing feel overwhelming and resources are scarce.


Able too strong to compete and I wonder
I feel too weak and unprepared to face the competition and I wonder if I was stronger before when I didn't care.


If I was stronger when I didn't care if
I wonder if I was stronger when I didn't care about the challenges I am currently facing.




Lyrics Ā© Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: GREG GRAFFIN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@BananaMan141

Gotta respect the hell out of Greg, it is cool how Bad Religion's legacy lives on in bands such as Rise Against.

@BananaMan141

SoCaliforniaĀ Bad Religion went on tour with Rise Against a few years back, so your opinion on whether or not they are good is irrelevant..

@BananaMan141

SoCaliforniaĀ Please point out the part of my comment where I said that Rise Against is a punk band, because you look very silly right now.

@BananaMan141

Believe whatever you want to.

@poeticriffraff

The king of stupid theres no (edited) beside his original post.

And punk rock isn't about hate, unless its an anti-establishmentarianism kinda hate.

You're a sour, angry person and I hope the sun shines for you some day, Bitch.

@poeticriffraff

The king of stupid I think Rise Against is actually a dope band and the singer has an amazing fucking voice. Fuck that guy lol

2 More Replies...

@SFCISME

We need BR now more than ever.

@brianwene1982

Thank you for such an inspiring interview Brett & Dr. Graffin! I've been a huge fan for many years. The music of BR has gotten me through tough times & has been important for my sanity especially in these bizarre times.

@dirtysouthhc2936

Started rocking these guys when I was ten or eleven years old skateboarding. My views have always been very like-minded. Same today I'm 43 years old still being moved by these music. I just played recipe for hate and against the grain back-to-back on drums .. these guys are the voice of reason in my ear when I was a kid .

@scottandreebowen5717

Amazing that they felt optimistic about a movement towards reason as we look at today.

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