Rat Race
Brody Dalle Lyrics

I got a gun pointed at the rat race
I have the power to break free from the societal norms and expectations that pressure individuals to conform.

Got my own private road to hell
I am in control of my own path, even if the destination is potentially harmful or risky.

I got a tree, it grows money
I possess resources and wealth, but they may not bring me genuine happiness or fulfillment.

But it growing old and it's winter now
My sources of comfort and stability may be aging and losing value, leaving me with an uncertain future.

I'm a sure fire assassin
I am confident in my abilities to achieve my goals, whatever they may be.

Not so sure of what I'm meant to do
Although I am capable, I am unsure of the greater purpose or meaning of my actions.

Am I meant to kill? Am I meant to thrill?
I am questioning the nature and morality of my pursuits, whether they involve violence or simply excitement.

I'm gonna burn this city down
I am willing to challenge and disrupt the power structures of my environment, which I feel have oppressed me.

This city run me around
I have been subject to the demands and expectations of this environment, rather than being able to control my own fate.

I'm gonna burn this town to the ground
I am not just seeking personal liberation, but rather a total overhaul of the societal systems that hold us back.

Ain't no worry, I'm all fired up
I am fearless and fully committed to my goals, even if they are dangerous or controversial.

Walk on air, thin air
We may experience moments of transcendent joy and freedom, but they may be fleeting or illusory.

Come back down to us forever
Ultimately, we must return to reality and recognize that true connection and meaning are found in shared experience with others, rather than personal fantasy.

Don't leave now
We are afraid of losing that sense of transcendence and freedom, and do not want to confront our reality.

We'll rest together
Only by acknowledging our shared humanity and vulnerability can we find genuine rest and peace.

Your beating heart is down below
Rather than seeking some abstract form of transcendence or liberation, true fulfillment comes from acceptance of our physicality and rootedness in our bodies.

There are open wounds in the bedroom
Despite our desire for transcendence, we are still subject to the physical and emotional wounds of intimacy and human relationships.

Follow trails of his bloody gauze
We cannot escape the realities of this physical world and our visceral experiences of it, even when we try to transcend them through fantasy or imagination.

We're all going down
As human beings, we are vulnerable to the frailty and mortality of our physical bodies, and cannot escape the ultimate reality of death.

If you don't heal
Although we cannot avoid the realities of pain and trauma, we must take action to address them and find healing for ourselves and others.