Anthem
CiRCLE no.5 Lyrics


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A nation stands with heart in hand
To sing their anthem proudly
Voices raised to sing their praise
Of their hollow country
All this talk of freedom
And some talk of liberty
From your plastic podium
You try and convince me

I can't fall anymore
For some silver-tongued song
Your freedom isn't free
So let me say what freedom means to

I can't see red, white, and blue waving in the air
I don't hear the bombs bursting and I don't even care
I'm sorry for my lack of faith
I'm not the greatest patriot
If this is all their is to freedom I don't want it

I can't fall anymore
For some silver-tongued song
Your freedom isn't free
So let me say what freedom means to

Pushing us a drug that you call freedom and democracy
Promise us that selfishness is the means for happiness
I burned that bridge so long ago that I can hardly see
Anything but solace in what freedom means to me

I can't fall anymore
For some silver-tongued song
Freedom isn't free
So let me say what freedom means to

It cannot mean to serve ourselves
That doesn't mean a thing
It doesn't mean to give the license
To seek ourselves in anything




That would be slavery to ourselves it isn't free
Jesus Christ, the only thing that freedom means to me.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Anthem" by CiRCLE no.5 depict a disillusioned individual who has lost faith in the traditional concepts of patriotism and national identity. The song employs biting satire to criticize the shallow superficiality and hypocrisy inherent in jingoistic notions of freedom and liberty that are often invoked by politicians and ideologues to manipulate public opinion.


The first stanza sets the tone for the song by portraying a nation united in singing its anthem supposedly with heart in hand. The lyrics, however, juxtapose the celebratory nature of the act with a mordant indictment of the socio-political system that the anthem represents. More specifically, the reference to the "hollow country" hints at the emptiness and shallowness of the dominant discourse of freedom and liberty that is propagated through such patriotic rituals. In the second stanza, the singer rejects the popular symbolisms associated with patriotism, such as the colors of the national flag or the explosions of fireworks. Instead, he strikes a more reflective note by confessing his doubts and regrets about his lack of faith in patriotism. He concludes that freedom means something more than just abstract slogans and refrains, that it implies ethical sacrifice and service to one's fellow humans.


The third and final stanza bristles with anger and rebellion against the political establishment that seeks to reduce freedom to a mere commodity that can be traded and sold. The singer accuses the powers that be of pushing a dangerous drug that masquerades as freedom and democracy but is, in fact, a form of consumerism and narcissism. He repudiates this version of freedom by invoking the name of Jesus Christ and implying that true freedom is rooted in selflessness and compassion. Overall, the song exhibits a deep skepticism about traditional notions of patriotism and calls for a radical rethinking of the meaning and purpose of individual and collective freedom.


Line by Line Meaning

A nation stands with heart in hand
The people of the nation are gathered together to honor their country


To sing their anthem proudly
They sing their national anthem with great pride


Voices raised to sing their praise
Their voices are raised to express admiration for their country


Of their hollow country
However, their country seems lacking and empty to the artist


All this talk of freedom
There is a lot of talk about freedom in the country


And some talk of liberty
There is also some talk of liberty, but not enough


From your plastic podium
The singer is addressing someone who is delivering a speech from a fake, insincere place


You try and convince me
The artist is not swayed by the person's arguments


I can't fall anymore
The artist has been fooled before and doesn't want to be fooled again


For some silver-tongued song
The artist is referring to persuasive words and promises that sound too good to be true


Your freedom isn't free
Freedom comes with a cost that people should be aware of


So let me say what freedom means to
The artist wants to express their own definition of freedom


I can't see red, white, and blue waving in the air
The singer is not affected by the patriotic symbols of their country


I don't hear the bombs bursting and I don't even care
They are not moved by the sounds of war either


I'm sorry for my lack of faith
The singer apologizes for not being a true patriot


I'm not the greatest patriot
The artist admits that they do not have strong patriotic feelings


If this is all their is to freedom I don't want it
The artist does not want to have anything to do with the version of freedom presented by their country


Pushing us a drug that you call freedom and democracy
The singer describes the government's promotion of freedom and democracy as a way to manipulate the people


Promise us that selfishness is the means for happiness
The government is suggesting that pursuing one's own interests will lead to happiness


I burned that bridge so long ago that I can hardly see
The artist has distanced themselves from the government's version of freedom


Anything but solace in what freedom means to me
The artist has found peace in their own definition of freedom


It cannot mean to serve ourselves
The definition of freedom should not be centered on individual interests


That doesn't mean a thing
This perspective is meaningless without more context and nuance


It doesn't mean to give the license
Freedom is not permission to do whatever one pleases


To seek ourselves in anything
Seeking only personal interests is not a valid expression of freedom


That would be slavery to ourselves it isn't free
A self-centered approach to freedom would actually be a form of enslavement


Jesus Christ, the only thing that freedom means to me.
The singer's definition of freedom is grounded in their religious beliefs




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Mute Song Limited
Written by: ANDREW JOHN CONNELL, DONALD GEORGE JOHNSON, JEREMY EDWARD SIMON KERR, MARTIN RICHARD MOSCROP, ANTHONY QUIGLEY

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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