Common Rider was formed in 1999 in California by Jesse Michaels (guitar, vo… Read Full Bio ↴Common Rider was formed in 1999 in California by Jesse Michaels (guitar, vocals), Mass Giorgini (bass), and Dan Lumley (drums). They were a ska band on a much softer note than that of Michaels' first group Operation Ivy, but still contained the same amount of energy and passion. They released two full-length albums and one EP. Last Wave Rockers was released in 1999 on Lookout! Records. Thief In a Sleeping Town EP was also released on Lookout! Records in 2001. The band released This Is Unity Music on Hopeless Records in 2002. In 2002, the band toured the US extensively, including the 2002 Plea For Peace tour, sponsored by Asian Man Records. On the tour, Phillip Hill (from the Teen Idols and also a major contributor on the album This is Unity Music) and Joe Mizzi (from Metro Detroit and also a guest vocalist on the album This Is Unity Music) played guitar for the band. A new EP (April 2005), split with Against All Authority, has been released containing outtakes from 2002's This Is Unity Music.

They broke up in 2003 mainly because of the want to pursue other opportunities. Dan Lumley officially retired from music at that time as well. Mass still remains in Squirtgun. In 2008, Jesse began a new band called Classics of Love.

Firewall
Common Rider Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Tell me what will become of the youth of today
In a culture blind to its own decay because
We're all caught in the big swing of things and
The knot's cinched tight by a bunch of little strings.
What is happening to us? -We've lost our way
This creature of appetite is bound to devour itself one day.
We should make a home in the storms eye
People come together and survive.

Firewall- so quick to turn away
But you know it won't forget you
Firewall- the heat we dread to face
Could be the worlds last refuge... firewall.

What will become of the youth of tomorrow
In a world where everything's borrowed
We oughtta put aside childish things,
Have some guts jump into the burning
Don't let's turn away from pain revealed
We better look at who we are
Then reach out from the deep seal..

Burn. Come on and burn.

Overall Meaning

In the opening verse of Common Rider's "Firewall," the singer expresses concern for the youth of today, who are growing up in a culture that is blind to its own decay. The image of a knot cinched tight by a bunch of little strings illustrates how we are all caught in the big swing of things, and suggests that our problems are interconnected and difficult to untangle. The creature of appetite stands for our own self-destructive tendencies, which are bound to devour us one day if we don't change our ways.

The chorus introduces the imagery of a firewall, which can be interpreted in two ways. On the one hand, a firewall is a protective barrier that shields us from harm; on the other hand, a firewall is the last line of defense before a system is destroyed. It's clear that the singer is urging us to confront the heat we dread to face, even if it means entering the storm's eye. By working together, he believes that people can survive the coming disaster and perhaps even find a home in the midst of the chaos.

The final verse of "Firewall" challenges us to put aside childish things and have the courage to jump into the burning, to confront pain head-on and look at ourselves in the mirror, to reach out from the deep seal of our own fears and anxieties. The repeated refrain of "burn" suggests that we must embrace change, even if it means letting go of the old ways and facing the unknown.

Line by Line Meaning

Tell me what will become of the youth of today
Asking what will happen to future generations

In a culture blind to its own decay because
Society is ignoring its decline

We're all caught in the big swing of things and
Everyone is part of a greater system

The knot's cinched tight by a bunch of little strings.
Many small things contribute to larger problems

What is happening to us? -We've lost our way
Asking what's wrong with us

This creature of appetite is bound to devour itself one day.
Our self-destructive tendencies will have consequences

We should make a home in the storms eye
Find a place of calm during difficult times

People come together and survive.
Unity is necessary for survival

Firewall- so quick to turn away
People often ignore problems

But you know it won't forget you
Ignoring problems will have consequences

Firewall- the heat we dread to face
We are afraid to confront difficult issues