Uprising
Damn Yankees Lyrics


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Thunder on the mountain
Fire in the sky
The rainbow is my brother
I will choose to live or die

A stampede on the prairie
That brings me to my knees
My spirit is the eagle
And he will set me free

Another night of horror
The streets are living hell
The gangland has no honor
Just that dying smell

Where is the vigilante
He is better than the knave
Life's a penny ante
I refuse to be a slave

Because I am an uprising citizen
Red man
When you feel an uprising
And your blood runs cold

You dig a little deeper
To the bottom of the hole
Oh our time has come
Oh our time

Uprising
When you feel an uprising
And your blood runs cold
You look a little deeper

To the bottom of your soul
Oh our time has come
Oh our time
Uprising

You dig a little deeper




To the bottom of the hole
Uprising

Overall Meaning

The song "Uprising" by Damn Yankees talks about the idea of standing up against oppression and fighting for freedom, even if it means risking one's life. The lyrics are filled with powerful metaphors that convey the idea of a revolution, such as "Thunder on the mountain, fire in the sky", which suggests a sudden, violent explosion of energy. The singer compares himself to a red man and his spirit to an eagle, invoking Native American imagery that is often associated with the concepts of strength and resilience. The chorus urges listeners to dig deeper and find the courage to fight back against tyranny, even in the face of fear and uncertainty.


The second verse describes the harsh reality of living in a violent, crime-ridden environment. The singer laments the absence of a righteous vigilante who could bring justice to the lawless streets. He refuses to be a slave to the forces of evil and injustice, and instead chooses to rise up and take a stand. The repeated chorus emphasizes the message of the song: that it's time for an uprising, a collective revolt against the oppressive structures that keep people down.


Line by Line Meaning

Thunder on the mountain
The singer is surrounded by chaos and noise in the environment around him.


Fire in the sky
The level of tension and danger in the environment is high and amplifying.


The rainbow is my brother
The singer feels culturally united with their surroundings.


I will choose to live or die
The artist is focused on taking an active role in deciding their fate.


A stampede on the prairie
Even in moments of calm chaos seems to be lurking


That brings me to my knees
The singer is humbled by the power of the environment.


My spirit is the eagle
The singer is resilient and is ready to soar past any obstacle.


And he will set me free
The artist believes perseverance and conviction will help them overcome any difficulty.


Another night of horror
The artist is chronically distressed about the state of the environment around them.


The streets are living hell
The artist is surrounded by negative factors in their living environment.


The gangland has no honor
The singer is experiencing a sense of disgust and contempt toward criminal activity and lawlessness.


Just that dying smell
The artist is surrounded by death and decay.


Where is the vigilante
The singer is looking for a way to make their environment safer and more just.


He is better than the knave
The singer would prefer an idealized hero figure over the current criminal elements in their environment.


Life's a penny ante
The singer believes that life is too short to be spent living in danger and poverty.


I refuse to be a slave
The artist is determined to live on their own terms.


Because I am an uprising citizen
The artist is looking to change their environment through active engagement and participation.


Red man
The singer identifies with Native American culture and values.


When you feel an uprising and your blood runs cold
In moments of extreme tension, the singer strives to remain calm and focused.


You dig a little deeper to the bottom of the hole
The artist perseveres with conviction even when things seem hopeless.


Oh our time has come
The artist is confident that they have the ability to bring about change in their environment.


You look a little deeper to the bottom of your soul
The artist encourages themselves to look within for strength and guidance.


Uprising
The singer is ready to take action and make their voice heard.


You dig a little deeper to the bottom of the hole
The artist is resolute in their commitment to overcoming adversity.


Uprising
The singer remains steadfast in their quest for change and justice.




Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, Universal Music Publishing Group, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Peermusic Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Jack Blades, Ted A. Nugent, Tommy R. Shaw

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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