The well-oiled machine known as Dogwood has been bringing misery to soundme… Read Full Bio ↴The well-oiled machine known as Dogwood has been bringing misery to soundmen and venue owners for almost eight years now. We have our six-stringed wizardry by way of Daniel Montoya, who commands the searing riffs and power chords to spew forth from his axe with unbridled assault. At the low end of the battlefield, we have Rob Hann on Bass, who caresses the smoothness and science that such a lovely instrument deserves. To add to this team of specialists, we have an extraordinarily adept drummer, who performs beats which make you feel like he is slapping you in the chest with a Buick, then makes you think you are floating face up in the Caspian Sea after a torrential downpour. My name is Josh Kemble, and my job is the singing and barbecuing. Dogwood is comprised of four men who love life and love to play music.
myspace.com/dogwood

Redefine Defiance
Dogwood Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

You don't own me,
But you wish you did.
I feel that life is moving way too fast.

You apologize,
But I don't hear,
You think its easy to make believe that I still care.

Chorus:

Sometimes life brings you down,
But there's no better way to make you understand,
The truth will hurt, especially when your right,
But mostly when your wrong.

Sensitive,
That's what you are,
There has to be a willingness to change on both our parts.

You say you listen,
But you don't hear.
I'm sick and tired of trying to make my conscience clear.

(Chorus 2x)

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Dogwood's song "Redefine Defiance" depict a struggle between two individuals, one of whom wishes to have control over the other, while the other feels that their life is moving too fast. The first line, "You don't own me, but you wish you did," sets the tone for the power dynamic between the two. The singer feels that they are being controlled or manipulated by the other person, which is a difficult situation to be in. The second line, "I feel that life is moving way too fast," adds to this sense of helplessness, as the singer feels that they are being left behind or left out of something.

The rest of the lyrics explore the difficulty in communication between the two parties, as well as the idea that change is necessary for the relationship to continue. The other person apologizes, but the singer doesn't hear it, which suggests a breakdown in communication. The chorus emphasizes the idea that truth can hurt and that change is necessary, even when it's difficult. The last two lines, "But mostly when you're wrong," suggest that one party may be more at fault than the other, but both need to be willing to admit fault and make changes for the relationship to work.

Overall, the lyrics depict a situation where one party is attempting to control the other, while the other is struggling to maintain their sense of self and autonomy. The breakdown in communication and need for change emphasizes the difficulty in maintaining healthy relationships, especially when one party is attempting to exert control over the other.

Line by Line Meaning

You don't own me,
I am my own person and not subject to your control.

But you wish you did.
You desire to have power over me and my actions.

I feel that life is moving way too fast.
I am overwhelmed by the pace at which life is progressing.

You apologize,
You attempt to make amends for your actions.

But I don't hear,
I am unwilling to accept your apology.

You think its easy to make believe that I still care.
You assume I am pretending to care when I am actually indifferent.

Sometimes life brings you down,
Occasionally, life presents challenges that are difficult to overcome.

But there's no better way to make you understand,
These challenges allow for personal growth and understanding.

The truth will hurt, especially when your right,
The reality of a situation can be painful, even when it confirms your beliefs.

But mostly when your wrong.
However, it is most difficult to accept the truth when it contradicts your assumptions or beliefs.

Sensitive,
I am intuitive to the emotional undercurrents of a situation.

That's what you are,
This trait is a part of who I am as a person.

There has to be a willingness to change on both our parts.
For a relationship to thrive, both parties must be open to growth and personal development.

You say you listen,
You claim to be actively hearing what I have to say.

But you don't hear.
However, your actions suggest that you are not really listening to me.

I'm sick and tired of trying to make my conscience clear.
I am exhausted from my constant struggle to maintain my integrity and stand up for my beliefs.

(Chorus 2x)
Repeating the chorus to emphasize the importance of the themes presented.

Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS

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