2) FIRST DEGREE. ORANGE COUNTY HARDCORE, CALIFORNIA BEATDOWN. 2013
Suppressed
First Degree Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Attacked by the ones who swore to protect.
It's time to take it to the streets.
Stand up for your fucking rights.
No more standing on the side lines.
Stop turning the other cheek.
Excessive police violence.
We live in a country that is no longer safe.
A civilian equates to a common criminal.
In the eyes of the law, we are all the same.
Suppressed by the badge for the final time.
No more standing on the sidelines.
Stop turning the other cheek.
Excessive police violence.
Put this to an end.
First Degree's song "Suppressed" addresses issues of police brutality and the suppression of citizens' rights. The lyrics express the frustration and anger that comes with feeling betrayed by those who are meant to protect us. The opening lines, "Led to believe our rights are guaranteed, attacked by the ones who swore to protect," suggest that the promise of our rights being protected is not being fulfilled. The reference to being "attacked" by those who are supposed to protect us highlights the dichotomy between what is promised and what is actually happening.
The call to action in the chorus - "It's time to take it to the streets, stand up for your fucking rights" - is a clear and direct message to listeners. The repetition of the lines "No more standing on the sidelines, stop turning the other cheek" drive home the idea that people must actively fight against this suppression and not simply ignore or accept it. The use of the word "excessive" in "excessive police violence" further emphasizes the severity of the problem.
The final stanza of the song - "We live in a country that is no longer safe, a civilian equates to a common criminal, in the eyes of the law we are all the same, suppressed by the badge for the final time" - encapsulates the frustration and fear that many feel in the face of police brutality. The idea that citizens are no longer safe in their own country and are treated as criminals for simply existing is a chilling thought. The use of the phrase "suppressed by the badge" suggests that the problem lies not only with individual officers, but is a systemic issue that needs to be addressed.
Line by Line Meaning
Led to believe our rights are a guaranteed.
We were taught that our rights are secure and assured.
Attacked by the ones who swore to protect.
The very people who promised to safeguard us are now harming us.
It's time to take it to the streets.
We need to voice our dissent and demand justice by protesting publicly.
Stand up for your fucking rights.
We must assert and fight for our rights without faltering.
No more standing on the sideline.
We can no longer remain passive and neutral.
Stop turning the other cheek.
We cannot continue to ignore the injustice and ill-treatment we face.
Excessive police violence.
The level of brutality shown by police is unjustifiable and excessive.
Put this to an end.
We must work towards stopping this violence and bring about the correct law measurement.
We live in a country that is no longer safe.
The place where we reside has become unsafe and perilous.
A civilian equates to a common criminal.
Every ordinary person is perceived to be a criminal in the eyes of the law.
In the eyes of the law, we are all the same.
The justice system does not differentiate individuals and sees them in one way only.
Suppressed by the badge for the final time.
The authorities have suppressed us one too many times using their badge and power.
Contributed by Peyton W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.