The band reunited in February 2012, with a new album to be released in 2015.
Mother Superior
Good Riddance Lyrics
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To die for an ideal
What's the connection
Between a lie and what is real
Mother Superior
I've got an angel on my back
I'm one of the righteous
No, no, no
I'm never going back
Who's that shining forth-right man
About to die behind me
He's waiting for the portress to send me head over heels
Who's that black-heart four-star General walking up the hill
To ask the liberals nicely
To help finance his private war
And if I didn't trust that man
When he puts the rifle in your hand
Sings you songs of pageantry and grace
And how much you want to bet on the other side
There's a man with twice your pride
And they put you feet first in an unmarked grave
There was a time in our history
When we justified by saying
Our destinies manifest
Now imperialism is the mantra of the west
See that trigger happy
College boys, love a chance
To try out their new toys
Then they wash the city streets
Clean, with the blood of infidels
And if I didn't trust that man
When he puts the rifle in your hand
Sings you songs of pageantry and grace
And how much you want to bet on the other side
There's a man with twice your pride
And they put you feet first in an unmarked grave
As the fabric of democracy
Left tattered in the dust
We could put another greedy man into the
Dictatorial
Puppet-show, now tell me
Who do you trust
Who do you trust
And an abominable hemisphere
Would perpetuate a heart-whole atmosphere
Call it a threat
To national security
Call it just a poor-sick face
One more place to export cheap labor
Hail the monarchy
Hail the oligarchy
A potential for anarchy
And we pat ourselves firmly on the back
The lyrics to Good Riddance's song "Mother Superior" present a powerful critique of the inherent dangers of blindly following an ideal, regardless of its validity. The song opens with an urgent question: "How ready are you / To die for an ideal?" This sets the tone for the rest of the song, which goes on to explore the connections between truth, lies, power, and violence. The phrase "Mother Superior" is repeated throughout the song as a kind of refrain or chorus, perhaps referencing the idea of a figure of authority or a higher power that is being questioned or challenged.
The first verse introduces the idea of righteousness and the singer's belief in their own moral superiority. They describe having "an angel on [their] back" and being "one of the righteous." However, they also assert that they will never "go back," which raises the question of what exactly they are rejecting or leaving behind. The second verse introduces several characters, including a man who is about to die and a four-star general who is asking "the liberals" for money to fund a private war. The lyrics suggest that all of these individuals are caught up in the same cycle of violence and deception, and that no one can be trusted.
The final verse of the song takes a broader view of the situation, referencing imperialism, democracy, and the exploitation of labor. The phrase "Hail the monarchy / Hail the oligarchy / A potential for anarchy" suggests that there are no easy answers or solutions to the problems being described. The song's ultimate message seems to be that blind faith in an ideal or a person can lead to disastrous consequences, and that critical thinking and skepticism are necessary tools for navigating a complex world.
Line by Line Meaning
How ready are you
Are you prepared to die for your beliefs?
To die for an ideal
Are you willing to sacrifice your life for something that you believe in?
What's the connection
Is there any relation?
Between a lie and what is real
Is there a correlation between falsehood and reality?
Mother Superior
A reference to the ultimate authority or leader.
I've got an angel on my back
Feeling protected by a higher power.
I'm one of the righteous
I am among those who are morally just.
And I'm never going back
I'm resolved to move forward and not return to a previous state.
Who's that shining forth-right man
Who is the honest man shining in front of me?
About to die behind me
About to be killed right behind me.
He's waiting for the portress to send me head over heels
He's waiting for the one in charge to order my execution.
Who's that black-heart four-star General
Who is the cold-hearted person with high military rank?
Walking up the hill
Making their way uphill.
To ask the liberals nicely
To politely request a favor from the liberals.
To help finance his private war
To ask for financial help with a personal military campaign.
And if I didn't trust that man
If I didn't confide in that individual.
When he puts the rifle in your hand
When he hands you the firearm.
Sings you songs of pageantry and grace
Lies told with grandeur and charm.
And how much you want to bet on the other side
How sure are you that the opposing side is just as confident.
There's a man with twice your pride
There's somebody else with more arrogance than you.
And they put you feet first in an unmarked grave
You end up in a mass grave with no recognition of who you are.
There was a time in our history
In the past, we embraced and supported.
When we justified by saying
We justified by insisting.
Our destinies manifest
That our future was predetermined by our own choices.
Now imperialism is the mantra of the west
Western domination is the current guiding principle.
See that trigger happy
Check out those who are overeager to use their firearms.
College boys, love a chance
College students, enthusiastic at every opportunity.
To try out their new toys
To test out their new weapons.
Then they wash the city streets
Then they cleanse the city.
Clean, with the blood of infidels
Clean, by the blood of non-believers.
As the fabric of democracy
As democracy is disintegrating.
Left tattered in the dust
Destroyed, scatterd, and neglected.
We could put another greedy man into the
We could elect another selfish individual.
Dictatorial
Who is potentially authoritarian.
Puppet-show, now tell me
Who could blindly follow orders.
Who do you trust
Who do you rely on?
And an abominable hemisphere
A horrible and repugnant part of the world.
Would perpetuate a heart-whole atmosphere
Would foster a cohesive and united environment.
Call it a threat
To label it as menacing.
To national security
A danger to the well-being of a nation.
Call it just a poor-sick face
To classify it as an impoverished and diseased area.
One more place to export cheap labor
Another place to outsource inexpensive workers.
Hail the monarchy
Celebrate the sovereignty of one individual.
Hail the oligarchy
Celebrate the power of a few select individuals.
A potential for anarchy
A possible state of disorder or chaos.
And we pat ourselves firmly on the back
And we take great pride in our accomplishments.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: ANDREW BELL, ANDREW IVAN BELL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind