Government Warning were a punk band from Richmond, V.A. They had a fast, a… Read Full Bio ↴Government Warning were a punk band from Richmond, V.A. They had a fast, aggressive hardcore punk sound, like a combination of Adolescents, and F.Us.

In their time as a band they released two 12" records, "No Moderation" and "Paranoid Mess". Aside from those full-lengths, they also released three 7"s titled "No Way Out", "Arrested" and "Executed" as well as appearing on No Way Records "No Bullshit" compilation.

In February 2011, Government Warning embarked on their final east coast tour with Night Birds.

Disengage
Government Warning Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Feeling so stagnant
It's starting to get worse
I've gotta open up and run
or I'm gonna fucking burst
cuz I'm way too young
and this ain't no fun
I'm carrying this burden
it weighs a fucking ton

can't be tied down in this rut
I've gotta get on the run
cuz I'm way too young
and this ain't no fun for me
rat in a cage -
it's time to disengage
and break away
no more to say...
from walking the line
and never fucking up
I'm sick of this boyscout act
I don't give a fuck
I'm feeling so stagnant
It's starting to get worse
I've gotta get up on my feet
and outrun this hearse
break away
no more to say

I'm done today
get outta my god damned way

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Government Warning's song Disengage express feelings of frustration and stagnation, and the desire to break free from monotonous routines that are holding the singer back. The first verse opens with the singer feeling trapped and stagnant, unable to continue on this path without exploding. The burden they are carrying is becoming too much to bear and they need to break free. They are too young to be held down by this rut and need to escape before it's too late. The singer feels like a rat in a cage and needs to disengage and break away from the constraints that are suffocating their desires.

The second verse continues the theme of frustration with the singer's current situation. They have been walking the line and avoiding mistakes like a "boyscout," but they are sick of pretending and want to be true to themselves. The repetition of feeling stagnant emphasizes the feeling of being stuck and unable to move forward. The singer is done with this way of life and wants to break away, declaring "I'm done today" and telling anyone in their way to move out of their path. The overall message is one of liberation, urging the listener to break free from the confines of expectation and live life on their own terms.

Line by Line Meaning

Feeling so stagnant
Experiencing boredom and lack of progress in life

It's starting to get worse
The stagnation is becoming unbearable

I've gotta open up and run
I need to break free from this stagnation and start moving forward

or I'm gonna fucking burst
If I don't break free, I'll explode with frustration

cuz I'm way too young
I'm too young to be stuck in this dead-end situation

and this ain't no fun
I'm not enjoying my life in its current state

I'm carrying this burden
I'm weighed down by my current situation

it weighs a fucking ton
The burden is incredibly heavy and overwhelming

can't be tied down in this rut
I can't be stuck in this same old routine anymore

I've gotta get on the run
I need to break free and start making progress in life

rat in a cage -
Feeling trapped and unable to escape