Formed in 1991 by the frontman, guitarist, keyboardist, percusssionist, and… Read Full Bio ↴Formed in 1991 by the frontman, guitarist, keyboardist, percusssionist, and vocalist Steven Seibold, Hate Dept. combines a mixture of hard rock, punk, industrial, and dance music with venomous, angry lyrics. Made popular through their seminal first album Meat your Maker released in 1994, Seibold is considered to be one of the busiest men in the industrial music genre today, producing for Berlin and Information Society and even producing remixes for many bands (including Smash Mouth). Many consider Technical Difficulties (1999) to be one of their most diverse and well-produced albums in their discography. Since their inception, Hate Dept. has released five albums, the most recent being New Ghost (2013). Seibold previously worked with his side-project Super Sport, a southern-style punk rock band.

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Broken Rule
Hate Dept. Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Fuck this, let’s destroy everything we’ve made
Nothing here is real but freedom as a slave

Will our love or our hate get us through?
If I refuse to stand together, it’s a broken rule

(Broken rule) It’s a broken rule
(Broken rule) Yeah

The lesson is to teach us to think and what to say
And march us off in the right direction while they all run the other way

Is our world or our fate a tangle we can ever undo?
Just refuse to walk together - it’s a broken rule

(Broken rule) Yeah, it’s a broken rule
(Broken rule) Yes, it is

I won’t give you what you don’t have
I won’t give you anything

No one gives you what you don’t have
No one gives you anything

So question with a brick and answer with a bruise
Believing is a trick if we don’t get to choose

There is no truth, there are no lies - today begins with everything new
You are not your brother’s keeper - it’s a broken rule

(Broken rule) It’s a broken rule
(Broken rule) Yeah

(Broken rule) It’s a broken rule
(Broken rule) It’s a broken, broken, broken, broken, broken rule

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Hate Dept.'s song Broken Rule convey a message of rebellion against societal norms and rules. The first two lines, "Fuck this, let’s destroy everything we’ve made / Nothing here is real but freedom as a slave," communicate a sense of frustration and a desire to break free from the constraints of society. The next lines, "Will our love or our hate get us through? / If I refuse to stand together, it’s a broken rule," suggest that the singer is questioning whether unity or division is the key to overcoming these constraints.

The chorus, "It’s a broken rule / Yeah, it’s a broken rule / Yes, it is," highlights the idea that the rules and norms that we typically follow are faulty and not serving us well. The verse, "The lesson is to teach us to think and what to say / And march us off in the right direction while they all run the other way," implies that the education system and societal structures are designed to control and manipulate us.

The final verse, "There is no truth, there are no lies - today begins with everything new / You are not your brother’s keeper - it’s a broken rule," reinforces the themes of rebellion and non-conformity. The song encourages individuals to question authority, reject societal norms, and forge their own path.

Line by Line Meaning

Fuck this, let’s destroy everything we’ve made
Let's demolish everything we've created because none of it is genuine, only the illusion of liberty while being enslaved.

Nothing here is real but freedom as a slave
The only authenticity is in the freedom of enslavement. Everything else is fake.

Will our love or our hate get us through?
Which emotion, love or hate, will help us persevere?

If I refuse to stand together, it’s a broken rule
Disobeying the norm of working collectively may disrupt the system and cause it to be disorganized.

(Broken rule) It’s a broken rule
The broken rule shows us that the established order is flawed.

The lesson is to teach us to think and what to say
The instruction trains us on how to reason and articulate our thoughts.

And march us off in the right direction while they all run the other way
The leader leads us towards the appropriate path while others lead by example in the wrong course.

Is our world or our fate a tangle we can ever undo?
Is our future or our destiny a knotty mess that we can disentangle?

Just refuse to walk together - it’s a broken rule
Simply declining to work jointly is a way to break the established system.

(Broken rule) Yeah, it’s a broken rule
The malfunctioning order is a clear deviation from what ought to be expected.

I won’t give you what you don’t have
I will not provide you with what you lack.

I won’t give you anything
I will not give you anything.

No one gives you what you don’t have
Nobody provides you with what you are without.

No one gives you anything
Nobody presents you with anything.

So question with a brick and answer with a bruise
Ask and respond by using physical force.

Believing is a trick if we don’t get to choose
Believing is an illusion if we are not allowed to decide freely.

There is no truth, there are no lies - today begins with everything new
There is neither truth nor deceit; everything starts afresh every day.

You are not your brother’s keeper - it’s a broken rule
The rule that requires you to assume responsibility for your sibling is nonsensical and wrong.

(Broken rule) It’s a broken rule
Once more, the non-functional order is a significant concern.

(Broken rule) Yeah
Again, the broken system is a source of trouble.

(Broken rule) It’s a broken rule
The system that is broken continues to be a concern.

(Broken rule) It’s a broken, broken, broken, broken, broken rule
The repeatedly malfunctioning system is a pervasive difficulty, affecting many aspects of our lives.

Contributed by Sarah K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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