Foot To The Throat
Lamb of God䀀 Lyrics
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The hands that feed intent, choke the purpose of this time
Take all that you can give, and I will make it mine
No care for what you've spent, even fool's gold has it's shine
Never held down, never restrainted
Virtue's foot to the throat
Free of broken chains
Laugh at the conquered, the victims now betray
And in this Commonwealth
There's merely a common concern for self
We hold these lies to be self-evident
As the dividends will reflect
And in this Commonwealth
There's merely a common concern for self
The coffers have long run dry
Never held down, never restrained
Virtue's foot to the throat
Free of broken chains
Thus always to tyrants
Laugh at the conquered, the victims now betray
Like a bull in a China shop
But the shelves have all been cleared
A thief in an empty vault
The sheep already sheared
A screen door on a submarine
An eagle with a broken wing
Hope in a dead man's dream
The sound of a bell
That will never ring
You're just wasting time
The lyrics to Lamb of God's song Foot To Throat describe a society where people are only concerned with themselves and are willing to do whatever it takes to get what they want, even if it means betraying others. The opening lines refer to a Virginia death threat and creeper vine, possibly symbolizing danger and betrayal lurking in the background. The following lines speak of taking what others have to give and making it one's own, disregarding the effort they put into acquiring it. The chorus repeats the phrase "Virtue's foot to the throat," which can be interpreted as morality or goodness being subdued and controlled by those with power. The lines "Laugh at the conquered, the victims now betray" suggest that those who were once taken advantage of are now turning on each other, perpetuating the vicious cycle of betrayal and selfishness.
The second verse further solidifies the idea of a society where everyone is out for themselves, without regard for others or the greater good. The line "We hold these lies to be self-evident" can be seen as a critique of the American ideal of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, as it seems to suggest that these values are based on falsehoods. The lines "The coffers have long run dry" imply that the greed of those in power has led to economic ruin, with the average person suffering as a result. The song concludes with a series of metaphorical phrases that further emphasize the destructive nature of this society.
Overall, Foot To Throat paints a bleak picture of a world where people are willing to betray each other for personal gain, with no concern for the consequences. The repeated phrase "Virtue's foot to the throat" suggests a society where morality and goodness are constantly being subjugated by the powerful, and where the victims of oppression are often complicit in their own downfall.
Line by Line Meaning
Virginia death threat, Virginia creeper vine
The threat of death looms large in the state of Virginia, much like how the Virginia creeper vine grows and strangles everything in its path.
The hands that feed intent, choke the purpose of this time
Those who provide for us also limit our potential by harnessing us with their intentions.
Take all that you can give, and I will make it mine
You may give all you have to offer, but I will only take and keep it for myself.
No care for what you've spent, even fool's gold has it's shine
I do not value what you have given up for me, but even something useless like fool's gold still has some perceived value to it.
Never held down, never restrained
I have always had the freedom to do as I please without any limitations or restrictions.
Virtue's foot to the throat
Even though I have never been restrained in any way, there is a certain virtue that limits me and keeps me in check.
Free of broken chains
I have never been held captive or imprisoned, and therefore have never had any chains holding me down or limiting my freedom.
Thus always to tyrants
This phrase is used to express the sentiment that all tyrants will eventually fall, no matter how powerful they may be initially.
Laugh at the conquered, the victims now betray
Those who were once victims and oppressed have become conquerors themselves, only to turn their backs and betray their own kind.
And in this Commonwealth
This phrase refers to the state of Virginia.
There's merely a common concern for self
People in Virginia are only concerned with their own well-being and not that of others.
We hold these lies to be self-evident
There are certain falsehoods that are so ingrained in our society that they are taken to be true.
As the dividends will reflect
The consequences of these falsehoods will eventually be apparent and reflect the harm they have caused.
The coffers have long run dry
The resources have been depleted and there is nothing left to give.
Like a bull in a China shop
Making rash, hasty moves without regard for the consequences, much like a bull destroying fragile items in a store.
But the shelves have all been cleared
There is nothing left to destroy, as everything has been taken already.
A thief in an empty vault
Despite being in a position to steal, there is nothing to take and the opportunity has been wasted.
The sheep already sheared
People have already taken everything that was valuable, leaving nothing behind for anyone else.
A screen door on a submarine
A counterproductive, nonsensical idea that serves no purpose, like having a screen door on a vessel meant to stay airtight underwater.
An eagle with a broken wing
Even the most powerful among us can be limited and brought down by a single weakness or injury.
Hope in a dead man's dream
Holding onto hope when there is nothing left and all hope is lost, much like a dead man dreaming of a better life.
The sound of a bell that will never ring
Waiting for something that will never come, despite hearing signs of its arrival.
You're just wasting time
This phrase is meant to convey that the listener is not using their time in a productive or useful way.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: CHRIS ADLER, DAVID RANDALL BLYTHE, JOHN CAMPBELL, MARK MORTON, WILL ADLER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Phobophobia
How do people stomach the ability to not like this band? At least this album? Some of the best riffs ever written are on this record.... ever since 8th grade :D
dekapitatorr
this song is great example why I dont like them as much as I want to. starts awesome with ferocious stomping riff and then goes nowhere. They are great musicians, they can write riffs and breakdowns but arrangements are horrible. I alway check out new LoG album but there are no perfect LoG album , just good songs mixed with meh songs. Sacrament was closest to be their perfect album but it fails to keep attention towards the end. Seen them live, great band.
Nameless
@dekapitatorr sacrement is not their best. IMO
Ashes of the wake is the only masterpiece they delivered.
dekapitatorr
@Nameless I wouldnt call it a masterpiece. they didnt do anything new. Hatesphere was doing that style before LoG.
Nameless
@dekapitatorr Hatesphere is pretty mediocre, stands nowhere before LoG. From a musicians'/ songwriter's perspective, the way Willie writes riffs is very unconventional and out of the box( post NAG era till Wrath). It's not simply the chug thing coupled with fast picking and palm muting.
Even , today no one can copy the way they wrote the albums in 2000s.
dekapitatorr
@Nameless I dunno, they have always reminded me of Bredahl era of Hatesphere although Hatesphere had more slayerish parts and less meshuggah parts than LoG. Hatesphere became pretty mediocre but those first few albums are crushing. Sickness within is my favorite, perfect from start to finish.
beers baron
may music like this never end.
Teo Ungureanu
That album makes history!!
Jax
“THUS ALWAYS TO TYRANTS!” So badass
jamil Rashard
That riff at 1.08 is sick!!!!!!!!