Respect
Life of Agony Lyrics


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From day one I could not comprehend
Was it us, was it me, or was it them?
Friends will come and go as it seems
And now I have no shoulder on which to lean
Still I do not understand
You break your back for something
Well where's the fans?
Show me - respect
And I'll
Show me - Show you right back

I see the boys that I once called my friends
They'll fake a smile and then they'll shake your hand
When will this ever end?
I look around at my brothers
My only true friends





You got a lot to learn my friend
You've got a lot to learn about respect!

Overall Meaning

The lyrics in "Respect" by Life of Agony discuss the concept of respect and the lack thereof. The singer reminisces about former friendships and wonders why they eventually fell apart. He questions whether it was due to himself or his friends, but ultimately comes to the conclusion that respect was not shown, which ultimately lead to the breakdown of those relationships. He expresses frustration at the idea of working hard for something, yet not receiving the recognition or appreciation of the supposed "fans."


The verse "Show me - respect / And I'll / Show me - Show you right back" demonstrates a desire for mutual respect in order to maintain a healthy relationship. The chorus mentions a need to learn about respect, indicating that it is not always instinctual, but rather something that needs to be learned and practiced.


Overall, the song highlights the importance of respect in any kind of relationship, and the detrimental consequences that can occur without it. The singer's frustration and anger towards the lack of respect he has received is evident throughout the lyrics, making it a relatable and emotional track.


Line by Line Meaning

From day one I could not comprehend
From the very beginning, I couldn't understand the situation I was in.


Was it us, was it me, or was it them?
I couldn't figure out if the problem was with me, my friends, or something else entirely.


Friends will come and go as it seems
It seems like friends are temporary and don't stick around for long.


And now I have no shoulder on which to lean
Now I have no one to rely on or confide in.


Still I do not understand
Despite everything, I still can't comprehend why things turned out this way.


You break your back for something
You work extremely hard for something important to you.


Well where's the fans?
But even after all that hard work, where is the support or recognition from others?


Show me - respect
If you want my respect, you have to earn it.


And I'll
If you do earn my respect,


Show me - Show you right back
I'll show you the same respect you showed me.


I see the boys that I once called my friends
I see the guys who I used to think were my friends.


They'll fake a smile and then they'll shake your hand
They'll pretend to be friendly and shake your hand, but it's not genuine.


When will this ever end?
I wonder when this cycle of fake friendships and lack of respect will finally stop.


I look around at my brothers
I turn to the people who I consider to be my real family and support system.


My only true friends
These are the only people who truly understand and support me.


You got a lot to learn my friend
You still have so much to learn about treating people with respect and humility.


You've got a lot to learn about respect!
You need to work on earning respect rather than expecting it to be given to you.




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ALAN ROBERT, JOEY ZAMPELLA, KEITH CAPUTO, SAL ABRUSCATO

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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