Against The Grain
Pawns and Kings Lyrics
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Guess I ain't too diplomatic
I just never been the kind to go along
Just avoidin' confrontation
For the sake of conformation
And I'll admit I tend to sing a different song
But sometimes you just can't be afraid
If Columbus had complied
This old world might still be flat
Nothin' ventured, nothin' gained
Sometimes you've got to go against the grain
Well, I have been accused
Of makin' my own rules
There must be rebel blood
Just a-runnin' through my veins
But I ain't no hypocrite
What you see is what you get
And that's the only way I know
To play the game
Old Noah took much ridicule
For building his great ark
But after forty days and forty nights
He was lookin' pretty smart
Sometimes it's best to brave the wind and rain
By havin' strength to go against the grain
Well, there's more folks than a few
Who share my point of view
But they're worried
If they're gonna sink or swim
They'd like to buck the system
But the deck is tacked against 'em
And they're a little scared
To go out on a limb
But if you're gonna leave your mark
You can't follow like a bunch of sheep
You got to listen to your heart
Go bustin' in like old John Wayne
Sometimes you got to go against the grain
Nothin' ventured, nothin' gained
Sometimes you've got to go against the grain
In the song “Against the Grain” by Pawns and Kings, the singer speaks about living life on their own terms by going against the norm. The singer is dubbed a “maverick” by their peers, which could mean that they are considered unconventional or unorthodox. The singer admits that they are not diplomatic in their ways, but they would rather go against the norm than be a conformist. The singer asserts that sometimes, you cannot be afraid of wearing a different hat or singing a different tune, which is why they admire the courage of Columbus who went against the popular belief that the world was flat.
The singer is accused of making their rules because they do not conform to societal norms. They do not see themselves as a hypocrite, but rather embrace their rebellious nature. They understand that it is better to brave the wind and the rain than to be caught up in the status quo. The songwriter uses the analogy of Noah and his ark to imply that going against the grain requires tremendous strength of character, but it eventually pays off. In conclusion, the singer encourages the listener to be bold and take risks because "nothing ventured, nothing gained" and that sometimes, you just have to go against the grain to leave your mark.
Line by Line Meaning
Folks call me a maverick
People label me as a non-conformist
Guess I ain't too diplomatic
I am not very good at diplomacy
I just never been the kind to go along
I am not someone who likes to follow others
Just avoidin' confrontation
I try to avoid conflicts
For the sake of conformation
Due to societal pressure to conform
And I'll admit I tend to sing a different song
I tend to have a different perspective from the norm
But sometimes you just can't be afraid
But sometimes you have to be fearless
To wear a different hat
To approach things in a unique way
If Columbus had complied
If Christopher Columbus had not been bold
This old world might still be flat
The world would be believed to be flat
Nothin' ventured, nothin' gained
Without taking risks, you will not gain anything
Sometimes you've got to go against the grain
Sometimes you have to do things differently
Well, I have been accused
People think I am guilty of
Of makin' my own rules
Making my own set of principles
There must be rebel blood
I must have a rebellious nature
Just a-runnin' through my veins
I have this nature ingrained in me
But I ain't no hypocrite
I am not insincere
What you see is what you get
I am who I am
And that's the only way I know
This is what I believe in
To play the game
To live in this world
Old Noah took much ridicule
Noah was criticized heavily
For building his great ark
For creating the boat to save his family
But after forty days and forty nights
But after the flood ended
He was lookin' pretty smart
His action seemed like a wise decision
Sometimes it's best to brave the wind and rain
Sometimes it's better to go through a difficult period
By havin' strength to go against the grain
By having the courage to do things differently
Well, there's more folks than a few
There are many people who
Who share my point of view
Hold similar beliefs as mine
But they're worried
But they are anxious
If they're gonna sink or swim
Whether they will fail or succeed
They'd like to buck the system
They want to go against the norm
But the deck is tacked against 'em
But the odds are against them
And they're a little scared
And they are a little afraid
To go out on a limb
To take risks
But if you're gonna leave your mark
But if you want to make an impact
You can't follow like a bunch of sheep
You cannot blindly follow others
You got to listen to your heart
You have to follow your intuition
Go bustin' in like old John Wayne
To confidently enter a situation
Sometimes you got to go against the grain
Sometimes you have to take an unconventional approach
Nothin' ventured, nothin' gained
Without taking risks, there will be no rewards
Sometimes you've got to go against the grain
Sometimes you have to do things differently
Lyrics © SLIDE BAR MUSIC, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BRUCE C. BOUTON, CARL E. JACKSON, LARRY E. CORDLE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind