Freedom
Rage Against the Machine Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Uh
Pump, pump, woo
Come on, uh

Solo, I'm a soloist on a solo list
All live, never on a floppy disk
Inca, Inca, bottle of ink
Paintings of rebellion drawn up by the thoughts I think

Yeah, come on
The militant poet in once again, check it

It's set up like a deck of cards
They're sendin' us to early graves for all the diamonds
They'll use a pair of clubs to beat the spades
With poetry, I paint the pictures that hit
More like the murals that fit
Don't turn away, get in front of it

Brotha, did ya forget ya name?
Did ya lose it on the wall playin Tic-Tac-Toe?
Yo, check the diagonal, three brothers gone, come on
Doesn't that make it three in a row?
(Anger is a gift)
Come on, uh

Drop that, uh
Come on
Yeah, uh

Brotha, did ya forget ya name?
Did ya lose it on the wall playin' Tic-Tac-Toe?
Yo, check the diagonal, three million gone, come on
'Cause you know they're counting backwards to zero




Environment, the environment exceeding
On the level of our unconsciousness
For example, what does the billboard say?
"Come and play, come and play, forget about the movement"
(Anger is a gift)

Yeah, uh
Ah, bring that shit in
Uh, hey

Freedom, yeah
Freedom, yeah, right
Freedom, yeah
Freedom, yeah
Freedom, yeah, right
Freedom, yeah
Freedom, yeah, right

Overall Meaning

In these lyrics, Rage Against the Machine's frontman, Zack de la Rocha, asserts his individuality and creativity by declaring himself a soloist who creates his art live, without relying on technology or digital recordings. He compares his art to rebellious paintings drawn with ink, which represent the thoughts and ideas that he wants to share with the world.


The second verse then shifts the focus to the systemic oppression and violence faced by marginalized communities, particularly black people. The deck of cards metaphor illustrates how society is rigged against them, whether it's through policies that send them to early graves or the use of violence to maintain power over them. Zack argues that his poetry can create a more powerful image than any mural, urging his audience to pay attention and get involved in the struggle against injustice.


The third verse critiques mainstream culture's messages, using the example of a billboard that encourages people to join a mindless movement rather than questioning the status quo. The repeated refrain of "anger is a gift" underscores the band's belief that righteous indignation can motivate people to create change.



Line by Line Meaning

Solo, I'm a soloist on a solo list
I am alone and unique, not a part of any group or list


All live, never on a floppy disk
I am present and real, not something that can be stored on an outdated or obsolete medium


Inka, inka, bottle of ink
A reference to the Aztec god of creation and ink, suggesting that the singer is creating something new and powerful


Paintings of rebellion
Using art to challenge authority and resist oppression


Drawn up by the thoughts I think
The rebellion comes from the singer's own ideas and beliefs


It's set up like a deck of cards
The system is rigged and designed to benefit the few at the expense of the many


They're sending us to early graves
The people in power are willing to sacrifice the lives of the oppressed for their own gain


For all the diamonds
The riches and treasures of the world belong to the powerful few


They'll use a pair of clubs to beat the spades
The powerful will use violence and force to oppress the powerless


With poetry I paint the pictures that hit
The singer is using words and art to create a powerful message that resonates with people


More than the murals that fit
The singer's message goes beyond superficial art and decorations that don't challenge the system


Don't turn away
People must confront and face the issues of oppression and injustice


Get in front of it
People must take action and resist the system to create real change


Brotha did ya forget my name
The singer is calling out to someone who has forgotten their identity and their role in the struggle for freedom


Did ya lose it on the wall
The struggle for freedom is a constant battle that can drain and wear people down


Playing tic-tac-toe
This is a reference to the game played by the US military computer WOPR in the movie WarGames, suggesting that the struggle for freedom is a life-or-death game


Yo, check the diagonal
This is a call to pay attention to the bigger picture and the hidden forces at play


Three brothers gone
This refers to three Black Panther Party members who were killed by the police in Chicago in 1969


Come on, doesn't that make it three in a row
This is a play on words, suggesting that the police are guilty of a pattern of violence against Black people


Anger is a gift
Anger can be a powerful motivator for change, and should not be suppressed or ignored


Three million gone
This refers to the estimated number of people who died in the Vietnam War


Cause ya know they're counting backwards to zero
This suggests that the government and military are willing to sacrifice millions of lives for their own gain


The environment is exceeding on the level of our unconsciousness
The damage being done to the environment is beyond what people are aware of or willing to acknowledge


For example, what does the billboard say
This is a rhetorical question that challenges people to question the messages they see and hear in advertising and popular culture


Come and play, come and play
This is a mocking reference to the way corporations try to entice people to consume and participate in destructive systems


Forget about the movement
This is a cynical suggestion that people have given up on trying to change things, and have instead become complacent and accepting of the status quo


Freedom, freedom, yea right
This is a sarcastic comment on the idea that true freedom exists in our society, which is built on oppression and inequality




Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Brad J Wilk, Timothy Commerford, Tom Morello, Zack M De La Rocha

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found
Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@kdcema57

Solo, I'm a soloist, on a solo list
All live, never on a floppy disk
Inka, inka, bottle of ink
Paintings of rebellion, drawn up by the thoughts I think!

[Refrain]
Yeah! C'mon!
The militant poet in once again, check it

[Verse 2]
It's set up like a deck of cards
They're sendin' us to early graves for all the diamonds
They'll use a pair of clubs to beat the spades
With poetry I paint the pictures that hit
More like the murals that fit
Don't turn away
Get in front of it
Brotha, did ya forget cha name?
Did ya lose it on the wall playin Tic-Tac-Toe?
Yo, check the diagonal
Three brothers gone, c'mon
Doesn't that make it three in a row?

(Anger is a gift)

[Refrain]
C'mon!
Ugh!

[Guitar Solo]

[Bridge]
Drop that!
Ugh!
C'mon!
Yeah!
Ugh!

[Verse 3]
Brotha, did ya forget ya name?
Did ya lose it on the wall playin' Tic-Tac-Toe?
Yo, check the diagonal
Three million gone, c'mon
'Cause you know they're counting backwards to zero
Environment
The environment exceeding
On the level of our unconsciousness
For example, what does the billboard say?:
"Come and play
Come and play
Forget about the movement!"



All comments from YouTube:

@theanunakian64

Anger is a gift.

@Shiznaft1

Anger gets shit done...

@005AGIMA

FK YEAH!

@jackfox4541

i fukng love that part

@NotoriousNeff

live by this quote.

@joeteague4058

He Sure Puts The Rage In The Machine

168 More Replies...

@xyko74

The older I get, the more I appreciate this band.

@whateverittakes1673

+xyko74 Yea Zack and Tom were smart motherfuckers and if you learn who they are as in who all the members of the band's families are going back a generation or two or even three it's almost unreal how politically and socially connected these guys are to just be four guys from some suburban wasteland in LA or Chicago or whatever.

@vic1101ful

Hopefully they get into the Hall this year.

@kgbkid1

True!!

More Comments

More Versions