"Tire Me" made its live debut at Cal State in Carson, California on April 29, 1994, with slightly alternate lyrics than the final album version. At the Pinkpop Festival in 1994 before playing the song, Zack de la Rocha said it was written to celebrate the death of Richard Nixon.
Tire Me
Rage Against the Machine Lyrics
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I can see you in front of me, front of me
Ya tryin' ta tire me, tire me
Why don't you get from in front of me?
Oh she's got everyone's eyes
Yeah!
In every home there's a sickening distress
Yeah!
But we're all gonna, nah we're already dead!
We're already dead!
And those colorful words for tha Laos frontiers-man
Who passed away with the truth
Amidst the eulogies of bliss
Who will know now what I know about you?
Now that history's a flowery cancerous mess
Yeah ya tryin' ta tire me
A mess!
Overbearing yes ya tryin' ta tire me
A mess!
Yeah ya tryin' ta tire me, tire me
So get the fuck from in front of me
Nah let's see it broken, bloody and undressed!
We're already dead!
In a violent time
I want to be Jackie Onassis
I want to wear a pair of dark sunglasses
I want to be Jackie O
Oh oh oh oh please don't die!
Yeah ya tryin' ta tire me, tire me
I can see you in front of me, front of me
Ya tryin' ta tire me, tire me
Why don't you get from in front of me?
Ruh!
We're already dead!
We're already dead!
We're already dead!
The lyrics of "Tire Me" by Rage Against the Machine speak to the band's overarching message of social and political resistance. The song opens with a plea for someone to stop trying to tire the singer, using repeated phrases to illustrate this point ("Ya tryin' ta tire me, tire me"). The second half of the first verse speaks to the idea of corporate media and propaganda, referencing a woman who has captured the attention of everyone ("Oh she's got everyone's eyes"). The chorus repeats the idea that the singer is being pushed and provoked by some external force ("Yeah ya tryin' ta tire me, tire me/So get the f*** from in front of me"), and the second verse highlights the way that history is often distorted or erased ("Now that history's a flowery cancerous mess"). The final section of the song sees the singer expressing a desire to be someone else, to have the power and prestige of Jackie O, but this is ultimately revealed to be a hollow fantasy ("Oh oh oh oh please don't die!/We're already dead!").
Line by Line Meaning
Yeah ya tryin' ta tire me, tire me
You are attempting to exhaust and wear me down
I can see you in front of me, front of me
I can clearly see you in front of me, obstructing my path
Why don't you get from in front of me?
Please move out of my way
Oh she's got everyone's eyes
This individual has captured the attention of everyone
In every home there's a sickening distress
There's an unsettling feeling present in each household
Of roll that film she's a precious, a precious one
On that reel, this person is considered valuable and important
But we're all gonna, nah we're already dead!
We're already living dead lives, living without true purpose or meaning
And those colorful words for tha Laos frontiers-man
The expressive words said for the brave person from Laos, who fought for their beliefs
Who passed away with the truth
The person died speaking their truth
Amidst the eulogies of bliss
Among the words of a joyful speech
Who will know now what I know about you?
Who else is aware of the information that I know about you?
Now that history's a flowery cancerous mess
The past is now a destructive mess, full of useless information
Overbearing yes ya tryin' ta tire me
Your intense behavior is overwhelming and exhausting
So get the fuck from in front of me
Please leave my sight immediately
Nah let's see it broken, bloody and undressed!
Let's reveal the gritty, raw truth
In a violent time
During a period of brutality and aggression
I want to be Jackie Onassis
I aspire to be like Jackie Onassis
I want to wear a pair of dark sunglasses
I want to adorn myself with dark shades
Oh oh oh oh please don't die!
Please don't die
Ruh!
An expressive and energetic noise
We're already dead!
We're already living dead lives, living without true purpose or meaning
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing
Written by: Brad J Wilk, Timothy Commerford, Tom Morello, Zack M De La Rocha
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind