Stand Your Ground
Rancid Lyrics

Hold your head up high,
Stay positive and confident, even though there are many uncertainties in life and death.

Cause tomorrow you may die,
Acknowledge that life is short and unpredictable.

Cause no one's safe around here,
The world can be dangerous and unpredictable for anyone.

No one's safe around here.
The preceding statement is not just a hypothetical threat, it's real.

Stand your ground,
Have the courage to face adversity and stay true to your beliefs.

Til you're the last one in town.
Be resilient and outlast all of the challenges that may arise in whatever environment you are in.

Someone that you trust turned out to be a tricker,
Betrayal can come from anyone, even those you thought you could rely on.

Smoking cigarettes, getting stoned on liquor,
People who have fallen into bad habits or addictions may not be trustworthy or reliable.

Getting really dizzy, only getting sicker,
Addictions can lead to serious health problems and make people less reliable.

Small problems now only seem bigger.
When you're under stress or struggling, it can make even small problems seem much worse.

America's a safe place,
Despite a history of violence and crime, America is relatively safe compared to some other parts of the world.

If you're gonna leave it,
If you want to be safe, don't take for granted the safety in America and leave it behind.

And the rhetoric is there,
Many people talk about how America is a safe place to live, but that doesn't mean it's always true.

If you're gonna read it,
If you're going to read or listen to people's opinions about America being safe, make sure to differentiate between what is true and what is just talk.

And the hollow masses,
People who simply follow popular opinions or beliefs without questioning them or thinking for themselves.

The machines defeated,
The rich and powerful people who control society with their machines or advanced technology have been defeated.

And the rich look down to arrive on the bleeding.
The wealthy people who have benefited from the suffering of others see them as being beneath them.

Hardly enough,
Despite your best efforts, sometimes it's not enough.

It gets tough when you're running,
Life is hard when you're trying to escape a difficult situation or move forward in life.

So you bust out the homeless,
People who are homeless are often ignored or neglected, but sometimes they're the only ones who can help you when you're in a tough situation.

When they start coming,
When you reach out to others for help, they may not all be reliable or trustworthy.

In LA, Broadway, it's wicked when they're watching,
In certain parts of Los Angeles, people are dangerous, and they'll take advantage of you if you're not careful.

And your backup and your backup and your backup ain't working.
Even if you have many people you can rely on, sometimes none of them are able or willing to help you.

There's no food, so you're spurred into action,
When there's no food or resources available, you're forced to take action and find a solution.

Set up and go to no satisfaction,
Even if you try your best to find a solution, sometimes it's still not enough to make you feel satisfied.

Ice and snow is the city passion,
Some cities have unique characteristics, like cold weather or snow, that make them different from others and define their culture.

When you walk in the shadows, girl, there's no protection.
When you're in a dangerous situation or environment, there's no guarantee that you'll be able to find help or stay safe.

Okay, well,
Transitioning to another theme.

This is the city of Los Angeles,
The focus is on Los Angeles and its unique challenges and characteristics.

And it never sleeps,
The city is always moving and changing, even when you're not aware of it.

It may look like it,
From the outside, it can seem like the city is quiet or asleep, but that's not really the case.

But it doesn't.
The city is always active and bustling, even when it's hard to see.

It lives and breathes nocturnally,
Los Angeles is known for its nightlife and active night culture.

So when you've got no place to sleep at night,
When you're homeless or can't find a place to stay, life in Los Angeles can be especially hard to navigate.

And you're all huddled up,
When you're homeless, you may have to sleep out in the open or in crowded areas with other homeless people.

And you're cold,
The weather in Los Angeles can be cold and unforgiving, especially at night.

Well, this song goes out to the city's forgotten.
The song is dedicated to the people of Los Angeles who are often forgotten or ignored, like the homeless or marginalized populations.

Underlying reason, well she can't keep it going,
A woman who seems to have a strong will and determination is unable to keep going or survive tough conditions.

In the middle of the night,
When things are at their worst and there's no one to help you.

They found her frozen,
A woman who probably didn't have a place to stay or enough clothing to protect her from the cold has died from exposure.

And the Wal-Mart sign,
A sign of corporate greed and a symbol of the kind of society that has forgotten about its most vulnerable members.

Keeps on glowing,
It's a very ironic image; a Walmart sign continuing to shine brightly despite so much suffering and hardship around it.

And the winds of change keep on blowing.
Despite everything, change is always happening, and it's important to keep fighting for a better world.