Drones
Rise Against Lyrics


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Deep inside these burning buildings
Voices die to be heard
Years we spent teaching a lesson
We ourselves had never learned

And if strength is born from heartbreak
Then mountains I could move
And if walls could speak I'd pray
That they would tell me what to do

If you see me, please just walk on by, walk on by
Forget my name and I'll forget it too.
Failed attempts at living simple lives, simple lives
Are what keep me coming back to you

No signs of life here, save the embers, the occasional flame
We know the way but can't remember, conception to the grave
Shout confessions from the greatest heights, where no one can hear
All my fears, my insecurities are falling like tears

If you see me, please just walk on by, walk on by
Forget my name and I'll forget it too
Failed attempts at living simple lives, simple lives
Always keep me coming back to you

The drones all slave away, they're working overtime
They serve a faceless queen, they never question why
Disciples of a God, they neither live nor breathe, (I won't come back)
But we have bills to pay, yeah we have mouths to feed! (I won't come back)
I won't come back!

And if you see me, please just walk on by, walk on by
Forget my name and I'll forget it too
Failed attempts at living simple lives, simple lives
Always keep me coming back to you





I'm coming back to you!

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Rise Against's song, Drones, are packed with powerful emotions and thought-provoking ideas. The first two lines, "Deep inside these burning buildings, voices die to be heard," suggest that people's voices are silenced or ignored in situations of crisis or distress. The next two lines, "Years we spent teaching a lesson, we ourselves had never learned," further emphasize the irony of people not learning from their own experiences and making the same mistakes over and over again.


The next verse, "If strength is born from heartbreak, then mountains I could move," suggests that the singer has gone through some difficult experiences that have made them stronger. The line, "And if walls could speak I'd pray, that they would tell me what to do," expresses a sense of confusion and desperation as the singer seeks guidance from anywhere possible.


The chorus then reveals a desire for anonymity and a sense of failure in trying to live a simple life. The final verses contrast the mindless labor of drones with the struggles and fears of humanity. The line, "Disciples of a God, they neither live nor breathe," highlights the dehumanizing effect of blindly serving someone or something else.


Overall, Drones is a powerful critique of the dehumanization and alienation that can result from societal norms and expectations. It urges listeners to stand up and create change rather than blindly following the status quo.


Line by Line Meaning

Deep inside these burning buildings
In the midst of a world that is falling apart and full of chaos


Voices die to be heard
People have important things to say, but they're being silenced or ignored


Years we spent teaching a lesson
We spent so much time trying to teach others what we failed to learn ourselves


We ourselves had never learned
We never truly grasped the lesson we were preaching


And if strength is born from heartbreak
Pain and hardship can give us the resilience to overcome even the toughest challenges


Then mountains I could move
I could accomplish anything with the strength I've gained from my struggles


And if walls could speak I'd pray
I wish the walls could give me guidance because I feel lost


That they would tell me what to do
I'm desperate for direction and clarity


If you see me, please just walk on by, walk on by
I'm struggling and don't want to burden anyone, so please ignore me


Forget my name and I'll forget it too.
I want to forget who I am and the pain I'm feeling


Failed attempts at living simple lives, simple lives
We try to live simply, but life always seems to find a way to be complicated


Are what keep me coming back to you
It's the comfort of knowing there's someone there for me that keeps me from spiraling


No signs of life here, save the embers, the occasional flame
Everything around me is dying and fading into nothingness


We know the way but can't remember, conception to the grave
We know we're meant to live, but we're not sure why or how to do it properly - from birth to death


Shout confessions from the greatest heights, where no one can hear
We confess our fears and deepest thoughts, but feel unheard and misunderstood


All my fears, my insecurities are falling like tears
I'm vulnerable and everything that haunts me is coming to the surface


The drones all slave away, they're working overtime
We work tirelessly, like mindless machines, for someone else's gain


They serve a faceless queen, they never question why
We're blindly serving a leader who doesn't care about us, and we never question why we're doing it


Disciples of a God, they neither live nor breathe, (I won't come back)
We've become so obedient to a higher power that we've lost our individuality - I won't go back to that way of living


But we have bills to pay, yeah we have mouths to feed! (I won't come back)
We have to work to survive, but I won't go back to being a mindless drone


I'm coming back to you!
I'm still seeking that sense of comfort and reassurance that I'll find in you




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BRANDON BARNES, CHRISTOPHER CHASSE, JOSEPH PRINCIPE, TIMOTHY MCILRATH

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@nosoyjoaquin3870

Deep inside these burning buildings
Voices die to be heard
Years we spent teaching a lesson
We ourselves had never learned

And if strength is born from heartbreak
Then mountains I could move
And if walls could speak I'd pray
That they would tell me what to do

If you see me, please just walk on by, walk on by
Forget my name and I'll forget it too.
Failed attempts at living simple lives, simple lives
Are what keep me coming back to you

No signs of life here, save the embers, the occasional flame
We know the way but can't remember, conception to the grave
Shout confessions from the greatest heights, where no one can hear
All my fears, my insecurities are falling like tears

If you see me, please just walk on by, walk on by
Forget my name and I'll forget it too
Failed attempts at living simple lives, simple lives
Always keep me coming back to you

The drones all slave away, they're working overtime
They serve a faceless queen, they never question why
Disciples of a God, they neither live nor breathe, (I won't come back)
But we have bills to pay, yeah we have mouths to feed! (I won't come back)
I won't come back!

And if you see me, please just walk on by, walk on by
Forget my name and I'll forget it too
Failed attempts at living simple lives, simple lives
Always keep me coming back to you

I'm coming back to you!



All comments from YouTube:

@emphoenixcat4164

"And if strength is born from heartbreak, then mountains I could move. And if walls could speak, I'd pray that they'd tell me what to do"
These are the lyrics that made me fall in love with this song

@idowhatiwant123456

i love those lyrics sooo much. so powerful.

@alexandrumarin8981

Meanwhile lyrics these days are literally not even words

@memegamer1383

Anyone who still listens to this legendary music??

@mxgic18568

Uhh me heye

@Amilly_1

yess
@@mxgic18568

@IvanWind

If strength is born from heartbreak, then mountains I could move

@louisegreig3915

I'd be able to switch Mars and the moons place of that was true.

@lordbendtner6404

Louise Greig what if it were tru in ancient alien voice

@andrew3912

What could you move if strength was born from heart ?

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