The band spent its first four years signed to the independent record label Fat Wreck Chords, on which they released two studio albums, The Unraveling (2001) and Revolutions per Minute (2003). Both the albums were met with underground success, and in 2003 the band signed with the major label Dreamworks, which was absorbed by Geffen. Rise Against's major label debut Siren Song of the Counter Culture (2004) brought the band mainstream success, largely in part to the popularity of the singles "Give It All" and "Swing Life Away". The band's next album, The Sufferer & the Witness (2006), peaked at number ten on the Billboard 200 in the United States, and was Rise Against's first album to chart in countries outside of North America.
With the release of Appeal to Reason (2008), Rise Against's music shifted toward a more accessible and radio-friendly sound, with greater emphasis on production value. The album's third single, "Savior", broke the record for the most consecutive weeks spent on both the Hot Rock Songs and Alternative Songs charts. Rise Against's popularity grew with the release of Endgame (2011), which peaked at number two on the Billboard 200, and charted highly worldwide. The band's seventh and eighth albums, The Black Market (2014) and Wolves (2017) continued the trend of commercial success, and both peaked with the top ten on the Billboard 200. Their ninth and most recent album, Nowhere Generation, was released in 2021.
Rise Against is also known for their advocacy of progressivism, supporting organizations such as Amnesty International and the It Gets Better Project. The band actively promotes animal rights and most of the members are straight edge, PETA supporters and vegetarians.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rise_Against
Studio albums
The Unraveling (2001)
Revolutions per Minute (2003)
Siren Song of the Counter Culture (2004)
The Sufferer & the Witness (2006)
Appeal to Reason (2008)
Endgame (2011)
The Black Market (2014)
Wolves (2017)
Nowhere Generation (2021)
Great Awakening
Rise Against Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Under lights
Soundtrack to this stagnant life
This meaning lost in translation
Message sucked out of his hands again
This could be my great awakening
But how would I know
Are these words falling on deaf ears?
Staring at the empty stares
Realize that he no longer cares about the wrong or right
The downward spiral begins tonight
And this could be my great awakening
But how would I know 'cause it's all noise to me
Are these words falling on deaf ears?
This could be my great awakening
But how would I know 'cause it's all noise to me
(Nothing I can do will make you hear)
The song "Great Awakening" by Rise Against is a commentary on the state of the world and how people seem to be lost in the noise of their daily lives. The opening lines talk about how words are buried under the lights and how they have become the soundtrack to a stagnant life. The message that these words held has been lost in translation, and the singer reflects on how the message has been sucked out of his hands once again. He questions if this could be his "great awakening," but wonders how he would know, as it all seems like noise to him.
The next lines talk about how the singer wonders if his words are falling on deaf ears, and how he is staring at empty stares in response. He realizes that he no longer cares about whether something is right or wrong, and acknowledges that the downward spiral begins tonight. The song ends with the repetition of the question of whether this could be the great awakening, but laments that it feels like all noise. The singer acknowledges that there seems to be nothing he can do or say to make others listen.
Line by Line Meaning
Buried words
Words that have been hidden away
Under lights
Beneath bright shining lights
Soundtrack to this stagnant life
Background music to a monotonous existence
This meaning lost in translation
The intended significance has been incomprehensible after being converted from one language to another
Message sucked out of his hands again
The message has been taken out of his control once more
This could be my great awakening
This instance might lead to my spiritual illumination
But how would I know
How can I be sure of this
'Cause it's all noise to me
Because all of it sounds like meaningless background noise
Are these words falling on deaf ears?
Is anybody even listening to what's being said?
Staring at the empty stares
Looking at the blank stares of individuals
Realize that he no longer cares about the wrong or right
He acknowledges the fact that he's indifferent to what's right or wrong
The downward spiral begins tonight
The negative cycle begins this evening
Nothing I can do will make you hear
I'm incapable of persuading you to listen to what I have to say
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: BARNES, MCILRATH, PRINCIPE, WLEKLINSKI
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind