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)
Sometimes Selling Out Is Giving Up
Rise Against Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But where the fuck did you go wrong?
Lying to all the names and faces
That have been there all along
How can you ask me to just forget?
All the sick lines
And the words you said
Deny the promises you've made
The things you said
That you hold dear
Behind your empty words
You hide and wait
Until that day you fall in the clear
How can you ask me to just forget?
All the sick lines
And the words you said
How can you ask me to just forget?
Just don't ask me to just forget
Rise Against's "Sometimes Selling Out Is Giving Up" is a song that talks about the feeling of betrayal experienced in a relationship or friendship where one person has changed and gone back on their promises. The opening line of the song "Trying to make a difference but where the f*ck did you go wrong" gives insight into the feeling of hopelessness one feels when their effort to better a situation is fruitless.
The lyrics "Lying to all the names and faces that have been there all along" suggest that the person who betrayed them had been pretending all along and only showing their true colors now. The chorus "How can you ask me to just forget? All the sick lines and the words you said" reflects the pain and the anger felt when someone had promised to do something and failed to live up to those promises.
The message is clear, sometimes when we commit our lives to a cause or a person, we might find ourselves giving up ourselves for the sake of someone else. There comes a point where we have to find a balance between holding onto our principles and values and standing for what's right. The song has a strong, fast-paced sound that emphasizes the urgency of the message and is a call to action to never compromise on what we believe in.
Line by Line Meaning
Trying to make a difference
Attempting to have an impact
But where the fuck did you go wrong?
Questioning where the mistake was made
Lying to all the names and faces
Deceiving those who have been supportive
That have been there all along
Who have been present throughout
How can you ask me to just forget?
Questioning the possibility of forgetting
All the sick lines
The dishonest statements made
And the words you said
And the false promises made
Deny the promises you've made
Refusing to keep commitments previously made
The things you said
The untrue things spoken
That you hold dear
Which you supposedly valued
Behind your empty words
Hidden within your meaningless statements
You hide and wait
You conceal yourself and bide your time
Until that day you fall in the clear
Until the time when you are no longer held accountable
Just don't ask me to just forget
Stating a refusal to simply forget
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BRANDON BARNES, DAN WLEKLINSKI, JOSEPH PRINCIPE, TIMOTHY MCILRATH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind