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)
The Strength to Go On
Rise Against Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
While away
They have tampered with the locks
And your things they rearranged
"We propose,
A better way"
Said the note they left behind
In their wake of disarray
You fell in place
Don't fall asleep
They'll find us here
I know a place
To disappear
As a voice proclaimed
What we are is the sum of a thousand lies
What we know is almost nothing at all
But we are what we are 'till the day we die
Or 'till we don't have the strength to go on
'Till we don't have the strength to go on
Let us cry
Let us be
Let us open up our hearts
Without fear of anything
Faith alone's
All we need
To traverse this burning bridge
Now before it gets too late
You claim, "it's fine"
But the heart reveals
What smiles betray
Your sad sad eyes
Gave you away
And don't you know
What we are is the sum of a thousand lies
What we know is almost nothing at all
But we are what we are 'till the day we die
Or 'till we don't have the strength to go on
'Till we don't have the strength to go on
Our shoulders bear an awful weight
But still we trudge on just the same
Our colors run then leave a stain
They blacken our once honest name
How can we argue, tell me
Over the fury and the fire
How many times can we tell you that we
Are not like you, we see right through
The poor disguise that fails to fool
The wary eye is trained on you
What we are is the sum of a thousand lies
What we know is almost nothing at all
But we are what we are 'till the day we die
Or 'till we don't have the strength to go on
'Till we don't have the strength to go on
What we are is the sum of a thousand lies
What we know is almost nothing at all
But we are what we are 'till the day we die
Or 'till we don't have the strength to go on
'Till we don't have the strength to go on
Yeah we don't have the strength to go on.
The opening lines of Welcome home / While away / They have tampered with the locks / And your things they rearranged set an eerie tone for the rest of Rise Against's The Strength to Go On. The song talks about losing control and feeling powerless against external forces that manipulate, hurt, and deceive you. The lyrics suggest that we are nothing but the sum of lies that people tell us and the things we tell ourselves. The singer in the song receives a note that promises a better way, but it only leads to disarray, confusion, and loss of identity. The voice that proclaimed to have a solution is as unreliable as the individual's understanding of themselves and the world around them.
The chorus provides a subtle commentary on life's fragility and the need to find strength within ourselves to keep going despite the hardships. What we know is almost nothing at all suggests that our knowledge is limited, and we are constantly learning and evolving. But we are what we are 'till the day we die or 'till we don't have the strength to go on acknowledges that our identity is inextricably linked to our ability to persevere. If we lose our strength, we lose ourselves, and our identity becomes obsolete.
In conclusion, Rise Against's The Strength to Go On is a poignant exploration of human vulnerability and the importance of resilience. It encourages us to question our beliefs, stay true to ourselves, and keep moving forward despite the obstacles.
Line by Line Meaning
Welcome home
The person is being welcomed back home
While away
While the person was away from home
They have tampered with the locks
Someone has tampered with the locks at the person's home
And your things they rearranged
The person's belongings have been rearranged
"We propose,
A better way"
Said the note they left behind
In their wake of disarray
A note was left behind by the people who rearranged the person's home, suggesting a better way of doing things
You fell in place
The person has fallen into their usual routine
Don't fall asleep
The person is being warned not to fall asleep
They'll find us here
There is a fear of being discovered by someone
I know a place
To disappear
As a voice proclaimed
Someone has suggested a place to disappear to
What we are is the sum of a thousand lies
What we know is almost nothing at all
But we are what we are 'till the day we die
Or 'till we don't have the strength to go on
'Till we don't have the strength to go on
Our identity is made up of many falsehoods, and we don't know much anyway. We will continue to be who we are, until the day we die, or until we can't go on any longer
Let us cry
Let us be
Let us open up our hearts
Without fear of anything
Faith alone's
All we need
To traverse this burning bridge
Now before it gets too late
It's important to be vulnerable and open, and have faith to get through difficult times
You claim, "it's fine"
But the heart reveals
What smiles betray
Your sad sad eyes
Gave you away
And don't you know
Even though someone says everything is fine, their body language and demeanor may reveal otherwise
Our shoulders bear an awful weight
But still we trudge on just the same
Our colors run then leave a stain
They blacken our once honest name
How can we argue, tell me
Over the fury and the fire
How many times can we tell you that we
Are not like you, we see right through
The poor disguise that fails to fool
The wary eye is trained on you
We carry a heavy burden, but we continue to push forward. Our actions may have repercussions that tarnish our reputation. How can we argue with others and their anger? We know we are different and can see through the facade of others
Yeah we don't have the strength to go on.
We are admitting that we have reached the end of our strength and cannot go on any longer
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BRANDON BARNES, JOSEPH PRINCIPE, TIMOTHY MCILRATH, ZACH BLAIR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind