Following the band's dissolution, singer and guitarist Guy Picciotto, guitarist Eddie Janney, and drummer Brendan Canty formed One Last Wish with Embrace alumnus Michael Hampton. The three later joined former Rites bassist Mike Fellows for a quasi-reincarnation of Rites of Spring named Happy Go Licky, releasing an LP/CD of various live concert recordings though never producing any studio work. Picciotto and Canty eventually teamed up with the former Embrace singer Ian MacKaye (owner of the band’s label, Dischord Records) in Fugazi.
Rites of Spring was the band’s self-titled debut album from 1985. Its twelve songs were recorded at Inner Ear Studios in February of 1985, and released on vinyl in June of that year as Dischord Records #16. The album was rereleased on CD and cassette in 1987, with an additional track from the same session, "Other Way Around", as well as the four songs from the Rites' follow-up EP, All Through a Life, Dischord #22. The CD and cassette originally retained the number "16" while the 1991 repress, as well as the 2001 remastered version of the same seventeen songs, were numbered "16CD" and given the new title End on End.
The band are named after Igor Stravinsky's famous ballet composition entitled The Rite of Spring/Le Sacre du printemps. The piece is widely dissonant and the context of the ballet is extremely bleak, revolving around pagan rituals.
Theme
Rites of Spring Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And when you're so direct its just for yourself to protect
And if I started crying, would you start crying?
Now I started crying - why are you not crying?
Sometimes--when I--see a world inside
Sometimes--when I--I try--I really try
To tie me down till something real comes around
And if I started crying would you start crying?
And if I started crying why are you not crying?
The lyrics to Rites of Spring's "Theme" reveal a deep sense of desperation and loneliness. The opening line, "Cruelty is the better part of your honesty," suggests that the person being addressed is harsh and unforgiving in their honesty. This cruelty is used to protect themselves from the vulnerability that comes with being truly honest, but it also leaves the singer feeling isolated and alone.
The second stanza of the song expresses the singer's attempt to find meaning and solace in the world around them. They see a "world inside" that they try to connect with, but ultimately feel disconnected from. The line "And hope's just another rope to hang myself with" suggests that even hope, often seen as a positive force, can be a source of pain and despair.
The final stanza repeats the question from earlier in the song, "And if I started crying, would you start crying? And if I started crying, why are you not crying?" This repetition reinforces the disconnect between the singer and the person they are addressing. It's unclear if the tears are from sadness, frustration, or anger, but the lack of emotional response from the other person only serves to heighten the singer's feelings of isolation.
Overall, "Theme" is a powerful exploration of loneliness and the difficulty of finding connection in a world that can feel harsh and unforgiving. The repeated questions about crying underscore the singer's deep sense of longing for a genuine emotional connection.
Line by Line Meaning
Cruelty is the better part of your honesty
You believe that being harsh and unkind is a necessary part of being truthful
And when you're so direct its just for yourself to protect
You speak bluntly and honestly to protect yourself, not necessarily to benefit the person you are talking to
And if I started crying, would you start crying?
If I showed emotion, would you be affected by it or remain disconnected?
Now I started crying - why are you not crying?
I am showing emotion, but you are not responding with empathy
Sometimes--when I--see a world inside
Occasionally, when I introspect, I envision an internal world
Sometimes--when I--I try--I really try
During these times of introspection, I attempt to make sense of the world inside
And hope's just another rope to hang myself with
Feeling hopeful can lead me to disappointment and despair if reality does not live up to my expectations
To tie me down till something real comes around
Hope can hold me back from pursuing real, tangible solutions to problems until something hopeful appears
And if I started crying would you start crying?
I wonder if seeing me cry would make you emotional as well
And if I started crying why are you not crying?
I am surprised and hurt that you are not showing any emotional response when I need it
Contributed by Cameron T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.