1854
Rose Tattoo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Take this oath with me and make a stand
Are these our last days?
Then let it be
I'll stand by you if you stand by me
We are not born to live in bondage
We are not born another man's slave
It's written we are, created equal
There are times that, turn against us
There are those who break, those sacred ways
Treachery builds locks and chains
We are forced to live our darkest days
All for one.
One for all
In good company we rise or fall
All for one.
One for all
I won't turn away
Hear my call
There was a song taught, when I was younger
It was a song that sets a man's heart free
The words we learn to sing spoke of glory
Truth an justice and dignity
There were stories, of our hero's
Who fought and die for
Life and liberty
They spoke of finding one thing
You will die for
So you can truly then, start to live
Treachery builds locks and chains
We are forced to live our darkest days
All for one.
One for all
In good company we rise or fall
All for one.
One for all
I won't turn away
Hear my call
If this be the last day that i see
I know I've lived and died in good company
The song "1854" by Australian rock band Rose Tattoo begins with a call for unity in the face of adversity. The opening lines "Give me your heart now, give me your hand / Take this oath with me and make a stand" express a desire for solidarity between people, and the following lines suggest that they may be living in difficult times with the question: "Are these our last days? Then let it be." Despite this uncertainty, the singer pledges their loyalty to others and vows to stand by them if they do the same. The song goes on to emphasize the importance of basic human rights and freedoms, insisting that people should not be born into bondage or forced to live as slaves. The lyrics assert that all individuals are created equal and have the right to life, liberty, and dignity, from birth until death.
The second verse of the song describes a song that the singer learned when they were younger that spoke of freedom, justice, and heroism. The song's lyrics highlighted the sacrifices made by those who fought for these ideals and encouraged listeners to find something worth fighting for themselves. The repeated reference to "Treachery builds locks and chains" emphasizes that the path to these ideals is often blocked by betrayal, injustice, and oppression. Despite this, the song concludes by affirming that in the face of adversity, people can either stand together or fall apart. The repeated refrain, "All for one, one for all / In good company we rise or fall / All for one, one for all / I won't turn away, hear my call," expresses the commitment to unity and support, even in the darkest of times, and ends with the declaration that "If this be the last day that I see / I know I've lived and died in good company."
Line by Line Meaning
Give me your heart now, give me your hand
I am seeking your love and devotion, and asking that you join me in taking an oath to stand together.
Take this oath with me and make a stand
Let us pledge to stand together and fight for our freedom and dignity.
Are these our last days?
Do we face our ultimate test in this moment?
Then let it be
If these are our last days, let us make them count and fight for what is right.
I'll stand by you if you stand by me
I promise to support you through anything if you do the same for me.
We are not born to live in bondage
We were not put on this earth to be slaves or oppressed by others.
We are not born another man's slave
It is not our destiny to be controlled or owned by others.
It's written we are, created equal
We were all created equally, with the same rights and freedoms.
A brightright from the cradle to the grave
These rights are inherent and inalienable, from the moment we are born until we die.
There are times that, turn against us
There are moments in life when things do not go as planned, and we face challenges and hardships.
There are those who break, those sacred ways
There are people who go against what is right and just, and break our bonds of trust.
Treachery builds locks and chains
Dishonesty and betrayal only serve to further imprison us, both physically and emotionally.
We are forced to live our darkest days
These difficult times can seem overwhelming, and leave us feeling trapped and hopeless.
All for one.
One for all
In good company we rise or fall
All for one.
One for all
I won't turn away
Hear my call
We are all in this together, and must support each other through good times and bad. I will not abandon you when you need me most.
There was a song taught, when I was younger
When I was a child, I learned a song that instilled in me a sense of hope and perseverance.
It was a song that sets a man's heart free
This song spoke to the idea that freedom is a fundamental human right, and inspired courage and passion in those who sang it.
The words we learn to sing spoke of glory
The lyrics of this song emphasized the honor and nobility of standing up for what is right and just.
Truth an justice and dignity
These were the virtues that the song celebrated and encouraged us to embody in our lives.
There were stories, of our hero's
Who fought and die for
Life and liberty
The song also told of the heroic struggles of those who came before us, who fought and died to secure our freedom and human rights.
They spoke of finding one thing
You will die for
So you can truly then, start to live
The song urged us to find a cause or a purpose that was worth sacrificing everything for, so that we could truly feel alive and fulfilled.
If this be the last day that i see
I know I've lived and died in good company
Even if this is the end for me, I am content knowing that I have stood with others who share my values and beliefs, and that I have fought for something larger than myself.
Writer(s): Paul Douglas Demarco, Gary Stephen Anderson, Michael Thomas Cocks, Stephen King, Dai Ben Pritchard
Contributed by Landon T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Mark Williams
Angry and the boys from down under ALWAYS get the job done! They ALWAYS rock!
BionicFlo
great sound great lyrics rose tattoo at it's best
felixlechatbotte
great song & great voice
Jawsofhana
This is such a mood booster. :D
DJ Deutschman
Brotherhood always... Bless you all if I could, you guys have a great reputation. Happy New Year
GrekuSigh8
Man, thats a fuckin good record, best i´ve heard for long time !
didier pascal
Du grand et du tres bon Rose Tatoo
Nadoo
Soooooo good. Thank you, i needed that !
boritomc
masterpiece! :D
wepo59
@bigmanoooo1 U are right. Angry A. isn`t only one of the best singers - his lyrics ALWAYS were significant and makes you identify with them. I`m listening to them for more than 30 years. And even when there is a time a really feel down - I put in my earplugs, turning up the volume and drift away with the words of Angry.