Ecstasy
Rusted Root Lyrics
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Stacks of money and your foolish grin
And go
Get me off the backwards ride
Take away your greedy way and go
See the woman standing at the door
World gone by
Pushed on
Pushed on
World gone by
Take away your companies
Take away your societies and go
Take away your fictitious books of fact
See the woman standing in the door
World gone by
Again and again
See the blisters growing on your feet
Pushed on
Pushed on
World gone by
I wouldn't want to be
Living in a world of ecstasy with you
Wasted arms; wasted legs
Wrapped round this machine
Military machine
I wouldn't want to be
Living in a world of ecstasy with you
Taken' away your companies
Takin' away your societies and go.
Get me off this backwards ride,
Takin' away your fictitious books of fact.
Yeah, do mum-ba-si-be-ah
The song “Ecstasy” by Rusted Root is a social commentary on the perils of consumerism and greed in our contemporary world. The first stanza of the song opens with the directive, “Take away your paper & pen, stacks of money, and your foolish grin, and go.” This line points to the superficiality and temporary nature of money and material possessions which offer only momentary joys but long term dissatisfaction. The second stanza highlights the idea that society has become a backwards ride, where everything is measured by its monetary value, survival is in constant question and everyone is in a race to acquire material possessions. The line “Take away your greedy way and go” emphasizes the importance of giving up greed and becoming selfless.
The upbeat rhythm in contrast to the lyrics, enhances the mood of the song, inviting people to dance and enjoy the moment while also addressing the serious concerns of society. The lyrics “… See the woman standing in the door, World gone by, Again and again, See the blisters growing on your feet, Pushed on Pushed on World gone by…” emphasizes the struggle of the common man to survive in the face of overwhelming greed of the society. The lyrics convey the message that the world has passed on, consistently grinding individuals to pursue materialism and not recognising their needs and emotions.
Line by Line Meaning
Take away your paper & pen
Abandon the physical and intellectual belongings that gives you a sense of power and influence
Stacks of money and your foolish grin
Your arrogant expression and accumulated wealth cannot impress anyone anymore
And go
Leave, with all your materialistic advantages
Get me off the backwards ride
Save me from this failing and regressing society
Take away your greedy way and go
Quit being selfish and egocentric, leave and take your greed with you
See the woman standing at the door
Observe the consequences of your corrupt lifestyle and bad choices
World gone by
The past is no more
Again and again
Repeatedly
Pushed on
Forced to move despite resistance
Pushed on
Forced to move despite resistance
World gone by
The past is no more
Take away your companies
Stop exploiting, destroying, and profiting from natural resources through corporate establishments
Take away your societies and go
Abandon the way you've constructed society to serve only those with status and wealth
Take away your fictitious books of fact
Destroy the distorted and misleading information that covers up the truth
See the woman standing in the door
Recognize the issues you've created that now need to be addressed
See the blisters growing on your feet
Experience the discomfort of the consequences from all the negative behaviors you've had
Pushed on
Forced to move despite resistance
Pushed on
Forced to move despite resistance
World gone by
The past is no more
I wouldn't want to be
I am glad I am not like you
Living in a world of ecstasy with you
Existing in a world of extreme happiness, induced by ignoring the consequences of your actions, created with you
Wasted arms; wasted legs
The destruction and dehumanization of soldiers through war
Wrapped round this machine
Trapped and consumed by the mechanisms of war
Military machine
The use of machines and technology in the brutalities of war
I wouldn't want to be
I am glad I am not like you
Living in a world of ecstasy with you
Existing in a world of extreme happiness, induced by ignoring the consequences of your actions, created with you
Taken' away your companies
Stop exploiting, destroying, and profiting from natural resources through corporate establishments
Takin' away your societies and go.
Abandon the way you've constructed society to serve only those with status and wealth
Get me off this backwards ride,
Save me from this failing and regressing society
Takin' away your fictitious books of fact.
Destroy the distorted and misleading information that covers up the truth
Yeah, do mum-ba-si-be-ah
A nonsensical chant with no clear meaning
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JENN WERTZ, JIM DISPIRITO, JIM DONOVAN, JOHN BUYNAK, LIZ BERLIN, MICHAEL GLABICKI, PATRICK NORMAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@noapprovalneeded2317
I love how this band combines salsa style rock with tribal style instrumentation. This is truly alternative rock.
@wayneturner3213
its stoner music
@lauradowling1604
No Approval Needed amaZing been following them since 91!
@cristian-bull
I call it alternative tribal music
@craftygirl9666
Revisiting this song years later, I can hear some Talking Heads influence too
@SikConVicTioN
No this is truly garbage
@Gus-op5ff
This band deserved much more.
@c.fontana7524
No they didn't.
@k00svak0
Charles Wright why?
@Tarby.
@@c.fontana7524 yeah they did