S.O.A (State of Alert) was an early hardcore punk group from Washington, D.… Read Full Bio ↴S.O.A (State of Alert) was an early hardcore punk group from Washington, D.C.. They were fronted by Henry Garfield, who would later rise to fame as Henry Rollins. They formed in October 1980, and disbanded in July 1981 [1] and released No Policy on Dischord Records. They are sometimes regarded as one of the first groups playing what would be dubbed hardcore punk. They released a ten song 7" EP titled No Policy and contributed three songs to the compilation Flex Your Head, both on Dischord. The EP was financed by Henry since Dischord wanted to afford releasing the first Minor Threat 7" as well.

riot
S.O.A Lyrics

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There's a war on the street, watcha gonna do
There's no choice, they've turned on you
Destroy the city, smash it all to bits
They won't stop, they don't give a shit

[Chorus:]
Sticks and stones- Riot
Break your bones- Riot

Stores in Flames- Riot
You're the Blame- Riot

You're gonna die, you and your friends
You made it start, they made it end

[Chorus:]

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of S.O.A's song "Riot" describe a chaotic and violent situation on the streets where the only option seems to be destruction. The opening line immediately sets the tone for what is to come, as the singer questions how one would react to being thrown into a situation where there is a war on the street. The following line suggests that there is no way out as they have turned on you - this could refer to either the authorities or the violent mob. The line "Destroy the city, smash it all to bits" suggests that the chaos is all-consuming, and there is no way to escape the destruction that has set in.

The chorus emphasizes the idea that there is no escape from the violence - "Sticks and stones- Riot, Break your bones - Riot, Stores in Flames - Riot, You’re the Blame - Riot." This could be seen as a commentary on the culture of violence and its perpetuation, as everyone is a victim and a perpetrator at the same time. The next line "You're gonna die, you and your friends" suggests that no one is safe from the violence, and everyone pays the price of brutality in some way or the other. The next line "You made it start, they made it end" reinforces the message that violence only begets violence.

Line by Line Meaning

There's a war on the street, watcha gonna do
The situation on the street is chaotic and violent, what actions will you take?

There's no choice, they've turned on you
There seems to be no alternative left as they have become your enemies.

Destroy the city, smash it all to bits
The rage is at its peak and the only option left is to cause destruction and havoc in the city.

They won't stop, they don't give a shit
They have no intention of stopping or considering the consequences of their actions.

[Chorus:] Sticks and stones- Riot Break your bones- Riot Stores in Flames- Riot You're the Blame- Riot
The chorus highlights the violence and destruction that comes with riots and blames the blameless for inciting the violence.

You're gonna die, you and your friends
The consequences of the riot may result in fatal injuries to you and your comrades.

You made it start, they made it end
Though you may have provoked it, they will end it, resulting in you standing at a disadvantage.

[Chorus:] Sticks and stones- Riot Break your bones- Riot Stores in Flames- Riot You're the Blame- Riot
The chorus reiterates the severity of the situation and the blame assigned to people who did not create it.

Contributed by Leah B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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