The Stockyard Stoics were a punk rock band based out of Brooklyn with curre… Read Full Bio ↴The Stockyard Stoics were a punk rock band based out of Brooklyn with current members all hailing from Eugene, Oregon. Their songs focus on political and social issues, in particular anarchism. The band was heavily influenced by such early British punk bands such as The Clash and Stiff Little Fingers, Jamaican Ska and reggae, pre-honky tonk Country, and Rockabilly.

Their last full length album, Catastrophe was released on Brooklyn, NY's BANKSHOT! Records

http://myspace.com/stockyardstoics
http://myspace.com/bankshotrecords

Catastrophe
Stockyard Stoics Lyrics

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Woke up Tuesday morning and the whole world turned to red
Buildings falling to the ground, three thousand lying dead
Bodies falling from the sky, no one stopping asking why
Before the billowing smoke has settled back we'll be ready to attack

Now we'll be working all day all night long
Just to get back where we started from

(Chorus:)
Can't take no more of this shit but there's no end to it in sight
In the glow of the dying light the smoke gets in my eyes

Woke up Wednesday morning and the hammer is coming down
A uniform on every corner, hypocrisy all around
Wave goodbye to common sense, embrace our newfound prejudice
Before we've finished counting our dead we're demanding new bloodshed

Now we'll be working all day all night long
Just to get back where we started from

(Chorus)

Liberty or security?
Burn it fucking down

Feed at the feast don't foot the bill
Eat of the flesh don't feel the kill
There's a cold wind blowing and a hungry tide
Waiting just outside the castle gates

Now we'll be working all day all night long
Just to get back where we started from
And that wasn't much to start with

(Chorus)

The smoke gets in my eyes
And the sights and the sounds and the smells they paralyze

Overall Meaning

The song "Catastrophe" by Stockyard Stoics is a vivid depiction of the aftermath of the tragic events of 9/11 in New York City. It talks about the immediate response to the attack, the confusion, the grief, and the fear that enveloped the city and the nation. The lyrics convey the message that the collective trauma of the event created a mindset of vengeance and prejudice, resulting in a loss of humanity and an erosion of civil liberties.

The opening lines of the song showcase the shock and horror of the event, where the world as it was known turned to red, and the buildings collapsed, causing the loss of thousands of lives. The lyrics paint a picture of the chaos that ensued with bodies falling from the sky, and no one stopping to ask why. It reflects on the nation's response, where the military readiness for retaliation overshadowed the grief for the victims.

The second verse of the song talks about the fallout of the attack, where the city was gripped with fear and paranoia, and common sense was thrown out of the window. The lyrics also touch upon the dilemma between liberty and security, where the nation's desire for safety resulted in a clampdown on civil liberties.

Overall, the song "Catastrophe" is a poignant reflection of the emotional and psychological scars left by the 9/11 attacks. It speaks of a nation reeling from the tragedy, trying to make sense of it all, and grappling with its response to it.

Line by Line Meaning

Woke up Tuesday morning and the whole world turned to red
The world was in chaos and destruction.

Buildings falling to the ground, three thousand lying dead
Many buildings had collapsed and thousands of people were dead.

Bodies falling from the sky, no one stopping asking why
People were dying and no one knew why.

Before the billowing smoke has settled back we'll be ready to attack
People are quick to prepare to attack, even in the midst of destruction.

Now we'll be working all day all night long Just to get back where we started from
People have to work hard to recover from the destruction they have faced.

Can't take no more of this shit but there's no end to it in sight
People are tired of the chaos, but there seems to be no hope for improvement.

In the glow of the dying light the smoke gets in my eyes
Despite the destruction and chaos, people are still living and trying to make sense of everything.

Woke up Wednesday morning and the hammer is coming down
More destruction and chaos is coming.

A uniform on every corner, hypocrisy all around
There is a lot of hypocrisy among people in power in the midst of the chaos.

Wave goodbye to common sense, embrace our newfound prejudice
People are abandoning common sense and allowing prejudice to flourish.

Before we've finished counting our dead we're demanding new bloodshed
Despite the loss of life, people are still calling for more violence.

Liberty or security? Burn it fucking down
People are willing to sacrifice everything for a sense of security.

Feed at the feast don't foot the bill Eat of the flesh don't feel the kill
People are willing to take what they want without considering the consequences.

There's a cold wind blowing and a hungry tide Waiting just outside the castle gates
There is more destruction and chaos on the horizon.

And that wasn't much to start with
The world wasn't in a great state to begin with.

The smoke gets in my eyes And the sights and the sounds and the smells they paralyze
The destruction and chaos have affected people in many ways.

Contributed by Elliot N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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