Containing elements of death metal, thrash metal, black metal, progressive metal and industrial metal, Strapping Young Lad's music was characterized by the use of complex time signatures, polyrhythmic guitar riffing and drumming, blast beats and Wall of Sound production. The band's musical direction was mainly determined by Townsend, whose battle with bipolar disorder and dark sense of humour were major influences on his songwriting. Townsend was also noted for his eccentric appearance and on-stage behaviour, which greatly contributed to the band's intense live performances.
The band gained critical success and a growing underground fan base from their 1997 album City. After a hiatus between 1999 and 2002, the band released three more albums, reaching their commercial peak with the 2006 effort, The New Black. Townsend disbanded Strapping Young Lad in May 2007, announcing his decision to retreat from public view while continuing to record solo albums.
The legacy continues.....
Monument
Strapping Young Lad Lyrics
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We return... TO ROCK YOU!
Be consumed
Because... Yeah, we want you
Workers not going home
I said workers are going home
ONCE YOU'VE BEEN ALONE
AND EVERYBODY KNOWS
WORK BEGINS ALONE
(begins alone)
OH!
Workers are doing time
For you, there's nothing now but time
ONCE YOU'VE CROSSED THE LINE
AND EVERYTHING IS FINE
WHERE'S YOUR GENTLE MIND (don't think that one's right, it sounds more like "work your ????")
What do we want?
HATE!
Do ya wanna know why?
Because we love you
We return...
TO ROCK YOU!
OH!
WHAT'S THE MATTER...
LITTLE MAN?
I'VE COME FORTH TO BULLY YOU... BELIEVE! (again, pretty sure that's not it, but it sounds funny Laughing )
(we want you)
OH!
WHAT'S THE MATTER...
LITTLE MAN?
WE WANT YOU!
BG voice: HUH! Very Happy
So you have mercy
You know...
WE KNOW!
OH!
Be consumed
Because... Yeah, we want you
We want you...
OH! (be consumed)
WHAT'S THE MATTER... (because)
LITTLE MAN
I'VE COME FORTH TO BULLY YOU (we want you)
WE! WANT! YOU!
The lyrics of Strapping Young Lad's "Monument" can be interpreted in various ways, but one of the main themes seems to be the band's love for their fans and returning to rock them. The first two lines, "Because we love you, we return... TO ROCK YOU!" establish the band's intention of giving their fans the best performance possible. The repetition of "we want you" and "we want you to be consumed" further emphasizes the band's desire for their fans to fully engage in the experience and allow themselves to be consumed by the music.
The lyrics also allude to the sacrifices made by workers, who are seemingly forced to work longer hours without going home, and are doing time as a result. The lines "Once you've been alone and everybody knows, work begins alone" could suggest that the work is a solitary, gruelling task that needs to be done, and that there is some sort of sacrifice or danger associated with it. The lines "once you've crossed the line and everything is fine, where's your gentle mind" could be interpreted to mean that once someone crosses a certain threshold or point of no return, they lose their sense of innocence or gentleness.
The chorus of the song repeats the phrase "Because we love you, we return to rock you" which solidifies the theme of the band's love and appreciation for their fans. The line "what do we want?" and the response of "hate" could suggest that the intensity and aggression of the music is a reaction against hate or negativity in the world.
Line by Line Meaning
Because we love you
We're doing this for you out of love.
We return... TO ROCK YOU!
We're here to rock your world again.
Be consumed
Lose yourself in the music and the experience.
Because... Yeah, we want you
We want you to lose yourself in the experience.
Workers not going home
The crowd is so excited they don't want the show to end.
I said workers are going home
Correction: The show is over, and everyone is going home.
ONCE YOU'VE BEEN ALONE
When you've been left to your own devices,
AND EVERYBODY KNOWS
And everyone can see your true nature,
WORK BEGINS ALONE (begins alone)
The hard work of self-discovery starts with oneself.
OH!
Scream it loud!
Workers are doing time
The fans are putting in the time to be there for the band.
For you, there's nothing now but time
Spend all the time you need to be here with us.
ONCE YOU'VE CROSSED THE LINE
Once you've taken the plunge,
AND EVERYTHING IS FINE
And everything is as it should be,
WHERE'S YOUR GENTLE MIND (don't think that one's right, it sounds more like "work your ????")
What happened to the soft and gentle version of you?
What do we want?
Our goal is simple:
HATE!
Hate is what we want.
Do ya wanna know why?
Do you want to know why we want hate?
OH!
Scream it loud!
WHAT'S THE MATTER...
What's going on?
LITTLE MAN?
Hey you, person in the crowd.
I'VE COME FORTH TO BULLY YOU... BELIEVE! (again, pretty sure that's not it, but it sounds funny Laughing )
We're here to dominate the show and make you believe in us.
(we want you)
We need you to buy into the experience with us.
OH!
Scream it loud!
WE WANT YOU!
We want you to be part of the show with us.
BG voice: HUH! Very Happy
Background vocalizations communicate excitement and enthusiasm.
So you have mercy
Please show us some mercy.
You know...
You know what we're asking for.
WE KNOW!
We're aware of what's coming.
OH!
Scream it loud!
Be consumed
Get lost in the energy of the music.
Because... Yeah, we want you
We need you to be part of this moment with us.
We want you...
We need you to connect with us in this experience.
OH! (be consumed)
Scream it loud!
WHAT'S THE MATTER... (because)
What's the reason for this feeling?
LITTLE MAN
Hey you, person in the audience.
I'VE COME FORTH TO BULLY YOU (we want you)
We're here to dominate the show and bring you into the experience with us.
WE! WANT! YOU!
We need you to be part of the show with us.
Lyrics © Ultra Tunes, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ROGER POWELL, TODD RUNDGREN, KASIM SULTON, WILLIE WILCOX
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind