Strike Anywhere is a political band, with lyrics touching on such issues as police brutality, anarchism, anti-capitalism, women's rights, animal rights, and globalization. They have also contributed tracks to political benefit albums, such as a live version of "Sunset on 32nd" for 1157 Wheeler Avenue: A Memorial for Amadou Diallo and "To the World" for the Rock Against Bush, Vol. 1 album. According to the liner notes for their album Change is a Sound, they support "the vegetarian lifestyle, the living wage movement, and the fight against corporate globalization".
Current Members:
* Thomas Barnett - Vocals
* Matt Smith - Guitar/Vocals
* Garth Petrie - Bass
* Eric Kane - Drums
* Mark Miller - Guitar/Vocals
Former:
* Matt Sherwood - Guitar/Vocals (1999-2007)
Postcards From Home
Strike Anywhere Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Strobe light shows of gurneys, silver and rust
Refrigeration stalled when the fuse box blew
The medicine needed to save you
Holding tight to a weapon
In the place of a toy or your mother's hand
White diamonds, red earth
Holding tight to a weapon
In the place of a toy or your mother's hand
White diamonds, red earth
It's slavery, understand
So home now is the place between right and this
The blast still sings, the bullets blaze, the target missed
Atrocity calmly in your narcotic bliss
This last harvest of our innocence
Holding tight to a weapon
In the place of a toy or your mother's hand
White diamonds, red earth
It's slavery, understand
Holding tight to a weapon
In the place of a toy or your mother's hand
White diamonds, red earth
It's slavery, understand
Postcards from post colonies, post kingdoms
Progress twisted from sea to sea
Postcards from post colonies, post kingdoms
Progress twisted for you and me
Postcards from post colonies, post kingdoms
Progress twisted from sea to sea
Postcards from post colonies, post kingdoms
Progress twisted for you and me, you and me
Well, you can't walk away, this light will follow you
You can't walk away because you're so conditioned like me
You can't walk away, this land will follow you
You can't walk away 'cause this is home
This is home
Postcards
From Home by Strike Anywhere is a poignant critique of the devastating impact of colonialism and slavery on indigenous communities. The opening lines depict a hospital hallway where the lights flicker and the refrigeration has stalled due to a blown fuse box, leaving medication needed to save lives at risk. The imagery suggests a broken system; a metaphor for societies and communities that have been ravaged by these systems of oppression. The lines ‘holding tight to a weapon, in the place of a toy or your mother’s hand, white diamonds, red earth, it’s slavery, understand’ leads to imagery of children, stripped of their innocence and forced to carry guns, instead of the toys that they should be holding. The contrast between white diamonds and red earth is a reference to the diamond mines in Africa which used slave labor to extract them.
The second verse contrasts the themes of displacement and belonging. Lines such as, ‘home now is the place between right and this’ and ‘this last harvest of our innocence’ suggest a state of limbo between the reality of one's existence and what should be. The lines "holding tight to a weapon, in the place of a toy or your mother’s hand" further emphasises the feeling of displacement and loss of innocence. The chorus is a powerful repetition of the phrase "holding tight to a weapon, in the place of a toy or your mother’s hand, white diamonds, red earth, it’s slavery, understand". It reinforces the themes of oppression, loss of innocence, and violence through repetition.
Line by Line Meaning
If you could see in the dark, hallway's old lights flicker
Despite the darkness, the flickering lights in the hallway make everything visible.
Strobe light shows of gurneys, silver and rust
The flashing lights on the gurneys show a contrasting mixture of shiny metal and decayed rust.
Refrigeration stalled when the fuse box blew
The refrigeration system came to a halt when the fuse box malfunctioned.
The medicine needed to save you
The required medicine is not available due to the power outage.
Holding tight to a weapon
Gripping a weapon tightly shows the gravity of the current situation.
In the place of a toy or your mother's hand
The child has replaced comfort and security with the weapon as they face warzone-like situations.
White diamonds, red earth
Refers to the way resources are extracted, with white diamonds (a symbol for opulence) coming from blood-stained red earth (a symbol for exploited lands).
It's slavery, understand
The line is a call to acknowledge the systemic oppression that is still rampant in the present day, using exploitative methods to extract resources.
So home now is the place between right and this
Home is where people psychically hover between the right (moral conduct) and this (moral ambivalence)
The blast still sings, the bullets blaze, the target missed
Amidst the turmoil, passed events continue to haunt the present moment.
Atrocity calmly in your narcotic bliss
The lyrics refer to how we numb ourselves to dull the impact of the atrocities happening around us, but ignorance is not bliss when it comes to living in this world.
This last harvest of our innocence
The world has taken away our naivety and innocence as we witness the harsh realities of life.
Postcards from post colonies, post kingdoms
The postcards carry messages from former colonies and kingdoms, which now exist beyond their zenith.
Progress twisted from sea to sea
Whilst we may laud the progress that has been made from both ancient and contemporary colonization, it is clear that progress came at a twisted, exploitative cost.
Progress twisted for you and me
The lyrics highlight how every individual is both a victim and a benefactor of said twisted progress.
Well, you can't walk away, this light will follow you
One cannot simply avoid the issues surrounding systemic oppression and exploitation, as they follow us like a flickering light in the darkness.
You can't walk away because you're so conditioned like me
The line suggests that we have become conditioned to our current way of living, whereby any attempts to change current circumstances lead to great difficulty.
You can't walk away, this land will follow you
Simply walking away from the issues at hand is not an option in a world rife with corruption and exploitation.
You can't walk away 'cause this is home
Despite the turmoil and the struggles faced by our world, the earth will always be the place we call home.
This is home
A reaffirmation of the previous line, stating that the earth will always be our collective home, despite the multitude of struggles and travails within it.
Postcards
A nod to the previously mentioned postcards, which carry messages of warning and bring light to the dark corners of our world.
Contributed by Harper V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Brett Bewley
I'm moving out of the house I brought my newborn son home to and I haven't been able to get the end of this song out of my head all weekend. "You can't walk away cause this is home"
To quote Rainier Wolfcastle: I think I will cry
Lukas B.
I'm not really good to finding out what song is about, but your guess is pretty fair. :]]
Lukas B.
Geez, I don't find it. ;// Can you PM or reply with link? ;/
Josephine López
wacala estoy arto que asco siento que todo apesta
Lukas B.
PMed you. ;]]