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)
South Central Beach Party
Strike Anywhere Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Peel away your mask from the myths of sin
Piss taken isolation
Men mistaken for
Buried in the sound
For all who turned around
You struck as the boots went up the stair
We're knocking like heartbeats
On the skyscraper door
The windows breaking with music
Can you feel it through the floor?
We're one, don't misunderstand
This future, not chaos is what we demand
This is the one shot
One life to see it through
I want to speak for justice when she can't speak for us anymore
No borders in our hearts
She can't speak yet
We are the damned and poor
Speak for good ones buried before their time
Mural the bank wall
Teach in the rhyme in red and black
'Cause we're all coming back
We're knocking like heartbeats
On the skyscraper door
The windows breaking with music
Can you feel it through the floor?
We're one, don't misunderstand
This future, not chaos is what we demand
This is the one shot
One life to see it through
We're knocking like heartbeats
On the skyscraper door
The windows breaking with music
Can you feel it through the floor?
We're one, don't misunderstand
This future, not chaos is what we demand
This is the one shot
One life to see it through
I want to free our world from the trap between the walls
Tear up the stage, walk out
And into the sun and the waves
And feel them crashing over, drowning out
To free our world from the trap between the walls
Tear up the stage, walk out
And into the sun and the waves
And feel them crashing over, drowning out
We're drowning out
We're drowning out
We're drowning out
We're drowning out
The opening lines of Strike Anywhere's "South Central Beach Party" set a tone that is angry, defiant, and urgent. The band calls attention to the problems that they see in the world, and they encourage listeners to speak out against injustice. The lyrics propose that there is a lot of "trash" in the world, whether it be literal garbage on the street or more abstract societal issues like greed and inequality. The "myths of sin" that the lyrics refer to could be any number of things- perhaps they are referring to religious dogma, or maybe the social constructs and stereotypes that prevent people from living their lives to the fullest.
The chorus is an iconic call-to-action from Strike Anywhere, encouraging listeners to knock on the "skyscraper door" of power and demand change. Through the use of loud music and powerful lyrics, they hope to break windows and connect with others on a deep level. "We're one, don't misunderstand / This future, not chaos is what we demand / This is the one shot / One life to see it through" The lyrics state that everyone is connected in this fight for a better world, and that there is a sense of urgency to the cause that cannot be ignored. Strike Anywhere reiterates that they want to speak for justice and demand a future that is not chaotic. They want to liberate the world from the walls that are closing in on us, and to do so, they call on listeners to get out into the sun and the waves, to tear up the stage and feel the waves crashing over us.
Line by Line Meaning
Wake up from under all this trash
Realize the truth amidst all the lies and deceit
Peel away your mask from the myths of sin
Remove the facade of vice and immorality
Piss taken isolation
Loneliness and despair
Men mistaken for
Judging people based on superficial attributes
Buried in the sound
Lost in the music
For all who turned around
For those who have seen the truth
You struck as the boots went up the stair
Taking a stand against oppression
You didn't care
Unconcerned about backlash
We're knocking like heartbeats
We're demanding change passionately
On the skyscraper door
To the highest levels of power
The windows breaking with music
Breaking the barriers with music
Can you feel it through the floor?
Can you feel the impact?
We're one, don't misunderstand
We are united in our cause
This future, not chaos is what we demand
A future of order and progress
This is the one shot
This is the one chance we've got
One life to see it through
One lifetime to achieve our goal
I want to speak for justice when she can't speak for us anymore
Fighting for justice even in the face of adversity
No borders in our hearts
Boundless love and empathy for everyone
She can't speak yet
Justice has not yet prevailed
We are the damned and poor
We are the oppressed and the downtrodden
Speak for good ones buried before their time
Speaking up for those who have been wronged
Mural the bank wall
Using art to make a statement
Teach in the rhyme in red and black
Spreading awareness through music
'Cause we're all coming back
Our voices will be heard
I want to free our world from the trap between the walls
Breaking free from societal constraints
Tear up the stage, walk out
Taking bold action
And into the sun and the waves
Embracing nature and freedom
And feel them crashing over, drowning out
Letting go of our fears and inhibitions
We're drowning out
Our voices will prevail
We're drowning out
Making our message heard
We're drowning out
Not backing down
We're drowning out
Overcoming the noise of opposition
Contributed by Jordyn H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.