Taketh started with two acoustic guitars in the air traffic controller tower on the military base in Linköping in 2000. Between watching the skies, David and Mikael started writing some songs and with the joining of Davids brother Johan, there was a band.
After playing the local scenes for a few years, along with a couple of ventures outside Linköping, Taketh secured a record deal with dutch label Fear Dark Records. The debut album Freakshow was released in 2005, and followed up with a tour with Eluveitie in 2006, now with new guitar player Atahan.
A three track EP called "Minus 24" was recorded and released in 2008, but due to babies and new jobs, the band chose to take a break.
A local festival brought the band back in 2011, and with the addition of Johan Ejnarsson, the guys felt they had a sold lineup and material to go on. Plans for a second album was started, and in October 2012 Taketh entered Endarker Studios for the third time. In 15 intense days, "Ignorance is strength" was born.
After much discussion, the band decided to forego the traditions of releaseing through a label, and started planning for something more modern. A creative commons licensed release, enabling free sharing, remixing and derivative works. This would certainly be a gamble, since everything would be payed for the band themselves.
www.taketh.se
1984
Taketh Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
An eternal struggle to unlearn what we knew
The war rages on / uniting the people
Hiding off the true injustice brought upon us all
War is peace
Freedom is slavery
Welcome to 1984
The screen is always on / big brother sees everything
Disobediance means death / freedom is forever lost
War is peace
Freedom is slavery
Ignorance is strength
welcome to 1984
Your treacherous mind
I can hear it when you sleep
Don't say a word
Don't you dare to utter what you're thinking
I will break you down
Use your worst fears against you
The screen is always on / big brother sees everything
Disobediance means death / freedom is forever lost
War is peace
Freedom is slavery
Ignorance is strength
welcome to 1984
The lyrics of Taketh's song 1984, a title inspired by the dystopian novel by George Orwell, paint a bleak picture of a society controlled by a totalitarian government. The opening lines, "Perception of the past shaped by the present, an eternal struggle to unlearn what we knew," suggest that the government is manipulating history and controlling the narrative to ensure that its citizens remain ignorant and compliant. The use of the phrase "eternal struggle" highlights the ongoing battle between the government and the people.
The chorus, with its repetition of "War is peace, Freedom is slavery, Ignorance is strength," reinforces the idea that the government has co-opted language to mean the opposite of what it should. It's a warning that the people cannot trust what they're being told and that they must be vigilant and resist the manipulation.
The fear and paranoia in the lyrics are brought home in the lines "Your treacherous mind, I can hear it when you sleep, Don't say a word, Don't you dare to utter what you're thinking, I will break you down, Use your worst fears against you." Here, the government is portrayed as all-knowing and all-seeing, capable of punishing even the slightest dissent.
Taken together, the lyric paints a picture of a world where the government has absolute control over every aspect of life, including the truth. It's a warning that we must remain vigilant to ensure that such a world does not become a reality.
Line by Line Meaning
Perception of the past / shaped by the present
Our memories of the past are shaped and influenced by the current beliefs and experiences we have.
An eternal struggle to unlearn what we knew
It is a difficult and ongoing process to let go of the things we thought we knew and accept new truths.
The war rages on / uniting the people
Despite the destruction caused by constant war, it brings people together and creates a sense of unity.
Hiding off the true injustice brought upon us all
The government hides the fact that they are the cause of the injustice and suffering experienced by the people.
War is peace
The government promotes the idea that war brings peace to the nation, despite the reality that it only causes destruction.
Freedom is slavery
The government claims that the loss of personal freedom is necessary in order to maintain a stable and peaceful society.
Ignorance is strength
The less people know and understand, the easier they are to control and manipulate, making the government stronger.
Welcome to 1984
This is a reference to George Orwell's book '1984', which describes a dystopian society controlled by a totalitarian government.
The screen is always on / big brother sees everything
The government monitors its citizens through technology, and people always feel like they are being watched and controlled.
Disobediance means death / freedom is forever lost
The government punishes disobedience severely and people feel like they have lost all their personal freedoms and liberties.
Your treacherous mind
A warning that even one's thoughts and intentions can be considered dangerous and punishable.
I can hear it when you sleep
The government has the power to monitor even people's private thoughts and dreams.
Don't say a word
It is not safe to express dissenting ideas, as it may lead to punishment or death.
Don't you dare to utter what you're thinking
People are forbidden from expressing their true thoughts and opinions, and must conform to the government's ideologies.
I will break you down
The government will use any means necessary to control and manipulate its citizens and enforce conformity.
Use your worst fears against you
The government uses people's fears and vulnerabilities to keep them in line and maintain power.
Contributed by Brayden B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.