Although Uncle Tupelo broke up before it achieved commercial success, the band is renowned for its impact on the alternative country music scene. The group's first album, No Depression, became a byword for the genre and was widely influential. Uncle Tupelo's sound was unlike popular country music of the time, drawing inspiration from styles as diverse as the hardcore punk of The Minutemen and the country instrumentation and harmony of the Carter Family and Hank Williams. Farrar and Tweedy lyrics frequently referenced Middle America and the working class of Belleville.
Fall Down Easy
Uncle Tupelo Lyrics
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The moral stare of Big Brother
Not a chance, no compromise
Battling the barrier of belief
Not to try anymore
Don't want to murder the only memory or hide
Try to accept that it's all worth whilewhen you've been disengaged
You can hang the blame on the wall
It'll be a frame around us all deluged by stickers and billboards
The conversation turns to war
Never thought it would come down to this it seems every person for themself
Don't want to murder the only memory or hide
Try to accept that it's all worth while when you've been disengaged
Severed and forsaken
When you've been disengaged
Severed from any world that's mine
More and more makes a hunger for less
You get hurt when you touch the bright lights burningwhen you're high
You can fall down easy
Too many years spent trigger-happy
At times I feel betrayed
I feel that I've been wronged
Suspended in all disbelief
Until it seems it just can't go on
The song Fall Down Easy by Uncle Tupelo describes the feeling of disconnection and disillusionment that arises from a society that neglects communication in favor of a Big Brother-like figure. The lyrics lament that communication has suffered and highlights the moral gaze of Big Brother, implying that society is being watched and judged for their lack of concern for one another's well-being. The song encourages people not to give up, although it seems that every person is battling to believe in something. The lyrics suggest that as people continue to disengage, the world becomes increasingly isolated, and the blame for this lack of connection is pervasive.
The second part of the lyrics explains that no one is exempt from this disengagement, and the blame for it is everyone's. Stickers and billboards's deluge creates so much noise that it becomes difficult to have a conversation that doesn't turn into a battle. The lines, "Don't want to murder the only memory or hide, Try to accept that it's all worth while when you've been disengaged," call for acceptance and realism rather than hiding behind distractions or feeling powerless. The last part of the lyrics talks about the cost of living in a disconnected society: hunger for less, betrayal, disbelief, feeling wronged, and a sense that it can't go on. The lines, "Too many years spent trigger-happy, At times I feel betrayed, I feel that I've been wronged, Suspended in all disbelief Until it seems it just can't go on," end the song on a melancholic note, suggesting that the only thing one can do is fall down easy, a metaphor for giving up.
Line by Line Meaning
Disengaged, we're forsaken now communication does suffer
We have disconnected and are now abandoned, and our communication is suffering.
The moral stare of Big Brother
The judgmental observation of an authoritative figure.
Not a chance, no compromise
There is no possibility or willingness to reach a middle ground.
Battling the barrier of belief
Struggling to overcome conflicting ideologies.
Not to try anymore
There is no motivation or ambition to continue trying.
Don't want to murder the only memory or hide
We do not want to erase or conceal the only remaining recollection.
Try to accept that it's all worth while when you've been disengaged
Attempt to acknowledge that it is still valuable even when detached.
Severed from any world that's mine
Disconnected from any universe that belongs to me.
You can hang the blame on the wall
You can attribute fault as if it is an intricate part of the surroundings.
It'll be a frame around us all deluged by stickers and billboards
It will surround us like a frame, covered by advertisements and signs.
The conversation turns to war
The discussion has transformed into a battle.
Never thought it would come down to this it seems every person for themself
We never anticipated it would escalate to this level. It appears that everyone is only concerned with themselves.
Severed and forsaken
Completely disconnected and abandoned.
More and more makes a hunger for less
The more we obtain, the more we desire and long for less.
You get hurt when you touch the bright lights burningwhen you're high
You experience pain when you come in contact with the scorching, luminous beams while you are euphoric.
You can fall down easy
It is effortless to collapse or stumble.
Too many years spent trigger-happy
Too many years spent excessively eager or impulsive.
At times I feel betrayed
Occasionally, I feel deceived or let down.
I feel that I've been wronged
I sense that I have been treated unjustly.
Suspended in all disbelief
Doubtful and unwilling to accept the current situation.
Until it seems it just can't go on
Until it feels as if it is impossible to carry on any further.
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: JAY FARRAR, JEFF TWEEDY, MICHAEL HEIDORN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind