Van Zant is an American musical duo composed of brothers Donnie and Johnny … Read Full Bio ↴Van Zant is an American musical duo composed of brothers Donnie and Johnny Van Zant. Both are brothers of the late Ronnie Van Zant, former lead singer for the Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd. Johnny became the lead vocalist for the reunited Lynyrd Skynyrd in 1987; Donnie is the leader and vocalist of .38 Special, also a Southern rock band.

Johnny recorded as a member of the 1980's southern rock band The Johnny Van Zant Band which released albums in 1980, 1981 and 1982. The band shortened its name to Van Zant for the release of its fourth album in 1985, the eponymous Van Zant, which saw some chart success with "You've Got to Believe in Love" and "I'm a Fighter". However, this band was not the same as the current version of Van Zant and did not include brother Donnie.

Johnny released another album under his full name in 1990, but spent most of his time in that period singing for the Lynyrd Skynyrd reunion group. He joined up with Donnie, and they revived the Van Zant name to release an album in 1998, which led to a follow up album in 2001. They have also released two albums to the country music format: 2005's Get Right with the Man and 2007's My Kind of Country. Overall, the group has had two singles on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks charts (the prior incarnation of Van Zant also had two), and six on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts.

Rage
Van Zant Lyrics

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Let me loose
Set me free
I've been burning
Endlessly
There's no way back
Where I come from
Misery

Bottled up
Shaken out
No eyes of shadow
On the ground
Time's run out
Luck's run dry

We're living in a rage of fire
Drowning by the winds of change
No one has the right to come and take my rage
Dancing on the edge of darkness
Blinded by the face of hell
I got to know this rage
Oh so well

There's a world I can't forget
And this life won't let me live
I look to you, aim away
It appears to me

We're living in a rage of fire
Drowning by the winds of change
No one has the right to come and take my rage
Dancing on the edge of darkness
Blinded by the face of hell
I got to know this rage
There's so much I got to lay down
This rage shakes these roots from the ground
I've got to bury it now

We're living in a rage of fire
Drowning by the winds of change
No one has the right to come and take my rage
Dancing on the edge of darkness
Blinded by the face of hell
I got to know this rage
We're living in a rage of fire
Drowning by the winds of change
No one has the right to come and take my rage
Dancing on the edge of darkness
Blinded by the face of hell
I got to know this rage
Oh so well
Oh so well

Let me loose
Set me free

No no no

Rage
Rage

World's got me down!

(Living in the rage of fire, fire
Living in the rage of fire, fire)

Overall Meaning

The song "Rage" by Van Zant is a powerful expression of frustration and a cry for freedom from the pains of the past. In the opening lines, the singer pleads to be set free, having been burning endlessly with no way back to where they came from. They are trapped in their misery, bottled up and shaken, without any good fortune left. This inner conflict leads them to live in a "rage of fire," characterized by the "winds of change" that threaten to drown them. They feel that they are on the edge of darkness, blinded by the face of hell, and it is through this experience that they have come to know their rage so well.

The singer is haunted by a world that they can't forget, but they are not able to live the life they want. They look to someone to help them aim away from this pain, to bury this rage that has shaken the roots of their life. The song repeats the chorus, emphasizing that no one has the right to come and take the singer's rage. The final lines of the song echo the opening lines, emphasizing that the singer needs to be set free from their inner turmoil.

Line by Line Meaning

Let me loose
Allow me to be free

Set me free
Release me from confinement

I’ve been burning Endlessly
I have been painfully consumed without relief for a long time

There’s no way back Where I come from Misery
I cannot return to my unhappy past

Bottled up Shaken out No eyes of shadow On the ground
I have been emotionally contained and must let these feelings out

Time's run out Luck's run dry
I have no more time and nothing left to rely on

We're living in a rage of fire Drowning by the winds of change No one has the right to come and take my rage Dancing on the edge of darkness Blinded by the face of hell I got to know this rage Oh so well
We are struggling in a tumultuous time while I defiantly hold onto my anger that has become all-consuming

There's a world I can't forget And this life won't let me live I look to you, aim away It appears to me
The memories of my past linger even when I try to move on, and I look to others to guide me

There's so much I got to lay down This rage shakes these roots from the ground I've got to bury it now
I need to let go of my anger that is severely affecting my life

Rage Rage
My anger is overwhelming and intense

World's got me down!
The world has brought me great sadness

(Living in the rage of fire, fire Living in the rage of fire, fire)
I am living in constant agony and turmoil

Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: CHAN KINCHLA, JOHN C. POPPER

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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