Rise Against

Rise Against is an American punk rock band from Chicago, formed in 1999. The group's current line-up comprises vocalist/rhythm guitarist Tim McIlrath, lead guitarist Zach Blair, bassist Joe Principe and drummer Brandon Barnes. Rooted in hardcore punk and melodic hardcore, Rise Against's music emphasizes melody, catchy hooks, an aggressive sound and playstyle, and rapid tempos. Lyrically, the band is known for their outspoken social commentary, covering a wide range of topics such as political injustice, animal rights, humanitarianism, and environmentalism.

Quotes

The Unraveling (2001)

• We all dream the same dream everynight to burn the world that you call civilized.
  • Alive and Well

• Take my hand and I'll promise not to ever let it go.
  • My Life Inside Your Heart

• You're the new revolution, the angst-filled adolescent. You fit the stereotype well.
  • Six Ways Til Sunday

• The remains of summer memories spent so far away, free from the fear or jealousy that plagues our lives today.
  • Remains of Summer Memories

• Drown in the flood of the tears that have been wept and I scream to the sky, "Now, you are not alone."
  • The Unraveling

• Keep this line open to get this call from you. Speak the words that keep me coming back to you.
  • Everchanging

• Trying to make a difference but where the fuck did you go wrong?
  • Sometimes Selling Out Is Giving Up

• Your heart grows heavier with time and I fell victim to the changing tide. And this blood has long since dried.
  • Weight of Time

• How long will this taint, all these words spilling from my mouth?
  • Faint Resemblance

Revolutions Per Minute (2003)

• Simply because you can breathe, doesn't mean you're alive, or that you really live.
• A need for revolution's rising, it comes to the surface gasping for air.
• We're not putting up with this planet one more day, much less one more year.
• So here and now in our rotting nation, the blood it pours, it's all on our hands now. We live in fear of our own potential.
  • Black Masks and Gasoline

• You're still searching for these answers, they're not inside your wrist
  • Heaven Knows

• I never claimed to be something more than me, your standards I refuse to see.
  • Dead Ringer

• A beating heart and a microphone, a ticking clock in an empty home, still tells of these times so long ago.
• The seas part when they hit the floor, the voices carry on and out the door, everything you touch turns into gold.
• And each and everyday will lead into tomorrow. Tomorrow bring one less day without you.
  • Like the Angel

• I hit the ground and I'm still running but I need a place to stay tonight, I swear I'll be gone in the morning I just need somewhere now
  • Voices Off Camera

• Our buildings have fallen, our walls all caved in, and we can't comprehend the sick state that we're in.
• Let the blind lead the blind, 'cause it's eye for an eye, in your so-called life.
  • Broken English

• Before you swallow me into your perfect life, I'm not going out without a fight.
  • Last Chance Blueprint

• If I could paint how I feel, I'd draw bullseye on your forehead my anger is not misdirected unless it somehow misses you
• Time spent on hate, is time gone to waste.
  • To The Core

• These careless fingers are wrapped around a black ball-point pen, these eyes don't wander as far as they at one time did.
  • Amber Changing

• Would God bless a murder of the innocents? Would God bless a war based on pride? Would God bless a money-hungry government? No. Would God bless our ineffective court system? God bless the sweatshops we run. Would God bless Amerika? God bless Amerika.
  • Blood Red, White And Blue

Siren Song of the Counter Culture (2004)

• If we're the flagship of peace and prosperity we're taking on water and about to fucking sink
  • State of the Union

• Am I really someone you need to restrain? Can't you listen to what we have to say?
  • The First Drop

• Is there a God tonight, up in the sky, or is it empty just like me?
  • Life Less Frightening

• Is this the life that you lead, or the life that's led for you? Will you take the road that's been laid out before you?
  • Paper Wings

• "I don't love you anymore", is all I remember you telling me, never have I felt so cold.
• So still I wait with hope inside of me.
  • Blood to Bleed

• My hands are soaking in the blood of angels. On broken wings, they collapse.
  • To Them These Streets Belong

• We've rehearsed our lines clear and loud but the cue never came and the lights they never went down
  • Anywhere But Here

• So please believe your eyes, a sacrifice, is not what we had in our minds, I'm coming home tonight, home tonight.
• I'm living for my dying wish.
  • Give It All

• I swear I'm sucking dry the sky and you wont ever find us kneeling or swallowing your lies.
  • Dancing for Rain

• I've got some friends, some that I hardly know but we've had some times, I wouldn't trade for the world
• Let's unwrite these pages and replace them with our own words
• If love is a labor I'll slave 'till the end
  • Swing Life Away

• It's not the end that I fear with each breath, it's life that scares me to death.
• When we built these dreams on sand how they all slipped through our hands this might be our only chance.
• Shots fired into the sky are now returning. Where the fuck will you hide?
• The time that we kill keeps us alive.
• When I die, will they remember not; What I did? But what I havn't done
  • Rumors of My Demise Have Been Greatly Exaggerated

The Sufferer & the Witness (2006)

• In alleys void of any light where nameless things live out of sight.
  • Chamber the Cartridge

• I took one last look from the heights that I once loved and then I ran like hell.
  • Ready to Fall

• With hope in our hearts and bricks in our hands, we sing for change.
  • Bricks

• We’ll sing through the day, of the lives that we’ve lost, and the lives we’ve reclaimed.
  • Prayer of the Refugee

• Please Love give me the wheel before both of our hearts you will steal tonight.
  • The Approaching Curve

• I searched for love in an empty world but all I found was hate.
  • Worth Dying For

• Chairs thrown and tables toppled, hands armed with broken bottles. Standing no chance to win, but we're not runnin'.
• When hope is non-existent, Our instincts all scream "Run", We never turn our backs or even bite our tongue.
  • Behind Closed Doors

• I wrapped a hand around its stem and pulled until the roots gave in, finding there what I've been missing.
• All because of you I believe in angels, not the kind with wings, no, not the kind with halos. The kind that bring you home, when home becomes a strange place. I'll follow your voice, All you have to do is shout it out!
  • The Good Left Undone

• To spend your waking moments simply killing time is to give up on your hopes and dreams, and give up on your life.
• We've all been sorry, we've all been hurt. But how we survive is what makes us who we are.
  • Survive

• Do you spend your days counting the hours you're awake, and when night covers the sky you find yourself doing the same
  • Injection

Appeal To Reason (2008)

• When the air that we breath becomes air that we choke.
• Neutrality means that you don't really care because the struggle goes on even when you're not there.
  • Collapse (Post-America)

• We toss and turn but don't sleep each breath we take makes us thieves.
  • Re-Education (Through Labor)

• The postcard says wish you were here but I'd rather I was there holding onto the simple things before they disappear.
• She got down on hands and knees one ear against the ground holding her breath to hear something, anything at all.
  • The Dirt Whispered

• There, high on the watchtower, keeping the peace - whatever that means.
• 'Cause you see the world through cross-hairs and TV's don't you?
• Some things you don't forgive some things you don't forget, sometimes the fate you suffer is so much worse than death.
  • Kotov Syndrome

• I'm not after fame or fortune, I'm after you. But when I've served my time I swear I'll, will come back for you.
  • From Heads Unworthy

• But the heart reveals what smiles betray, your sad sad eyes gave you away.
  • The Strength To Go On

• We ran like vampires from 1000 burning suns, but even then we should have stayed.
• I brought down the sky for you but all you did was shrug, you gave my emptiness a name.
  • Audience Of One

• She walked through bullets and haze, I asked her to stop I begged her to stay.
• A hero of war- Is that what they see? Just medals and scars, so damn proud of me.
  • Hero Of War

• So tell me now if this ain't love then how do we get out because I don't know, that's when she said I don't hate you boy I just want to save you while there's still something left to save that's when I told her I love you girl but I'm not the answer for the questions that you still have.
  • Savior

• Even then the saddest sounds, were nothing laughter could not drown out but we are not laughing now.
  • Whereabouts Unknown

Endgame (2011)

• Do you care to be the layer of the bricks that seal your fate? Or would you rather be the architect of what we might create?
  • Architects

• What god would damn a heart? And what god tore us apart?
• Born free but still they hate, born me no I can't change.
• To much blood has flown from the wrist, of the children shamed for those they chose to kiss.
  • Make It Stop (September's Children)

• If we just took a step back, a bigger picture we might view, perhaps the man in the gutter is not so different from you.
  • Disparity By Design

• You can't truly love until you've given up on it.
• You have to cross the line just to remember where it lays.
  • Satellite

• The cowards preach from pedestals, with words like courage and resolve, what they meant was fuck them all, because freedom isn't free.
  • Survivor Guilt

• Some might say we've lost our way, but I believe we've not gone far enough.
  • A Gentleman's Coup

• Gone are the old guards, gone are the cold, cold wars, weightless we go forth, on wings of amnesty.
  • Endgame

Quotes from Rise Against's songs

• Suffering from something
  

We're not sure of
In a world
There is no cure for
These lives we live
Test negative for happiness
Flat line, no pulse, but eyes open
Single file like soldiers on a mission
If there's no war outside our heads
Why are we losing?

• • Excerpt from "Life Less Frightening" Track 3 from from their 4th CD called "The Siren Song of the Counter Culture"

• If love is a labor I'll slave till the end,
  

I won't cross these streets until you hold my hand....until you hold my hand

• • Excerpt from "Swing Life Away" Track 11 from their 4th CD called "The Siren Song of the Counter Culture"

• When I die, will they remember not
  

What I did, but what I haven't done?

• Excerpt from "Rumors Of My Demise Have Been Greatly Exaggerated" Track 11 from their 4th CD called "The Siren Song of the Counter Culture"

• We're setting the fires to light the way,
  

We're burning it all to begin again,
With hope in our hearts and bricks in our hands,
We sing for change

• • Excerpt from "Bricks" Track 4 from their 5th CD called "The Sufferer and the Witness"

• We've been battered so hard that we don't feel anymore
  • Excerpt from "Worth Dying For" Track 9 from their 5th CD called "The Sufferer and the Witness"

• We've all been sorry, (who we are) we've all been hurt
  

But how we survive, (who we are) is what makes us who we are

• • Excerpt from "Survive" Track 13 from their 5th CD called "The Sufferer and the Witness"

• Is it a night that lasts forever or a dawn that never comes?
  • Excerpt from "But Tonight We Dance" Bonus Track from their 5th CD called "The Sufferer and the Witness"

• When our rivers run dry and our crops cease to grow
  

When our summers grow longer and winters won't snow
From the banks of the ocean and the ice in the hills
To the fight in the desert where progress stands still
When we've lost our will (...)
When the air that we breathe becomes air that we choke
When the marsh fever spreads from the swamps to our homes
When your home on the range has been torn down and paved
And the buffalo roam to a slaughterhouse grave
What more will it take?

• • Excerpt from "Collapse" Track one from their 6th CD called "Appeal to Reason"

• But the heart reveals
  

What smiles betray
Your sad sad eyes gave you away

• • Excerpt from "The Strength To Go On" Track 7 from their 6th CD called "Appeal to Reason"

• All these screams emulate
  

Lives that no longer take place
Can this be what we've become?
Paper thin, overweight,
pills to arouse or sedate
Still we don't know what we want

• • Excerpt from "Elective Amnesia" iTunes Bonus Track of the CD called "Appeal to Reason"

External links

• Rise Against's official website
• Plyrics.com