Tone & Attitude

The following song called "Savior," performed by the band Rise Against, was written by vocalist, Tim Mcllarth. I chose this song after I heard my boyfriend listening to it. The music and beat really got my attention and I decided to research the lyrics and I found them to be quite interesting. I think the writer of this song put a lot of emotion into the lyrics, and I would like to analyze them as a reader.

"Savior" by Rise Against

Lyrics:

It kills me not to know this but I've all but just forgotten
What the color of her eyes were and her scars or how she got them
As the telling signs of age rain down a single tear is dropping
Through the valleys of an aging face that this world has forgotten
There is no reconciliation that will put me in my place
And there is no time like the present to drink these draining seconds
But seldom do these words ring true when I'm constantly failing you
Like walls that we just can't break through until we disappear

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 to the questions that you still have

But the day pressed on like crushing weights
For no man does it ever wait
Like memories of dying days
That deafen us like hurricanes
Bathed in flames we held the brand
Uncurled the fingers in your hand
Pressed into the flesh like sand
Now do you understand?

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 to the questions that you still have

1000 miles away
There's nothing left to say
But so much left that I don't know
We never had a choice
This world is too much noise
It takes me under
It takes me under once again
I don't hate you
I don't hate you

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 to the questions that you still have

I don't hate you
I don't hate you, no

Lyrical Analysis:

Writers of lyrics are similar to any other writers with the small difference that they prefer their words to be heard by singing, rather than shown by reading.

Let's take a glance at the beginning verse. He starts off by talking about his forgetfulness of everything about the girl. He starts to realize his ignorance of her ageing. The older she gets and the more time is spent causing her to cry in the following verses: "As the telling signs of age rain down a single tear is dropping
Through the valleys of an aging face that this world has forgotten." As the verse continues, he describes that the reason for her tears are due to his "constant failing." He reveals a drinking problem to help time go by faster because there are issues between them that he cannot conquer.

This first verse we see repetition of the word, "forgotten" to show that he is obviously quite forgetful of things that matter.

He continues throughout the lyrics to explain to us the anguish he goes through just being around her. He describes things that are very painful in the second verse such as "Bathed in flames we held the brand." Even though, he may be in pain of the relationship, the girl he is with believes she is able to rid him of his pain. She wants to be his "Savior." Particularly in the chorus, we are brought to the writer's main thoughts in the rhetorical question of "if this ain't love, how do we get out?" This girl is obviously in love and stays with him because she wants to "save" him, even when he doesn't believe there is any hope for him to be saved.

There are metaphors present when he says "But i'm not the answer to the questions that you still have," "But the day pressed on like crushing weights," and "This world is too much noise."

A simile we see is "Pressed into the flesh like sand." Also some personification in the lines "They deafen us like hurricanes"

After many of these details and stylistic devices, we see one last rhetorical question other than the one in the chrous, that asks, "Now do you understand?" What we as "listeners" are asking ourselves is "Was he asking me or the girl in the song?"

Through all his pain and agony of being stuck with this girl, who wants to be his "Savior," he comes to a contradicting conclusion. The last two verses he realizes how he is unable to grasp reality and the world, and that he really does need help. Mostly in this last verse we see that even if he does not love her in the same way that she loves him, he doesn't hate her because he realizes she is right in saying he needs to be saved.

"This world is too much noise
It takes me under
It takes me under once again
I don't hate you
I don't hate you"

Here we see repetition of the lines "I don't hate you," which is also repeated at the very end of the song; therefore, we know it is significant either because he really wants the girl to know or because he is trying to convince himself that he doesn't hate her.

The writer's tone and attitude change throughout the song. It begins with feelings of dread in his relationship and a realization of his drinking problem, but ends with feelings of remorse and sorrow.

The word "Savior" is not only the title, but holds the most power and is a dominant in throughout the song.

Sometimes writers of songs try to make their lyrics almost like a story. There is repetition so that the listener of the song understands; however, there is a story line within every song that a reader can understand the writer's language of music.

The actual music video of this song may be viewed at the following link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8X3ACToii0

-Amanda Bonbrisco