(i posted this in the pub and never got any responses)
Alright, ive posted about this here before and received staunch criticism:
"Rend It"
Why don't you come to my house Why don't you drag me right out Past all the shit that i said i'm saying Why don't you cut up my mouth And i don't care what you use Just don't ask me to choose I forced a field to allow you That's not so easy to do I said I said what I said I want you to help me Surrender rend it it's yours Out in the open We're wide open Night light comes into my room Some shade of bruise-colored blue Moves through my mind like a chemical Imbalance on schedule My tasting face to the floor Passive abject i'm sure I lick my lips when I need it Don't want to lick them no more My love song went wrong
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Ian Mackaye obviously is known from his minor threat days as the creator of "straight edge" and created its original symbology by marking X's on kids hands at all ages shows held in liscensed venues. The song itself is pretty militant at the time (at the time) as he was watching his friends and his scene get fucked up.. or the circle jerks type "live fast, die young" brand punk - Hardcore (minorthreat) was a new avenue of expression, and a gateway for a healthier more proactive lifestyle "straightedge" measured Ian's distaste with the previous attempts at punk revolution/salvation...
I feel this is not to be taken literally, the word and the movement "straightedge" long ago lost all meaning and turned into an elitist clique of militant SXE hardcore kids with elitist attitudes. The x has turned into brass knuckles and switchblade tattoo's.
REND IT - (sung by gui of Embrace) is a call out to the past and the future. The lyrics are easy to dissect..
the first 4 lines:
Why don't you come to my house Why don't you drag me right out Past all the shit that i said i'm saying Why don't you cut up my mouth
are a call out to the new movement holding *them* to a false standard.
the next 4:
i don't care what you use Just don't ask me to choose I forced a field to allow you That's not so easy to do
Is a plea saying "i solved my shit, solve yours. I have no opinion on your lifestyle NOW, its yours!" its not so easy to do, i was singing about me, not writing a bible for you.
the next 2:
I said I said what I said I want you to help me Surrender rend it it's yours
Obviously i said what i said in 84.. 9 years have past, i say it no more. Do what you do, its all you.
and 2 more:
Out in the open We're wide open
The truth is out. Wont let the past hold us to a standard.
The next 6 are curious:
Night light comes into my room Some shade of bruise-colored blue Moves through my mind like a chemical Imbalance on schedule My tasting face to the floor Passive abject i'm sure
To me, this is a pretty clear passage about consuming psilocybe mushrooms, notice the reference to "light" "bruise colored blue" "moves through my mind like a chemical"... and you see where its going..
finally 2 more:
I lick my lips when I need it Don't want to lick them no more
I saved myself when i was vulnerable. Im ok, and your ok. Its int he past..
and finally last line:
My love song went wrong Speaks for itself.
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As i mentioned this song is sung by Gui and more than likely written by him. his lyrics are often introspective, poetic and open to interpretation.. Embrace (his original claim to fame) was one of the original outspoken EMO bands im the early 80's, very progressive..
Many people speculate of his enhanced and progressive mindset and possible use of "drugs".
Rend it - end it..
Of off of Fugazi - in on the kill taker...
Open up the the case and remove the cd and you will see "i will not lie" hand written (supposedly from a dumpsterdived journal of a mentally unstable person) .. did they write it, or did they find it? Why did they include it... For a band with such content i cant turn a blind eye to it.
Anyways, you be the judge.
-------------------- GO OUTSIDE.
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