Burn It Down by AWOLNATION Lyrics Meaning – Unraveling the Anthem of Rebellion
Lyrics
And if you need a little heat in your face, that’s what I’m here for
If you’re chilling in the dark and you’re looking through a telescope, woo
You will see me sipping on a soul of a new hope, woo
So burn it down, burn it down (burn it down)
So burn it down, burn it down (burn it down, yeah)
So burn it down (burn it down, baby, burn it, burn it down)
Burn it down (burn it down, baby, burn it, burn it down)
Burn it down (burn it down, baby, burn it, burn it down)
Burn it down (burn it down, baby, burn it, burn it down)
Huh, come on, yeah
If you’re feeling like I feel, throw your fist to the ceiling
Some people call it crazy, well, I call it healing
If you need love, turn around, do the helicopter
If you’re sick, baby girl, I would love to be your doctor (wah)
So burn it down, burn it down (burn it down)
So burn it down, burn it down (burn it down, yeah)
So burn it down (burn it down, baby, burn it, burn it down)
Burn it down (burn it down, baby, burn it, burn it down)
Burn it down (burn it down, baby, burn it, burn it down)
Burn it down (burn it down, baby, burn it, burn it down)
So burn it down
Woo, ha, oh (oh)
Woo, ha
Looking through a window made of time (woo, ha)
Would you have the courage not to lie? (Woo, ha)
Looking down the barrel of today (woo, ha)
Would that make you turn around and stay (woo, ha)
Looking through a window made of time (woo, ha)
Would you have the courage not to lie? (Wah)
Down, burn it down
Hey, burn it down
Burn it down
So burn it down (burn it down, baby, burn it, burn it down)
Burn it down (burn it down, baby, burn it, burn it down, mother-)
Burn it down (burn it down, baby, burn it, burn it down)
Burn it down (burn it down, baby, burn it, burn it down)
Burn it down, burn it down
So burn it down, burn it down, yeah
So burn it down (burn it down, baby, burn it, burn it down)
Burn it down (burn it down, baby, burn it, burn it down)
Burn it down (burn it down, baby, burn it, burn it down)
Burn it down (burn it down, baby, burn it, burn it down)
So burn it down
In the cavalcade of anthems for the disenchanted, AWOLNATION’s ‘Burn It Down’ reigns with a ferocious energy that can ignite the dormant rebel in us all. With its gritty electronic beats and fervent vocals, the track has etched itself into the psyche of those yearning for a spark, a reason to cast off the chains of the status quo. Viewed not just as a song but as a rallying cry, ‘Burn It Down’ encapsulates the essence of revolt against the inner and outer forces that constrain human spirit and creativity.
But the inferno of ‘Burn It Down’ is not solely one of destruction; it is a sophisticated mosaic of liberation, personal evolution, and introspection. It speaks to the phoenix within, rousing listeners to contemplate the ashes from which they can rise anew. This examination of the track’s lyrics reveals layers of meaning far deeper than may first appear, placing the track not just in the realm of musical artistry, but also of philosophical conversation.
The Dance Floor Manifesto
The song begins with a call to align one’s life with the ferocity and unpredictability of a dance floor. This is a summons to the innermost desires that compel us to move, to feel alive—suggesting that life itself is a dance of fiery ambitions. It’s not just a metaphor for living with gusto; it’s an instruction for embracing life’s chaos as one would embrace a partner in a dance, leading and following with equal passion.
The dance floor here becomes a symbol for liberation, for shrugging off conventionality and exhibiting one’s true self unapologetically. The ‘heat in your face’ is not just the warmth of proximity; it is the intense glow of radical self-expression and self-acceptance that radiates from within when one finally decides to live without restraints.
Through the Telescope: A Gaze into the Abyss
Chilling in the darkness with a telescope is a vivid image that suggests a search for something beyond our immediate perception. The ‘soul of a new hope’ that the narrator sips on indicates a deliberate consumption of a future that is different from the present—a future that is crafted through transformation. The telescope becomes a powerful tool for introspection and for looking beyond the surface to what could be.
These lines serve to remind us that the search for change often begins in the dark, in the solitary spaces where one is left alone with their thoughts, dreams, and aspirations. The song nudges the listener to find solace and motivation in the possibility of renewal, even when the night is most opaque.
An Elixir Called Rebellion: Decoding the Chorus
The repetition of ‘burn it down’ in the chorus is a potent incantation, an elixir for the soul that grows fatigued with the inertia of existence. It’s a command to incinerate the old ways, the obsolete structures that have lost their usefulness. Yet, it’s more than just physical demolition; it’s a metaphorical blaze that purges the past and warms the seeds of new beginnings.
In the context of the song, burning it down is to refuse to be static, to reject the status quo, and to light up the path for a new trek towards personal truth and authenticity. The duality of destruction and creation in the song’s refrain serves as a poignant reminder that often, before we can build or grow, we must first clear the ground of the debris of what was.
Finding Healing in Havoc: Memorable Lines Explored
AWOLNATION articulates a paradox in the lines ‘Some people call it crazy, well, I call it healing.’ This tackles the subjective nature of sanity and normalcy. What wreaks havoc to some is therapy to others. The act of throwing a fist to the ceiling is both a physical release and a symbolic breaking through an invisible barrier that confines.
In a technicolor whirl of ‘doing the helicopter’ or seeking the love of a metaphorical ‘doctor,’ the song flirts with the idea that healing is not found in the conventional quietude but in the whirlwind of actions that might seem unconventional or even outrageous. It is a celebration of what heals the individual, regardless of how it is perceived by the masses.
The Hidden Meaning: Time’s Window and the Courage to Stay
The imagery of ‘looking through a window made of time’ late in the song serves as an existential puzzle. Time, often portrayed as a relentless current sweeping us forward, is paused here to propose moments of reflection. The courage ‘not to lie’ is not just about honesty with others, but a deeper and often harder self-honesty that requires acknowledging one’s own reflection—with all its imperfections and potential for change.
When confronted with ‘the barrel of today,’ the decision to ‘turn around and stay’ is one fraught with gravity. It’s an invitation to take charge of the present, to face down the daunting tasks of today rather than deferring them into an elusive future. The song thus encodes a hidden meaning—a call to action not tomorrow, not in some distant scenario, but in the immediate, tangible now.
