Rats by Ghost Lyrics Meaning – Unmasking the Plague of Our Time
Lyrics
In times like these
Beliefs contagious
Spreading disease
This wretched mischief is now coursing through your souls
Never to let go, never to let go
Them rats (rats, rats, rats)
Into your sanctum
You let them in
Now all your loved ones
And all your kin
Will suffer punishments beneath the wrath of god
Never to forgive, never to forgive
Them rats (rats, rats, rats)
Ooh whoa
Rats (rats, rats, rats)
Ooh whoa
Rats (rats, rats, rats)
Ooh whoa
Rats (rats, rats, rats)
Ooh whoa
This devastation left your cities to be burnt
Never to return, never to return
Them filthy rodents are still coming for your souls
Never to let go, never to let go
Them rats (rats, rats, rats)
Ooh whoa
Rats (rats, rats, rats)
Ooh whoa
Rats (rats, rats, rats)
Ooh whoa
Rats (rats, rats, rats)
Ooh whoa
They’re still coming after you
(Ooh whoa)
And there’s nothing you can do
(Ooh whoa)
They’re still coming after you
(Ooh whoa)
And there’s nothing you can do
(Ooh whoa)
Rats (rats, rats, rats)
In the shadow of menacing melodies and theatrical bravado, Swedish rock band Ghost delivers a sardonic sermon with their track ‘Rats’. Peering through the guise of gothic symphony, ‘Rats’ is more than just a chilling rock anthem; it’s a biting commentary camouflaged within the pomp of hard-hitting riffs and satanic motifs.
Unraveling the lyrical labyrinth laid down by frontman Tobias Forge, beneath the surface rattles a metaphorical tale of corruption, societal decay, and the inescapable nature of ideological plagues. These themes are expertly woven into a tapestry that both haunts and critiques with a devilish grin.
Plague Bearer’s Prelude: The Onset of Chaos
The track opens amidst a backdrop reminiscent of times rendered chaotic, where society’s collective conscious is fertile ground for the seeds of dogma. ‘In times of turmoil, In times like these, beliefs contagious, spreading disease,’ Forge laments, starkly capturing the rapid dissemination of destructive ideologies.
It’s a sobering reflection of historical cycles, nearly prophetic, pointing fingers at current events—populist movements, viral misinformation, and the cult of personality—circulating like vermin within the walls of modern civilization.
Thriving Infestations and the Collapse of Sanctity
The song then ushers in a narrative of infiltration and consequence within one’s innermost sanctum. ‘Into your sanctum, You let them in,’ declares a warning of welcomed dangers, suggesting a self-inflicted descent into pandemonium.
The ‘rats’ symbolize unwelcome truths and horrors that, once admitted, ravage the homestead of our values. It’s a universal caution against the blind welcome of destructive forces—be they literal plagues, human fallibility, or the darker facets of religious and political zeal.
Decoding the Apocalyptic Liturgy: A Hidden Meaning
Beyond the literal interpretation of rodents as agents of decay, ‘Rats’ delves into a deeper allegory. The ‘rats’ metamorphose into personifications of sin and societal breakdown, ushering in a pseudo-biblical vengeance upon the masses.
In this sense, Ghost isn’t just spinning a horror-infused yarn; they’re chronicling the endgame of civilizations that capitulate to their base instincts, heralding a reckoning mirroring divine punishment. ‘Never to forgive, never to forgive,’ the lyrics repeat, a mantra echoing the inexorable weight of guilt and retribution.
Harbingers of Ruin: The Cities Burn
As ‘Rats’ progresses, so does the vivid imagery of destruction. ‘This devastation left your cities to be burnt,’ offers a stark visualization of chaos manifest, a cautionary portrait of what becomes of a society overrun by its own ‘rodents’.
It’s an apocalyptic vision shared by many cultural narratives, from the historical falls of empires to dystopian literature and film, serving as a reminder of the fragility of civilization’s constructs when faced with overwhelming corruption.
Lingering Echoes: Memorable Lines That Haunt
‘Them filthy rodents are still coming for your souls’ is a line that encapsulates the enduring presence of these metaphoric ‘rats’ in our world. It’s evocative, it’s chilling, and it firmly implants the inevitability of ideological perversion into the listener’s mind.
But it’s the repeated ‘never to let go’ that’s most haunting—a stark reminder that once malevolent forces take hold, whether they be sin, corruption, or falsehoods, their grip is unrelenting and tenaciously enduring. The song leaves us with the unease that, perhaps, the ‘rats’ have always been within us, scurrying through the dark recesses of human nature.
