Lyrically Speaking for May 11th

Good Sunday to everyone! This week, Lyrically Speaking makes a comeback with a song that's been almost a daily-listen for me. Sometimes you take a chance on a band based on a song you hear on the radio. In my case, this is with the band Linkin Park.

Now to say that I really don't like them, would be an understatement. I've never really 'gotten' their music and felt they were too much of a sell-out. I heard the song "Shadow of the Day" on the radio because my iPod adaptor broke and it was all I had when driving into work. I didn't know it was Linkin Park and was surprised to hear they had a new sound. This was enough for me to give their new album a try. Sure enough, there's some good stuff on there.

One song in particular is very inspiring and is also political. The lyrics are obvious and I must say that the song is effective in generating emotions as I listen. I think that the words are powerful and reflective of the current state of America. The melody and light-rapping style make this even more powerful.

From Linkin Park, this is Hands Held High:

Turn my mike up louder I got to say something Light weights step to the side when we come in

Feel it in your chest the syllables get pumping People on the street they panic and start running

Words on loose leaf sheet complete coming I jump in my mind and summon the rhyme, I'm dumping

Healing the blind I promise to let the sun in Sick of the dark ways we march to the drum and

Jump when they tell us that they wanna see jumping Fuck that I wanna see some fists pumping

Risk something, take back what's yours Say something that you know they might attack you for

Cause I'm sick of being treated like I have before Like it's stupid standing for what I'm standing for

Like this war's really just a different brand of war Like it doesn't cater the rich and abandon poor

Like they understand you in the back of the jet When you can't put gas in your tank

These fuckers are laughing their way to the bank and cashing the cheque Asking you to have compassion and have some respect

For a leader so nervous in an obvious way Stuttering and mumbling for nightly news to replay

And the rest of the world watching at the end of the day In their living room laughing like "what did he say?"

[Chorus:] Amen Amen Amen Amen Amen

In my living room watching but I am not laughing Cause when it gets tense I know what might happen

World is cold the bold men take action Have to react or get blown into fractions

Ten years old it's something to see Another kid my age drugged under a jeep

Taken and bound and found later under a tree I wonder if he had thought the next one could be me

Do you see the soldiers they're out today They brush the dust from bullet proof vests away

It's ironic at times like this you pray But a bomb blew the mosque up yesterday

There's bombs in the buses, bikes, roads Inside your market, your shops, your clothes

My dad he's got a lot of fear I know But enough pride inside not to let that show

My brother had a book he would hold with pride A little red cover with a broken spine

On the back, he hand-wrote a quote inside When the rich wage war it's the poor who die

Meanwhile, the leader just talks away Stuttering and mumbling for nightly news to replay

And the rest of the world watching at the end of the day both scared and angry like "what did he say?"

[Chorus x6]

[x6] With hands held high into the sky so blue, As the ocean opens up to swallow you.

This article was updated on October 21, 2024