Prayer Of The Refugee by Rise Against

Album: The Sufferer & The Witness (2006)

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Songfacts®:

This song tells the story of an immigrant or refugee trying to make ends meet in America. He faces frequent discrimination at the hands of the people and government.

Tim McIlrath, the lead singer and lyricist in Rise Against, told Songfacts: "'Prayer Of The Refugee' was talking about displacement that we experience, whether it's a physical displacement, or even an emotional displacement. Having to move on from one place in your life to the next place in your life.

In some ways, that song is referencing something literal: the idea of actually being not in a place you call home. But in a lot of ways, that song is more metaphorical in talking about being alienated from a community or from yourself even, almost like a more emotional take on the concept."
This was the second single from The Suffer & The Witness album, following "Ready To Fall." By this time, Rise Against had risen to Warped Tour headliners and their albums were going Gold. What was important to the band was reaching a wider audience with their message, a mission they accomplished.
The music video takes a swipe at consumer culture, with the band causing all kinds of mayhem in some kind of superstore. It was directed by Tony Petrossian, who has shot a lot of commercials.

Comments: 16

Warpigs from FlThis song is about the discrimination and displacement that immigrants endure arriving to a new country. Or just the displacement and uncertainty that anyone can feel moving into a new, maybe hostile environment.
The music video however, is about how consumerism negatively impacts people living in the 3rd world countries making the goods for America.

I don't know why they made the song and music video themes different, perhaps they wanted to bring awareness to the music video's theme that the song lyrics cannot.
Brooke from Brisbane, AustraliaGreat song!
Blast from ParisDo you know about the dependency theory in international relations? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dependency_theory
It's about how the US and other developed (mainly) northern countries make a profit from the southern countries throught market. Actually some ideas say, that the poor countries could do a lot better without the so-called help of the northern countries, I can't help but think about it when I hear "I can stand my own ground, I don't need your help now, you will let me down."
Of course, the problem is a lot more complex in these states, but I'm sure that neither US nor the European countries don't do their best to help in this situation.
Narassa from Colorado Springs, CoThis song may not be "About" but definitely does touch on the topic of Human Trafficking. Rise Against is a band whom among very few people stand against Human Trafficking. In the video, there are video clippings of shoes, boxes of chocolate, and coffee beans. That's because coffee and chocolate is one of the top industries for human trafficking. The band wants to raise awareness and stand against it because it is wrong all around. The refugee is the one being held prisoner and was human trafficked and the prayer is to get out and be saved.
Erik from Brownwood, Txthe song is about fair trade... it says so at the end of the vid... its not about hurricane katrina... they prob did send proceeds to victems tho. and there is no refrence to immigrants being slaves to america, or anything about the holocaust.
Mike from Toronto, OnTim (Rise Against vocalist) never sings "you will let me down" in this song. It is always "you won't let me down". So the lyrics on this site are wrong. Perhaps the booklet that came with the album should have been consulted!
Mike from Toronto, OnThis song is about every country that the U.S. has decided to "help" through military occupation. "You won't let me down" is like a controlling father who doesn't know when to allow his child to grow up. I believe the video and real meaning of the lyrics are separate entities altogether. A video that matched the true meaning of the song would be banned in the States.
Thomas from Colorado Springs Co., CoI belive this song is about how america is supposed to be "independent" (the store was All american) and yet we have other countries supporting us. And it shows how 3rd world countries use child labor and how we take credit by putting MADE IN THE U.S.A
Arthur from Houston, TxThis song was written about the victims of Hurricane Katrina. The also donated the profits from the single to this cause.
Dick from San Francisco, Cawhen i first heard it, i thought it was about fleeing from genocide (such as the holocoust), but the video is about child labor in 3rd world countries.
Emma from Christchurch, New Zealandthis song is about american consumerism and its impact on the outside world, and the video shows children and slave labour being used to create goods to export and then they slap a "made in america" sticker on it and claim that they are made in american when no american made them
Aaron from Charleston, Scyea im thinking Holocaust
but still its a great song by far their best song
Shayne from Lynchburg, Va"Broken windows and ashes Are guiding the way." Holocaust reference perhaps?
Trent from Binghamton, Nyi like this song alot, it's a really good song
Bob from Hippy, Cothis song is the best rise against song ever written. its flippin awesome!!!
David from Huntginton, InIn the music video, they say this song is about how the price of goods does not always equal the price of the lives to make them. (Child labor, cheap foreign labor)

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