Township Rebellion

Album: Rage Against The Machine (1992)
Play Video
  • Rebel, rebel and yell
    'Cause our people still dwell in hell
    Locked in a cell
    Yes, the structure's a cell
    Mad is the story I tell
    How long can we wait?
    Come on, seein' what's at stake
    Action for reaction
    If your mind's in a somewhat complacent state
    Get a check up
    This is a stick up
    Our freedom or your life
    Lord, I wish I could be peacful
    But there can be no sequel
    Now freedom must be fundamental
    In Johannesburg or South Central
    On the mic, 'cause someone should tell 'em
    To kick in the township rebellion

    Come on, ugh
    Yeah, what about that sucka

    Yeah, so you thought you could get with the hard rhymes
    That fill your mind
    Thoughts, battles fought
    And lessons taught
    Yes I'll display the fitness
    And flip like a gymnast
    Cause rhyme after rhyme
    And droppin' line after line
    Your locked in a test of the mind
    Your style is lagging behind, stuck in 89
    Yes I'm inclined, I'm wearing a blind
    come to get some in 91
    no freedom in the land of the free
    if ya see it then tell me
    Now freedom must be fundamental
    In Johannesburg or South Central
    On the mic, 'cause someone should tell 'em
    To kick in the township rebellion

    Why stand on a silent platform
    Fight the war, fuck the norm
    Why stand on a silent platform
    Fight the war, fuck the norm
    Why stand on a silent platform
    Fight the war, fuck the norm
    Why stand on a silent platform
    Fight the war, fuck the norm

    Why stand on a silent platform
    Fight the war, fuck the norm
    Why stand on a silent platform
    Fight the war, fuck the norm
    Why stand on a silent platform
    Fight the war, fuck the norm
    Why stand on a silent platform
    Fight the war, fuck the norm

    Ugh
    Come on

    When ignorance reigns, life is lost
    When ignorance reigns, life is lost
    Come on
    When ignorance reigns, life is lost

    Why stand on a silent platform
    Fight the war, fuck the norm
    Why stand on a silent platform
    Fight the war, fuck the norm
    Why stand on a silent platform
    Fight the war, fuck the norm
    Why stand on a silent platform
    Fight the war, fuck the norm Writer/s: Brad J. Wilk, Thomas B. Morello, Timothy Commerford, Zack M. De La Rocha
    Publisher: Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Wixen Music Publishing
    Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 6

  • Dog from SeattleBut there is a double meaning here. Those who persecuted Jesus were themselves too narrow minded to realize that he was their savior, so they killed him. They were focused on punishments, rules, their own righteousness, symbolized by the cross, a torture device, and therefore killed Jesus and all those purporting to be followers of Jesus for centuries.

    And then the final refrain changes the pronoun from "their" and now says "shackle YOUR mind when YOU'RE left on the cross" so now your own mental shackles, your unconscious biases, your deeply unconscious prejudices, your blindness results in your own self destruction.
  • Luke from Manchester, Uk"Shackle their minds when they're left on the cross"
    Religion makes people's minds close.
  • Marc from Rockanje, Netherlands@Eric, "shackle their minds" means something like trap their minds, I don't know what Zack means with "when they're are left on the cross".

    "when ignorance reigns, life is lost" means that when people get to ignorant some people will die.

    Great song, I'm listening it right now.
  • Eric from San Francisco, Cawhat does he mean "Shackle their minds when they're left on the cross. When ignorance reigns, life is lost"
  • Nick from , ScotlandI really like the fatness of the main riff
  • John Smith from Southington, CtI like Zack's big yell. That was pretty weird though.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Benny Mardones

Benny MardonesSongwriter Interviews

His song "Into The Night" is one of the most-played of all time. For Benny, it took him to hell and back.

Bob Daisley

Bob DaisleySongwriter Interviews

Bob was the bass player and lyricist for the first two Ozzy Osbourne albums. Here's how he wrote songs like "Crazy Train" and "Mr. Crowley" with Ozzy and Randy Rhoads.

Peter Lord

Peter LordSongwriter Interviews

You may not recognize his name, but you will certainly recognize Peter Lord's songs. He wrote the bevy of hits from Paula Abdul's second album, Spellbound.

Gavin Rossdale On Lyric Inspirations and Bush's Album The Kingdom

Gavin Rossdale On Lyric Inspirations and Bush's Album The KingdomSongwriter Interviews

The Bush frontman on where he finds inspiration for lyrics, if his "machine head" is a guitar tuner, and the stories behind songs from the album The Kingdom.

Spot The Real Red Hot Chili Peppers Song Titles

Spot The Real Red Hot Chili Peppers Song TitlesMusic Quiz

The Red Hot Chili Peppers have some rather unusual song titles - see if you can spot the real ones.

Hardy

HardySongwriter Interviews

The country hitmaker talks about his debut album, A Rock, and how a nursery rhyme inspired his hit single "One Beer."