Musical Memoirs: Episode 9 - I Will not Bow

For Justin.  Thanks for the Dare, dude!

This week's Musical Memoir is "I Will Not Bow" by Breaking Benjamin.  This was actually the first time (that I remember) I've heard this song.  So here goes...



"Fall

Now the dark begins to rise
Save your breath, it's far from over
Leave the lost and dead behind
Now's your chance to run for cover

I don't want to change the world
I just want to leave it colder
Light the fuse and burn it up
Take the path that leads to nowhere

All is lost again
But I'm not giving in

I will not bow, I will not break
I will shove the world away
I will not fall, I will not fade
I will take your breath away

Fall

Watch the end from dying eyes
Now the dark is taking over
Show me where forever dies
Take the fall and run to heaven

All is lost again
But I'm not giving in

I will not bow, I will not break
I will shove the world away
I will not fall, I will not fade
I will take your breath away

And I'll survive paranoid
I have lost the will to change
And I am not proud, cold blooded, fake
I will shove the world away

I will not bow, I will not break
I will shove the world away
I will not fall, I will not fade
I will take your breath away

And I'll survive, paranoid
I have lost the will to change
And I am not proud, cold blooded, fake
I will shove the world away

Fall"

I'd like to start off by saying that it would seem that this song was written in dedication to the 9/11 tragedy, but that's just judging by the viewing of the YouTube video above.

"Now the dark begins to rise
Save your breath, it's far from over
Leave the lost and dead behind
Now's your chance to run for cover"

To me, this fits in very well with the idea of the aforementioned tragedy and the events that occurred on that day.  The smoke could be seen for miles, and obviously, people would have needed to hold their breath for fear of breathing in toxic gases etc.  But the thing that really struck me about this portion of the first verse was "Leave the lost and dead behind".  To some, it would seem so callous... and I have to say that if I were in that rubble, I don't think I would've been able to... not without a lot of guilt.  Yet in that situation, it is what had to have been done.  Get out and go for help.  Get out and live the lives the rest no longer have the chance to experience.

"I don't want to change the world
I just want to leave it colder
Light the fuse and burn it up
Take the path that leads to nowhere"

At first glance, I had to wonder, "Why would anyone say they didn't want to change the world...?" but having thought about it, I think I understand.  We are each just a small fraction of the changes to take place within our world.  It's too big...  None of us can truly change the world as a whole, and I'd like to think that this is a very realistic admittal of that fact.  I'd like to think the author of the lyrics has some foresight to see that the world is not what it should be at all.  That it is not at all what it was intended to be...  So the author is frustrated and just wants to "burn it up" and then "take the path that leads to nowhere" just to get away from it all.  Recreate the surroundings, I guess.

"Watch the end from dying eyes
Now the dark is taking over
Show me where forever dies
Take the fall and run to heaven"

I think no explanation is truly necessary for this portion.  Aside from that it gives a very precise picture of what it is like to be cut off at a time when you thought life was just beginning.  Imagine that.  Picture it in your mind.  You'll be a better person for it.

"And I'll survive paranoid
I have lost the will to change
And I am not proud, cold blooded, fake
I will shove the world away"

Wow.  That's all I have to say.  Just wow.  This country truly is paranoid after the attacks... and I'm not saying that is entirely a bad thing, but neither is it good.  "And I am not proud, cold blooded, fake," to me says that the world may not be the place it is meant to be... and so those of us who can see that so clearly tend to burn the bridges in our lives.  Sometimes without thinking.  This makes us cold blooded and fake to the rest of the world because they may not understand exactly what we see.  We end up shoving the world away... without truly meaning or wanting to do so...

But there is hope... the hope is found within the chorus of the song...  We will not bow, break, or fall.  We simply live.  Therein lies the triumph.

I look forward to the comments.