Daniel HillAt long last, the musical and political luminaries that comprise Nickelback have written a song inspired by the protests and unrest in Ferguson. We waited with bated breath as events unfolded in the St. Louis suburb, lacking direction in a world seemingly gone mad. But without guidance from the 'Back (I like to call 'em “the 'Back”), we onlookers bumbled about, unsure where to turn.
But no more.
]
In an interview with extremely relevant site Yahoo! Music from earlier this month, the extremely relevant Chad Kroeger, Nickelback frontman, discussed the track “Edge of a Revolution” from the band's latest album, No Fixed Address, released last week on Republic Records. Within the Live Nation-sponsored blog post, between questions about Kroeger's wife Avril Lavigne and Judas Priest's Rob Halford, music journalist Jon Wiederhorn asked about the track. The exchange went as follows:
Wiederhorn: Another new thing on No Fixed Address is you've written what might be your most poignant political song, “Edge of a Revolution.” What motivated you to go that route?
Kroeger: I don't know if North America is on the edge of a revolution, but I wanted it to feel that way in the song, since it feels that way in so many other parts of the world. You turn on CNN and it's like, “Wow!” We'd have it on for 15 minutes and we'd have to shut it off because it was so depressing. The state of affairs in the world these days is so dismal. And I think that's where the song definitely came from. While we were working, the [shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri] was a major story and there was rioting like crazy. So it definitely felt like the seeds of revolution were being planted.
Turning on CNN is like “Wow!” Mr. Kroeger. Very astute political analysis. Surely the song itself is of similar depth. Let's have ourselves a listen and a look at the lyrics:
[
“Edge of a Revolution”
Head high, protest line
“Freedom” scribbled on your sign
Headline, New York Times
Standing on the edge of a revolutionHey, hey, just obey.
Your secret's safe with the NSA
In God we trust or the CIA?
Standing on the edge of a revolutionYeah, we're standing on the edge of a revolution
Revolution, revolution, revolutionNo, we won't give up, we won't go away
'Cause we're not about to live in this mass delusion
No, we don't wanna hear another word you say
'Cause we know they're all depending on mass confusion
No, we can't turn back, we can't turn away
'Cause it's time we all relied on the last solution
No, we won't lay down and accept this fate
'Cause we're standing on the edge of a revolutionWall Street, common thief
When they get caught they all go free
A brand-new yacht and a finder's fee
Standing on the edge of a revolutionSame shit, different day
Can't keep fed if I can't get paid
We'll all be dead if the shit don't change
Standing on the edge of a revolutionYeah, we're standing on the edge of a revolution
Revolution, revolution, revolutionNo, we won't give up, we won't go away
'Cause we're not about to live in this mass delusion
No, we don't wanna hear another word you say
'Cause we know they're all depending on mass confusion
No, we can't turn back, we can't turn away
'Cause it's time we all relied on the last solution
No, we won't lay down and accept this fate
'Cause we're standing on the edge of a revolutionWe'll all be dead if this shit don't change
Hey hey hey heyWhat do we want? We want the change
And how're we gonna get there? Revolution
What do we want? We want the change
Standing on the edge of a revolution
So, what you're saying is, uh…is that, uh….Wall Street…and, uh, the CIA…and….
Hmmmm.
Well, hell, this shit is clearly over my head — this is why visionaries like Kroeger and Co. make the big bucks, I suppose. Fittingly, the song is the official theme for this year's WWE Survivor Series event. The WWE is exactly the place this track belongs.
And lucky for all of us, the 'Back won't be putting away the politics anytime soon. Well, maybe. Kroeger tells Yahoo! that he generally doesn't have any idea what he is going to say or sing or write about before it just comes spilling out of his face — who'd have thunk it?
Wiederhorn: Do you think you'll address more political content in the future?
Kroeger: Y'know, I'm just as surprised as anybody else when something comes out of my mouth. I get to hear it for the first time, too. I think other people actually think about the things that they say. And with songwriting, it's the same way. It's just kind of happens. It comes out that way. There's no agenda. There's no “Let's plan this. Let's plot this. Let's see where this will take us.” And for that song that line just came out. Then I said, “What if we wrote a song called 'Standing on the Edge of a Revolution'?”
Like the great Gil Scott-Heron said: “The revolution will not be planned for or thought out at all whatsoever.” Or something like that.
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