Entropy

Song details

Bad Religion original
Yes
First released
1990
First release
Against The Grain (album)
Songwriter
Greg Graffin

Lyrics

Entropy

Random blobs of power expressed as that which we all disregard, Ordered states of nature on a scale that no one thinks about. Don't speak to me of anarchy of peace or calm revolt, Man, we're in a play of slow decay orchestrated by Boltzmann. It's entropy, it's not a human issue, Entropy, it's a matter of course. Entropy, energy at all levels, Entropy, from it you can not divorce. And your pathetic moans of suffrage tend to lose all significance. Extinction, degradation: The natural outcomes of our ordered lives. Power, motivation: Temporary fixtures for which we strive. Something in our synapses assures us we're ok, But in our disequilibrium we simply can not stay. It's entropy, it's not a human issue, Entropy, it's a matter of course. Entropy, energy at all levels, Entropy, from it you can not divorce. A stolid proposition from a man unkempt as I, My affectatious nature I can not rectify, But we are out of equilibrium unnaturally, A pang of consciousness of death And then you will agree. It's entropy. Entropy, it's a matter of course. Entropy, energy at all levels, Entropy, from it you can not divorce. Entropy, Entropy, Entropy, Entropy!

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44release versions
#136

136th most featured song

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Song Interpretations

What do you think this song is about? Share your interpretation and explain your reasoning.

4

dunk_the_punkJan 21, 2009 · edited Sep 7, 2010

Yeah, entropy is a scientific measure of 'disorder'. The ultimate, final outcome of the universe is known as 'the heat death', (assuming you go with the cosmological model that the universe will expand and eventually stop). The 'heat death' is when all the atoms in the universe have spread out so much that they can't interact with each other and have dissipated all of their vibrational energy. When the entire univers…

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Yeah, entropy is a scientific measure of 'disorder'. The ultimate, final outcome of the universe is known as 'the heat death', (assuming you go with the cosmological model that the universe will expand and eventually stop). The 'heat death' is when all the atoms in the universe have spread out so much that they can't interact with each other and have dissipated all of their vibrational energy. When the entire universe is at absolute zero temperature and no more atomic movement or interaction is possible. This is the theoretical, ultimate state of entropy.

All of our small, petty, human attempts to create order in 'our' world (a miniscule part of the universe) will ultimately amount to nothing. In a way we are fighting 'against the grain' of entropy in an ultimately fruitless attempt to order our reality. A fitting song for the album.
legacy memberJan 20, 2006 · edited Sep 7, 2010

Basically, this song says that there are forces beyond our control and that, while we try to control things and define life and such, the universe is slowly wearing out, things constantly die, decay, and end, and there's nothing we can do about it. It's somewhat fatalist, actually, because it's basically saying we won't live forever, nothing is permanent, and therefore everything pales in significance to the fact we…

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Basically, this song says that there are forces beyond our control and that, while we try to control things and define life and such, the universe is slowly wearing out, things constantly die, decay, and end, and there's nothing we can do about it. It's somewhat fatalist, actually, because it's basically saying we won't live forever, nothing is permanent, and therefore everything pales in significance to the fact we're slowly decaying each second, whether this is chosen to be acknowledged or not.
legacy memberNov 6, 2004 · edited Sep 7, 2010
These lyrics emphasis the absurdity of life as we strive for order and significance without regard to the natural forces of the universe.
simianJul 13, 2004 · edited Sep 7, 2010

Entropy is a pretty simple song on one level. It's about the second law of thermodynamics, which states that energy is lost from a mechanical (or chemical) system in each reaction or movement. To put it another way, disorder is always increasing. "Don't speak to me of anarchy or peace or calm revolt man" Greg is emphasizing that regardless of how optimistic you are about the future for humanity, you have to acknowl…

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Entropy is a pretty simple song on one level. It's about the second law of thermodynamics, which states that energy is lost from a mechanical (or chemical) system in each reaction or movement. To put it another way, disorder is always increasing.

"Don't speak to me of anarchy or peace or calm revolt man"

Greg is emphasizing that regardless of how optimistic you are about the future for humanity, you have to acknowledge that eventually we're going to be dead and gone. Entropy affects all systems, which is what's meant by "it's not a human issue."

Ludwig Boltzmann was an Austrian physicist who invented statistical mechanics, and came up with the formula for entropy (S). He committed suicide in 1906 because the scientific establishment was harshly critical of his work.