Sorrow

legacy memberNov 3, 2014

I also had a question: are they saying hurting, or herding, ground? I've seen both listed as lyrics, and while I'm inclined to think hurting, I think herding could make sense too, especially considering the next line "where all good men are trampled down." Herding ground could be the world, if we're all seen as "sheep," which wouldn't be so much a literal interpretation as the idea that, in God's eyes, we are insig…

Read moreRead less

I also had a question: are they saying hurting, or herding, ground? I've seen both listed as lyrics, and while I'm inclined to think hurting, I think herding could make sense too, especially considering the next line "where all good men are trampled down." Herding ground could be the world, if we're all seen as "sheep," which wouldn't be so much a literal interpretation as the idea that, in God's eyes, we are insignificant. And men, like sheep, are trampled down by God or His plans and all the sorrows..

legacy memberNov 3, 2014

The song is specifically referencing the Book of Job- God and Satan (a prideful father and his son) wager whether a righteous man (Job) will remain so once everything has been taken from him. So God takes everything away, and initially Job does question God and curse the day he was born- so that's where the first stanza comes from, though it can also be applied to anyone who is crying out to God for an explanation.…

Read moreRead less

The song is specifically referencing the Book of Job- God and Satan (a prideful father and his son) wager whether a righteous man (Job) will remain so once everything has been taken from him. So God takes everything away, and initially Job does question God and curse the day he was born- so that's where the first stanza comes from, though it can also be applied to anyone who is crying out to God for an explanation. (The father and son can also be read as a nod to Bush Jr. and Sr.- I read the band really hates Jr. especially.)

The next stanza, after the chorus ("when all sodiers...") gives these extreme examples of what would have to happen for there to be no more sorrow- no war, no governments corrupted by the pursuit of power, and the arrival of a divine deity. By having such a high standard for when there will "be sorrow no more," we're giving ourselves an excuse to continue to live with it.

The line "It's easy to imagine" is acknowledging that it isn't hard to understand why religion exists and why people want to believe. It's just human nature to wish for the end of our suffering, and religion serves two purposes: puts the blame elsewhere, on God and his "greater design," and gives hope without necessitating action or change. It removes human culpability.

He's satirizing religion, and those who believe that the solution to all the problems of this world lie passive belief, rather than active change. He expresses incredulity at the story of Job, seeming to say that this isn't the way a benevolent God would act, intentionally bringing suffering on to one of his most devoted followers. This specific story gives specificity to the overall theme, which seems to say, "hey, let's take a closer look here, because something just isn't adding up..."

GeorgeJan 1, 2013

To me, the line that sticks out the most in this song is, "It's easy to imagine." It shows that song is not simply hoping for the sorrow to end, but he is aware that it will never happen. Instead, the song is a fictitious expression of how amazing the world would be if there were no sorrow.

legacy memberFeb 7, 2008 · edited Sep 3, 2010

The song is about the seemingly endless sorrow of humanity and how it would cease if all of these conditions were met, alas, the conditions never have been and never will be met. If it's not one thing it's another.

legacy memberMay 20, 2007 · edited Sep 3, 2010

I tend to see the line "When the only true messiah rescues us from ourselves" as the thought that mankind might evolve to a degree where we overcome our own animal nature and not only strive to do what we think is right but in which we actually do it without falling victim to our instincts such as self-righteousness, greed and violence. Whatever creating force there is might do is the favor to end our status quo in w…

Read moreRead less

I tend to see the line "When the only true messiah rescues us from ourselves" as the thought that mankind might evolve to a degree where we overcome our own animal nature and not only strive to do what we think is right but in which we actually do it without falling victim to our instincts such as self-righteousness, greed and violence. Whatever creating force there is might do is the favor to end our status quo in which we aren't animals anymore but not yet what we call "humans". None of these hereditary vices are necessary but our genome does not take account of our cultural acquirements yet - we are programmed to fit a volatile environment and to be each other's enemy. Once our DNA quits that sort of crap and lets us see the world the way it is we have a good chance of persisting and eliminating sorrow. Maybe that's a thought that also came to BR's minds when writing this wonderful song. I like to think that I am not the only one striving for being better than I actually am.

legacy memberApr 22, 2007 · edited Sep 3, 2010

I didn't know that the song was inspired by the book of Job. I always thought that it is about relations of God with His children - people of the world. And if there is God, he might be blind and deaf. Or why He let so terrible things to happen? And all evil in the world is made by people themselves.

legacy memberOct 1, 2006 · edited Sep 3, 2010

Whether intended or not, i think the line "Just to settle a bet that could not be won/between a prideful father and his son" could refer to George Bush and George W. Bush, where the "hurting ground" could be Iraq.

legacy memberJul 17, 2004 · edited Sep 3, 2010

This song has nothing to do with God coming down and disturbing the human race. Bad Religion is trying to send a message that if everyone were come together in unity and peace most of the world's sorrow will end. But that's never going to happen because there is just too much hate in this world. They are also saying if all military forces around the world will just give up and stop the fighting sorrow will come to an…

Read moreRead less

This song has nothing to do with God coming down and disturbing the human race. Bad Religion is trying to send a message that if everyone were come together in unity and peace most of the world's sorrow will end. But that's never going to happen because there is just too much hate in this world. They are also saying if all military forces around the world will just give up and stop the fighting sorrow will come to an end. But none of these things will ever come true, the reason is pain, all humans have to live with pain. We humans are uncontrollable; people are going to do what they want to do. The only way you can change a human's opinion is to touch their hearts, not there mind.

legacy memberJul 17, 2004 · edited Sep 3, 2010

While Brett makes it clear that this song is a reference to the book of Job (and the beginning lyrics make this quite obvious: "I curse the day that I was born," [Job 3:1-3]; "Just to settle a bet that could not be won between a prideful Father and His son," [i.e., God and Satan/Lucifer), it really transcends the poetry of Job to mankind's plight as a whole. In short, it is the problem of theodicy. "Let me take yo…

Read moreRead less

While Brett makes it clear that this song is a reference to the book of Job (and the beginning lyrics make this quite obvious: "I curse the day that I was born," [Job 3:1-3]; "Just to settle a bet that could not be won between a prideful Father and His son," [i.e., God and Satan/Lucifer), it really transcends the poetry of Job to mankind's plight as a whole.

In short, it is the problem of theodicy. "Let me take you to the hurting ground where all good men are trampled down," the verse preceding the betting allegory, implies that all suffering is the extenuation of the pride of God in relation to his creation, at least from a Judeo-Christian premise. The rhetoric is clearly a play of sarcasm more than an actual apology. The song rhetorically anticipates a time of bliss, equated with world peace, cessation of nationalistic tendencies, and/or the coming of the expected Messiah, who was seen as the chosen one coming to restore peace on earth in Judaic thought. It is this Messiah that Christianity claims in Jesus.

The song makes the plea of man for a world without sorrow, the book of Job being the impetus for the plea, and the answer lying in an idealistic notion of the conquest of the human nature and it's will to power (Nietzsche). While the plea is genuine, the prospect appears grim.

legacy memberJul 17, 2004 · edited Sep 3, 2010

The Father in the song is definitely some sort of divine figure. And the son represents the human race as a whole. "How have I let you down"-What have we done to deserve this? "I curse the day that I was born and all the sorrow in this world": cursing the day where man was created and all the bad things that have happened since. "To settle a bet that could not be won between a prideful father and his son": in the…

Read moreRead less

The Father in the song is definitely some sort of divine figure. And the son represents the human race as a whole.

"How have I let you down"-What have we done to deserve this? "I curse the day that I was born and all the sorrow in this world": cursing the day where man was created and all the bad things that have happened since.

"To settle a bet that could not be won between a prideful father and his son": in the Christian religion it is believed that God created man to live in harmony on Earth. And there still are people who think harmony can exist so God hasn't lost the bet. But there is still bad people in the world who can't live in harmony so God can't win the bet. So in the end there can be no winner to this bet.

"Will you guide me now for I can't see a reason for the suffering and this long misery": trying to figure out why life goes on and all this happens because nobody can understand the meaning of life or why anybody exists or why the world goes on.

"If every living soul could be upright and Strong [..] All soldiers lay there weapons down [..] All kings and all queens relinquish there crowns": these three lines show what the world was supposed to be. God didn't create kings or queens or weapons or social classes. These developed in the world. It shows that for the sorrow in the world to end there can be no leaders. No fighting. And no one being better than others. There must be complete equality among classes, people living without a governing power. And everyone in the world living peacefully for the sorrow to end.

legacy memberJul 17, 2004 · edited Sep 3, 2010

I would have to agree with RPM that this song seems to have a theme of equality of communism. "What if every soul could be upright and strong?" sounds to me like he's saying if everyone worked hard we could have a functional communist government. Also "When all kings/queens relinquish their crowns" saying that we must all be equals. If everyone treats everyone else with equality and fairness, there will be sorrow no…

Read moreRead less

I would have to agree with RPM that this song seems to have a theme of equality of communism. "What if every soul could be upright and strong?" sounds to me like he's saying if everyone worked hard we could have a functional communist government. Also "When all kings/queens relinquish their crowns" saying that we must all be equals. If everyone treats everyone else with equality and fairness, there will be sorrow no more. But what about the reference to father? God? I thought BR didn't believe in God.

However, this song could easily go with the Adam & Eve story.

"Let me take you to the hurting ground" refers to earth and the world we live in, the hurting being all the sadness and pain.

"Where all good men are trampled down" means when we grow old and die.

The "Bet that could not be won between a prideful father and his son" refers to when Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit and were expelled from Eden. God was prideful because he didn't forgive his children (who according to the bible weren't any smarter than animals when they were in the garden of Eden).

"I cant see a reason for this suffering and long misery [.....] How have i let you down?" is saying Why are we being punished when it could all be prevented.

I also think this song has some sarcasm in it. "When all soldiers lay their weapons down and all kings and all queens relinquish their crowns .. if every living soul was upright and strong... there would be sorrow no more" is saying that there will always be sorrow, because those things will never happen according to human nature.

legacy memberJul 17, 2004 · edited Sep 3, 2010

The song "Sorrow" for me, portrays a world of injustice and inequality of capitalist greed. War, pride, and imperialism are all methods of extending sorrow to the world. 'When the only true messiah comes to rescue us from ourselves,' I think conveys a sense of hope from this misery and unfortunate life. The only way in which 'all soldiers will throw down their arms, and all kings and all queens relinquish their cro…

Read moreRead less

The song "Sorrow" for me, portrays a world of injustice and inequality of capitalist greed. War, pride, and imperialism are all methods of extending sorrow to the world. 'When the only true messiah comes to rescue us from ourselves,' I think conveys a sense of hope from this misery and unfortunate life. The only way in which 'all soldiers will throw down their arms, and all kings and all queens relinquish their crowns' will be when that greater being, whether it be the Christian God or not, comes and rescue us, there will always be sorrow in the world.

legacy memberJul 17, 2004 · edited Sep 3, 2010

I think that there are a few listeners who are still Christians, and this song may be an attempt to persuade these to re-examine their beliefs. The music itself is strongly reminiscent of American church/gospel a capella music (except with the the instrumentation added). It almost begs those who still cling to Christian faith to develop a deeper respect for life, and the quality of the short life we have here. The…

Read moreRead less

I think that there are a few listeners who are still Christians, and this song may be an attempt to persuade these to re-examine their beliefs. The music itself is strongly reminiscent of American church/gospel a capella music (except with the the instrumentation added). It almost begs those who still cling to Christian faith to develop a deeper respect for life, and the quality of the short life we have here. The text seems almost satirical, for example, 'I curse the day that I was born'. Many Christians don't realize the extent to which Christianity teaches people to hate themselves and others as 'sinners'.

legacy memberJul 17, 2004 · edited Sep 3, 2010

I think this song is about our rightful questioning of and indigence with, God. I find it very similar to Don't Pray on Me because they both seem to be asking and saying the same things: If God is up there watching all of this war and animosity that's been existing for the past 2000 years, why doesn't he do something?, and if he could turn several loaves and fish into several thousand for one congregation of people,…

Read moreRead less

I think this song is about our rightful questioning of and indigence with, God. I find it very similar to Don't Pray on Me because they both seem to be asking and saying the same things: If God is up there watching all of this war and animosity that's been existing for the past 2000 years, why doesn't he do something?, and if he could turn several loaves and fish into several thousand for one congregation of people, why doesn't he do it for the millions of suffering people below the poverty line? When Graffin says 'between a prideful father and his son,' he also reminds us that the cause of these battles and wars lies in the greed, arrogance, and egoism of a few people, not the majority, however, the battles are still fought because those few are the ones who have the power.

legacy memberJul 17, 2004 · edited Sep 3, 2010

The meaning of the song can be expanded to a more general idea. No matter how good your life is, there will always be a reason for sorrow. There's always gonna be something you regret, or something you don't agree or feel bad about. I think there will always be sorrow, because, as was already said in the first interpretation, there will be no more sorrow only with total equality. That's impossible. There will never b…

Read moreRead less

The meaning of the song can be expanded to a more general idea. No matter how good your life is, there will always be a reason for sorrow. There's always gonna be something you regret, or something you don't agree or feel bad about. I think there will always be sorrow, because, as was already said in the first interpretation, there will be no more sorrow only with total equality. That's impossible. There will never be total equality, and there will be sorrow. Because the kings and the queens won't relinquish their crowns, and the soldiers won't lay their weapons down.

legacy memberJul 17, 2004 · edited Sep 3, 2010

I think that this song is about the lack of equality in our society. Only when we are equal will there be no more sorrow. Wars are fought over greed, and the desire to be 'better' than your enemy. People work for Bill Gates, and have silicon chips manufactured in Mexico, for the sole reason of being richer than the Mexican making the chip (no offense to Mexicans). It's kind of a communist viewpoint, the whole equalit…

Read moreRead less

I think that this song is about the lack of equality in our society. Only when we are equal will there be no more sorrow. Wars are fought over greed, and the desire to be 'better' than your enemy. People work for Bill Gates, and have silicon chips manufactured in Mexico, for the sole reason of being richer than the Mexican making the chip (no offense to Mexicans). It's kind of a communist viewpoint, the whole equality thing, especially living in a democratic society where our individualist attitudes and lifestyles promote nothing more than inequality.

Song details

Lyrics

Versions & recordings

Appears on

Appears on

Appears on

Appears on

Appears on

Appears on

Appears on

Appears on

Song statistics

Live through the years

Song Interpretations