Tested

Song details

Bad Religion original
Yes
First released
1997
First release
Tested (album)
Songwriter
Greg Graffin

Lyrics

Tested

Yeah, they say there's a place free of trouble and care And you have to pass a test for to make it there It has something to do with the road that's straight and narrow And the only way to go it is by being right and thorough There's always one more hill to climb There's always one more hill to climb Bombarded by multiple choices 24/7 Navigating a tangled web of logic and passion Guided by subconscious voices, astute and sharpened Tested, tested oh oh oh Often times we may be wondering what we're supposed to do Stand and deliver or see the conflict through And as we long and proceed to build our castles in the sky Our plans get confounded and determination dies There's no preparation and no guide Just what you've done before here with your life Bombarded by multiple choices 24/7 Navigating a tangled web of logic and passion Guided by subconscious voices, astute and sharpened Tested, tested oh oh oh Acting on will, (the test is the reaction) Opening your heart, (the test is the emotion) Rolling the dice, (the test is the agility) Burning out your mind, (the test is the recovery) Watch out! You can play by the rules or bend them to your needs But the test isn't over till you reach your dark eternal sleep There are no absolutes, no big wheels in the sky You don't have to be first just gotta somehow get by Bombarded by multiple choices 24/7 Navigating a tangled web of logic and passion Guided by subconscious voices astute and sharpened Tested, tested oh oh oh

Versions & recordings

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Song statistics

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20release versions
#199

199th most featured song

9documented shows
#177

177th most played song

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Song Interpretations

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

7

legacy memberNov 4, 2014
WHAT DOES THE SONG MEAN? REACTION AGILTY EMOTION RECOVERY
legacy memberMar 9, 2006 · edited Jun 10, 2009
The whole song is about deciding whether to live life according to society's determination of what's right/good or to take what's accepted as right/good and adapt it so you can survive (or, if i'm playing devil's advocate, to take advantage of society). in short, the song asks: how will you pass the test of life?
legacy memberOct 6, 2004 · edited Date unknown

Tested (humbly in my opinion and for me) is about how we, as progressive humans in modern materialist America, will be morally tested all the time by situations and circumstances that are unforeseeable. There is no answer key, or absolute guide, or maybe even right or wrong. The Bible, the Torah, the religious teachings are fiction so we can't turn to them ("There's no preparation and no guide"). But we have our ed…

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Tested (humbly in my opinion and for me) is about how we, as progressive humans in modern materialist America, will be morally tested all the time by situations and circumstances that are unforeseeable.
There is no answer key, or absolute guide, or maybe even right or wrong. The Bible, the Torah, the religious teachings are fiction so we can't turn to them ("There's no preparation and no guide"). But we have our education, our experience, our emotions, our logic ("Just what you've done before here with your life").
To pass the test we must be strong in our sense of self to withstand the bombardment of choices, the pressures, the easy ways out. We are left to rely on our astute and sharpened subconscious voices to get us through.
legacy memberAug 25, 2004 · edited Date unknown
I think this is their most blatant and forthright song about christianity. I, myself being christian actually enjoy it. Its about how you have to be morally right and do everything in this world right and to someones rules to get to heaven. This whole life is just a test in a nutshell.
legacy memberJul 17, 2004 · edited Date unknown
To me, this song talks not only about having to live morally 'right' and without sin in order to hopefully get into heaven, but also about the fact that we are faced with so many situations in which we must decide the best course of action. We are bound to make mistakes. Nobody can live a life without sin. 'Bombarded by multiple choices 24/7. Navigating a tangled web of logic and passion.'
legacy memberJul 17, 2004 · edited Date unknown
I think it talks about death. I think it's about humans facing their biggest test and going to heaven: 'They say there's a place free of trouble and care (heaven) and you have to pass a test for to make it there.'
legacy memberJul 17, 2004 · edited Date unknown

I thought there would already be an explanation for this song, so I'll try to do my best on this. I think Tested talks about the religious belief that there is a place to go when you die (in the Christian and Catholic term: 'heaven') but you need to pass a test: its beliefs and commandments, and you will need to follow them all your life so that when you die you go to the 'place free of trouble and care'. This song…

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I thought there would already be an explanation for this song, so I'll try to do my best on this. I think Tested talks about the religious belief that there is a place to go when you die (in the Christian and Catholic term: 'heaven') but you need to pass a test: its beliefs and commandments, and you will need to follow them all your life so that when you die you go to the 'place free of trouble and care'. This song it's somewhat criticizing these religious laws, and the song also tries to make you learn that all you have to do is to do what you think and feel it's right.