Rise Against - People Live Here Lyrics

I'll never get tired of this song

As much as I like what the mv is trying to portray, I interpreted this song differently. I think its about people clashing over religions. The narrator initially thinks he is right in what he does, but sees the destruction of innocent lives he leaves in his wake. He recognizes the people he's hurt as, well, people.

This had me in tears no lie

Hey y'all, before reading this I want you guys to hear me out. I'm only ten and I'm spitting facts over here. Im growing up with two autistic brothers, a split up family, and living barley knowing my real family. So maybe instead of saying children are dumb or unwise, maybe just take a look at yourself and think, "is this whole I am? Is this what they are? Am I actually correct?" And maybe, just maybe, you'll become a little wiser.


The song is most likely about all the horrible things about us because we have made ourselves out to be entitled to greatness. We think we are the almighty, the warriors, the fierce ones. I was playing this in my car and just thinking about the lyrics. "My god is better than yours" I can't believe us Christians have come to this.. Remember in grade school when you would have to read about the Muslims and how they forced their Christ upon others and would torture them til they would believe. Remember thinking how horrible they were? WE ARE THE SAME! We think my god is better than yours, my gun is bigger than yours, therefore I have higher authority than you and I am bigger and better than you. When it says the coffins filled with kindergarteners its talking about school shootings. I remember listening to this years ago thinking "why does it say my god is better than yours? I'm ten now and I feel I shouldn't know about all of this. Man this country's impact on the youth. My dad once said "We're spending all this money on some fucking wall but none on education? Some of the schools round here don't even have art class." And as someone who has a general understanding of how bad this country is, this just seems like torture to me. Some schools make you hand in literal cash and if that gets stolen then damn, you might go without eating tonight, or tomorrow night or the next or even the next.

*Is this what you call free?*

The message of the song is in the title "People Live Here". When you in your boardrooms voting fees increases and bonuses for each other and patting each other on the back, you are determining the future of people. When you cut back jobs to save money then fill your pockets even fuller remember People Live Here.

Still one of my favorite songs.

Are they in Philadelphia in this video

their best video.

heard it without the video- not a fan before or after

I love rise against and this song so much. I have had every album and love the band, their music,and everything they stand for. This song is my personal social work theme song. As an MSW student, this song and many others by rise against embrace humanity and the need for social workers. There are so few musicians saying what really needs to be said in this world. I am so thankful for this band and their passion. I sincerely love you guys from the bottom of my heart.

Rich and Poor
Extremely in the 21 century

What do you really meant to say? Are you commy's? Forgot Mc'Cartie's times? Break up with this red thoughts and be nice, punks! Guerilla Radio is also ours.

люди и там живут

этот клип по Укрине

I didnt like this song much when I first heard it...but after hearing it live,i have a great appreciation for this song.

The coffins filled with kindergarteners line gives me chills every time.

Rise, yours is a sound I'll gladly take with me to my dying breath. Through your passions divinity can be seen ever so clear. To almost 2 decades of being there for me, thank you. With all of me, thank you. You've saved my life more times than I can count.

Life’s beautiful when I can still discover songs like this one ♥️

Tim has such a unique voice then other vocalists in my other favorite bands. I mean there are plenty of notes that he can't hit but he is a little reminiscent of a stronger Ben Jorgenson.

Its clear as day inequality

Pure bullshit

The coffins full of kindergartners......
That's still chilling, even now

I dont understand what these people are talking about; From the first day this was released and years later I still think this is one of their best. The message is clear and the video is very fitting.

Selfishly I always wanted to see a COD Ghosts-themed video for this song.

Black people live in ghettos cause they all glamorized a criminal lifestyle, and when they end up getting shot they blame whitey instead of themselves. Maybe if they tried to be productive members of society rather than gangsters things would go better for them. Seriously, how dumb do they have to be?

A truly wonderful
Unforgettable
Masterpiece

true i agree with you

Does anyone know any good books or movies that revolves around the issues shown in the video? I need more than 5 minutes, this is too good.

I think the song is about valuing own interests over others. In relationships aswell as in situations as shown in the video and some later verses could hint at wars motivated by economic/selfish interests. Don't know. But I've read multiple versions of what the song could mean and had some ideas myself but this is basically what they had in common. Stories about caring to much for your self and not enough for others. And in return loosing something you might have needed.

May the wind be at your Back. And may you be in Heaven an hour before the devil knows your dead

im trying 2 b an architect. my philosophy is 2 make the bases as small as possible for as many floors as the trees r tall then go out
also made me cry. also to have public facilities in the base, water, toilets, electricity, waste/recycling. my hope is the parks' be public

i know most, if not all, the engineering. but the 22 years of waiting did something to me: i can't start on a model portfolio

I love this song so much. It was instantly my favorite on the whole album. Still play it all the time when I'm alone in the car and need to sing loud to get out of my head

I don't understand why this song has so littlle views...

A bit late, but for anyone that says the lyrics don't match the video because there aren't, for example, coffins full of kindergarteners or other casualties there- when the gentrification of that neighbourhood happens, and some people are forced into homelessness, won't there be casualties? It could be that those rich people shown are already the landlords of the properties shown. When the rich don't maintain standards, and keep lead paint in underprivileged properties, do the children whose brains suffer not count to you? Captalism is a war. The richer, older men are capital. The younger man is smallcapital. The poor people in the neighbourhood? Those are your casualties.

I fucking love this band so much..Rise Against are the ONLY band that matters right now.

i dont think ill ever get bored off this song

remember videos don't always share same meaning as the song. could of just been what felt right. but song could have ankther mea ing

This song calms me down when I’m so upset that I can’t sleep

To me this songs says dont forget where u come from u may have got into the system to change things for the better from the inside but have u lost your way have we all lost our way are we all that blind we can't see what's right in front of us what happened to us we use to look out for one another love each other unconditionally .. just my take

I think this is one of my favorite music videos of all time. So cinematic, not to mention powerful.

Everytime i hear this song it makes me think about the political scenario in Brazil, holy fuck, its a hell.

Well said, man! TÁ FODA

Y'know, one thing I really like about this song's music video is that, unlike some political bands, Rise Against shows the business man and his family as just as human as the people in the ghetto rather than turning him into some kind of mustache twirling villain just because "He's rich, they're poor". It seems to me that, unlike the people he intents to profit off of, his family doesn't seem to actually be emotionally connected at all: The closest thing we see to him interacting properly with his wife and child is being in the same room as them, unlike the lives of the people he sees in the ghetto. And he reconsiders, not because he's been stopped or shouted down any kind of outside force, but because he sees them for himself and decides that their lives are happier, more fulfilling and more *Human* than what we see of his.
That's why I've always preferred Rise Against to, let's say, Rage against the machine: Any edgy dumbass can turn the world problems into "Us verses Them", but it takes maturity to look at both sides at the same time and decide that the guy in the wrong isn't any different from you when push comes to shove.

My friend and I were fortunate to see Rise Against on the last day of their Mourning in America tour with Anti-Flag and AFI, just this past Sunday. And when they played this song, it was truly amazing. I dunno about others who were there, but this was one the songs that hit me hardest in the feels when they performed it that night.

I thought this was some third world country but it turn out it’s just Chicago

the freedoms people died for seem to be fading....

Is there a reference in this song to the Sandy Hook massacre?

Bastards. These aren't tears.

My God is better than yours
And the walls of my house are so thick
I hear nothing at all

I followed you out in the storm
But it carried you off
And I burned every picture of yours
Was that not enough?

My gun is bigger than yours
So let's arm the masses
And see what the bastards do then
Walking tall once set us apart
Now we're down on all fours
Do you cry my name in the dark
Like I do yours?

These storms are getting stronger now
Trusses all bend and sway
Lightning hits, the power goes out in the fray
As the waves crash high
And the shoreline disappears
I will scream to the sky
"Hey, people live here."

My dreams are not unlike yours
They long for the safety
And break like a glass chandelier
But there's laughter and oh there is love
Just past the edge of our fears
And there's chaos when push comes to shove
But it's music to my ears

May you be in Heaven before the Devil knows you're dead
May these winds be always at your back

'Cause when we're all just ghosts
And the madness overtakes us
We will look at the ashes
And say, People lived here

From the penthouse to the holy martyr
Sea to shining sea
From the coffins full of kindergartners
Is this what you call free?
From the hate that drips from all your crosses
Are your hands so clean?

And the wildfire and it's spreading far
From sea to shining sea

When we're all just ghosts
And the madness overtakes us
I will scream to the sky, yeah I'll scream to the sky
Yeah I'll scream to the sky
Hey, people live here

"Walking tall once set us apart, now we're down on all fours" the most underrated lyrics in history

When people hate someone else because of their successes it's because of jealousy. Stop hating on the rich, work hard and appreciate what you have because there is someone out there that has it rougher than you do.

Meanwhile, Childish Gambino gets attention for This is America....... Disappointing.
Rise Against For Life!!!!!

My God is better than yours
And the walls of my house are so thick
I hear nothing at all

I followed you out in the storm
But it carried you off
And I burned every picture of yours
Was that not enough?

My gun is bigger than yours
So let's arm the masses
And see what the bastards do then
Walking tall once set us apart
Now we're down on all fours
Do you cry my name in the dark
Like I do yours?

These storms are getting stronger now
Trusses all bend and sway
Lightning hits, the power goes out in the fray
As the waves crash high
And the shoreline disappears
I will scream to the sky
"Hey, people live here."

My dreams are not unlike yours
They long for the safety
And break like a glass chandelier
But there's laughter and oh there is love
Just past the edge of our fears
And there's chaos when push comes to shove
But it's music to my ears

May you be in Heaven before the Devil knows you're dead
May these winds be always at your back

'Cause when we're all just ghosts
And the madness overtakes us
We will look at the ashes
And say, People lived here

From the penthouse to the holy martyr
Sea to shining sea
From the coffins full of kindergartners
Is this what you call free?
From the hate that drips from all your crosses
Are your hands so clean?

And the wildfire and it's spreading far
From sea to shining sea

When we're all just ghosts
And the madness overtakes us
I will scream to the sky, yeah I'll scream to the sky
Yeah I'll scream to the sky
Hey, people live here

2018???

I always listened to the song and liked it but now was the first time I watched the video and love it even more. Not like some music videos that are just people in expencive clothes from every angle possible...

I thinking about people in Syria whenever I hear this song.

I tend to understand this song in a much wider sense. From my understanding it is plea to mankind to give up their ego dominated way of thinking which only separates people from each other.

From my point of view the first lines: "My god is better than yours..." relates to people feeling superior to others. "The walls of my house are so thick.." points out that because of their superior thinking they build (mainly mentally) walls, which separate them from the others. Furthermore they want to forget or close their eyes in order not to see/feel the reality, "...I burned every picture of yours..."

The second verse: " My gun is bigger than yours..." and "especially "Walking tall once set us apart, now we are down on all fours" illustrates to what this ego dominated, separating way of thinking has led us. We have lost connection/compassion to/for each other and kill each other. But we are all "...down on our fours...". So we are all down already, we are close to the edge of being completely devastated. Nevertheless we are longing for being connected to each other, to feel love and appreciation, "Do you cry my name in the dark, like I do yours?"

The chorus points out that time is running short and the situation is worthening: "The storms are getting stronger now..." But suddenly something, maybe a huge disaster, happens, which eleminates the separating line between us. Please wake up and notice that "People live here!"

"My dreams are not unlike yours..." says that we are all longing for the same, for saftey, peace and love. But presently they are not fulfilled, they simply brake. But if we are willing to get "...past the edge of our fears...", to stop being afraid of each other for ego dominated reasons (our delusional, unreal fears, which are created and fueled by our minds keep us apart), we will notice that there is "...laughter and oh there is love...".

The next chorus and the bridge are from my point of view a sarcastic accusation "May you be in heaven..." and the bridge illustrates what the behavior of mankind has led to and how words and actions are contradictory.

One scene summarizes the song very good from my perspective. It is the scene where you see the sign "We must stop killing each other!" on the wall. This is what the song is about. An appeal to stop killing each other and to become how we are meant to be; humans that are connected to each other and share love, compassion and appreciation.

All the music video is telling me is that some will be successful some won’t be. It’s up to you to make that choice... anyone has a chance to be successful but it’s how you use what you have that makes people rich.

So sad from this very day I will not listen rise against no more because hate.
I will composed My own music.
So good bay friends.

Rise Against has put out so many amazing, powerful, life changing tracks over the years, but this honestly might be their most powerful song ever

I hope u are happy. He is good man 4 u and u deserve the best. I love and may he give u ALL your dreams.. I love im so sorry

Has to u way more views omg so underrated

People Live Here
Rise Against
Lyrics:

My God is better than yours
And the walls of my house are so thick
I hear nothing at all
I followed you out in the storm
But it carried you off
And I burned every picture of yours
Was that not enough?
My gun is bigger than yours
So let's arm the masses
And see what the bastards do then
Walking tall once set us apart
Now we're down on all fours
Do you cry my name in the dark
Like I do yours?
These storms are getting stronger now
Trusses all bend and sway
Lightning hits, the power goes out in the fray
As the waves crash high
And the shoreline disappears
I will scream to the sky
"Hey, people live here."
My dreams are not unlike yours
They long for the safety
And break like a glass chandelier
But there's laughter and oh there is love
Just past the edge of our fears
And there's chaos when push comes to shove
But it's music to my ears
May you be in Heaven before the Devil knows you're dead
May these winds be always at your back
'Cause when we're all just ghosts
And the madness overtakes us
We will look at the ashes
And say, People lived here
From the penthouse to the holy martyr
Sea to shining sea
From the coffins full of kindergartners
Is this what you call free?
From the hate that drips from all your crosses
Are your hands so clean?
And the wildfire and it's spreading far
From sea to shining sea
When we're all just ghosts
And the madness overtakes us
I will scream to the sky, yeah I'll scream to the sky
Yeah I'll scream to the sky
Hey, people live here

Songwriters: Timothy Mcilrath
People Live Here lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

The bottom line is that this song is beautiful and reflects the reality of so many lives. We have to do better! We have to try to change hearts and minds! Rise against is one of the most important bands of the last few generations imho, because of the messages they convey to their listeners.

What a excellent composition! Very catchy. The difficulty is going to be getting it out of my head so I can work on some of my own music. Wonderful work!

And so, what in the end? Are all the people equal from the birth? Do they have same rights and prohibities? No, they don't. Why? What's wrong?

Very powerful song/video

i hate this

World would be better without a religion.... No Hinduism, No christianity, No Islam, No Sikhism.... Etc.

Fuck I needed to hear this today..

And still love u and always will..

My brother showed my rise against when Appeal to Reason came out and ever since the. I’ve loved every song and every album they’ve released.

They are such an underrated band their music always has a message I can always relate to it. “Coffins full of kindergarteners is this what you call free” every time I hear this song that line always makes me so sad and wish that gun violence in this world would change .

This music video is so beautiful. Just seeing a community of people living their best lives even in the onslaught of oppression and living conditions that seem to get poorer and poorer by the day. Those lovely sparks of basic humanity; people caring for children, hanging out with friends, or doing wheelies on dirt bikes. To big businesses, those lives are nothing but potholes on their dream parking lots. Great stuff Rise Against.

Only White people care about everybody else. Our empathy will be our downfall.

I mean, I didn't come here to cry, but I sure am leaving that way

Why did he want to give him a bottle of water tho?

Heard this live last summer, it was beautiful. This song gets me chocked up every time.

Whenever I'm stuck in witters block, I listen to this song. I don't know why, but something about it gets me ready to write.

I've never met a band that gets me this emotional. Freaking love it

2:29 may you be in heaven before the devil knows you’re dead . This lyric really stuck with me , my life long friend at the age of 18 joined the army and did his time . When he returned suffered from PTSD eventually him taking his own life. But he came from a heavily religious family that did don’t condone suicide . We as his friends found out before the family a knew he was in a bettter place and after we knew his family wasn’t happy about him tasking his own life . RIP brother I know you’re in a better place

Always imagined gazas conflict when listen to this song... IDK why

One if these days when our world is a wasteland and humanity is dying, someone will here rise against and say "They tried to warn us, why didn't we listen?"

This song is so beautiful with such a powerful message. And it's so underrated

I cried when they played this at the concert.

so many love...

Juhu I go on a concert today 😍😍😍!!!

"My god is better than yours, and the walls of my house are so thick I hear nothing at all." Spoken beautifully about all the ugliness of the world

I actually really loved this album. This was one of the highlight songs for me. Probably in my top 10 Rise against songs in general.

this band became my favorite so quickly. All it took was one song " the Violence" !

They are so dynamic

i can relate to the song

if it wasnt for all the people that died i would think maybe at heart they had my best interest at hrasrt but no they some bitches

This band deserves so much more recognition. Whether you love or hate punk rock it cant be denied that this band puts real effort into giving every one of their songs meaning. It really sucks that so called "artists" like kanye west and beyonce get millions of views for every song their shit out. Their music exists only to serve themselves. Meanwhile Artists like rise against are writing thought provoking songs and crying out for much needed change in human culture and no one gives them a second glance. Humanities priorities are so fucked up im surprised we have made it this far.

Great song

These storms are getting stronger now ...
you are so damn right.

Katy Perry has 121 million views but this masterpiece has only 1.2 million views ...world is insane

Walking down the rust belt listening to this song.