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Standing Up For Nothing

Written by: Derek Webb

Appears on: Self Titled, Guild 3

Lyrics:

Well, I can’t stop staring at myself;
My face reflected in this empty plate.
I can’t decide if it’s the devil
Or if it’s just something I ate.
‘Cause he’s been down there all morning.
He’s patiently waiting at my gate.
He’s throwing rocks at my window.
Hey won’t you come on out and play with me?

But everyday when I get up
I see folks trading in their crowns
for all these paper or plastic lives;
An opiate for the masses hounds.
And pride, like a vestige of lives lost.
It’s the stench of the old folks coming ’round.
Now with the news I heard today,
I can’t tell if this world is lost or found.

You go; I’ll be waiting here.
And I’m awake, I cannot sleep.
So I’ll sit upon this rock is you.
I ain’t standing up for nothing.

Well, I’ve never seen my congressman,
But I can’t deny that he exists.
‘Cause I’ve seen his legislation pass;
I’ve seen his name on the ballot list.
Same, I can’t deny this fallen world.
Though not my home it’s where I live.
How can I preserve and light the way
for a world that I can’t admit I’m in?

‘Cause I know who I say You are,
But these crows can’t be made to stop.
So I’ll sit denying by this fire
I ain’t standing up for nothing

Lack of interest leads to,
Lack of knowledge leads to,
Lack of perspective leads to,
Lack of communication leads to,
Lack of understanding leads to,
Lack of concern leads to,
This complacency denotes,
This approval denies
The truth.

But I can’t stop staring at myself;
It’s my face reflected in this empty plate.
And I know that it’s the devil.

So You lead; and I’ll be close behind.
So You speak and I’ll hang on Your words.
You’ve got to lift me from this hardened tree,
‘Cause I ain’t standing up for nothing.

See also: MusicBrainz.

2 Responses to “Standing Up For Nothing”

  1. Chris Hubbs Says:
    May 23rd, 2007 at 8:02 pm

    Interpretation from Megan:

    There are several valid explanations for this song, given by Derek at various times. When I (Megan) first heard the song in concert before the release of “Self-Titled”, Derek described it as a song written when he was realizing he needed to take a stance politically. He has also said the song could be taken from the perspective of Peter, and that it has many different meanings.

    Once, Derek was asked which of these three the lyric “I’m not standing up for nothing”, means: “I AM standing for something” (or I will only stand for something), “I’m not standing for no reason”, or “I’m NOT standing for something.” Derek’s response was, “Yeah! I love writing lyrics that can go many ways…” So, we can see that the true meaning of this song is not entirely clear, probably not even to the author himself. And certainly the implications have evolved over the years.

    Since I (Megan) have taken on the task of giving you a concrete explanation for this song, I am going to with the one that most suits me as an individual, which is that the song was written in regards to Derek finding a political stance. So, take this account with a grain of salt, and allow this song to come to it’s own ends for you personally. It is a stunning piece of writing.

    “…I see folks trading in their crowns for all these paper or plastic lives”…I think this is a dig at the way corporate America has woven its way into our lives. He’s saying we’re trading our heavenly treasures (’crowns’) for the hustle and bustle of things here on earth, which do not matter. I LOVE the way he works the common societal saying, “Paper or plastic?” into this line.

    “An opiate for the masses hounds”…This phrase originated with Karl Marx, who called religion an opiate (sedative drug) for the masses. This line could, perhaps, be a random reference to that quote. I have always viewed this line in a slightly more complex manner, as if he took the Marx quote and made it his own. He’s saying that the hustle and bustle, the ‘paper or plastic lives’, the ‘treasures’ we’re searching for on this earth have now become the opiate for the masses, and we are allowing ourselves to be lured by things that are less-than-heavenly.

    “And pride, like a vestige of lives lost. It’s the stench of the old folks coming ’round.”…Here’s where the possibility of viewing this song in the context of Peter comes into play. It was Peter’s pride that often made him say foolish things to Jesus, and eventually led him to betray Christ 3 times. Derek is acknowledging pride as something that remains from his sinful nature, even though he’s saved. It’s a vestige of his ‘old’ self. When pride rears its ugly head in us, it’s like the ‘old folks’ are coming back. He’s using ’stench’ as a metaphor for pride, saying it is the ’stench of what’s left from the old me’. Now, putting this line into the context of the rest of the song…he feels sort of a righteous anger towards the world, when he sees what happens all around him. He “can’t tell if this world is lost or found”, but at the same time, he realizes that HE is one of those people that is trading in his crown. So he uses this line to sort of correct himself, knowing it’s his own pride that causes him to look down on everyone else, even though some of his anger may be warranted.

    “I can’t tell if this world is lost or found.”…Again, here he is showing his disillusionment with the things around him.

    “Well, I’ve never seen my congressman”…Here are the clear references to politics, and Derek’s frustration with having to DEAL with politics and issues. He wants to pretend these issues don’t exist or aren’t important, or just avoid them, but he knows he can’t and shouldn’t.

    “Same, I can’t deny this fallen world.”…He’s using a comparison technique in this verse. The first half of the stanza he’s trying to avoid politics. Here, he’s trying to (going back to the pride thing again) avoid the world and all the bad things he sees in it. Yet, he REALIZES his pride is deceiving him, and that he can’t deny the fallen world because he’s utterly a part of it.

    “How can I preserve and light the way for a world that I can’t admit I’m in?”…I think this is the pivotal line of the song, and the hugest admission he makes. His pride, which he referenced earlier, is keeping him from admitting to his own sin. Admitting to his personal part in this sinful world. And the implication of this is that he is unable to “go into all the world” because he’s too prideful to be ok with his own sin, much less someone else’s. This leads to all of the “sitting” he does (on the rock, by the fire, etc).

    “Lack of interest leads to…This approval denies the truth”…This bridge is finely crafted, and also another critical moment in the song. He exceptionally illustrates the progression from a basic lack of interest in something all the way to an approval of sin.

    While working on this analysis, I spent a good deal of time asking different people their thoughts on this song. It was interesting to me how each person had an individual take on the song, and no explanation was ever perfectly on par with another. In my opinion, this is only further evidence of exactly how brilliant this song truly is. Not so often do we come across a piece of writing that is clear enough to have meaning, and yet enigmatic enough to allow that meaning to be different for each individual it touches. It treads a delicate line, one that most songs don’t bother to even go near. I must give my personal thanks to Derek for allowing this song to flow out of himself, as I’ve personally witnessed how greatly it has impacted people, and even more importantly, how it has prodded people to think.

  2. Chris Hubbs Says:
    May 23rd, 2007 at 8:03 pm

    Interpretation from Bryan:

    I (Bryan) am going to add to Megan’s ‘political’ view of the song with some possible explanations referenceing Peter.

    I’m not sure what the first verse specifically is referencing, but Derek seems to paint a picture of himself sitting at a table having just finished a meal (his plate is empty). He’s not feeling well and he’s not sure if it’s for spiritual reasons or physical reasons (”just something I ate”). At the end of the song he says “and I know that it’s the devil”, meaning it’s something spiritual that’s bugging him, not physical.

    “Cuz he’s been down there all morning…come out and play with me”…this explains the spiritual battle he is going through. He can feel the pull of sin so tangibly, it’s as if the devil himself was outside his house waiting for him to come outside to play and throwing rocks at the window to get his attention.

    “You go; I’ll be waiting here. And I’m awake, I cannot sleep.” This seems to refer to when Jesus asked the disciples to watch and pray in the Garden of Gethsemane before Jesus was arrested. The disciples fell asleep all 3 times that Jesus asked them to stay awake (Matthew 26). Derek repeatedly compares himself to Peter in this song, and this is one of those instances.

    “So I’ll sit upon this rock is you…”…This might be a play on words taken from the exchange in Matthew 16 where Jesus asked Peter “Who do you say that I am?”. When Peter rreplies, “Thou are the Christ…”, Jesus says, “you are Peter [means rock] and on this rock [Peter's confession] I will build my church.

    “‘Cause I know who I say You are”…this again refers to the dialogue between Jesus and Peter in Matthew 16.

    “But these crows can’t be made to stop.”…Derek is again relating to Peter, saying that even though He knows who Jesus is, like Peter it still hasn’t stopped him from denying Christ and succumbing to sin.

    “So I’ll sit denying by this fire.”…again referring to Peter denying Christ.

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