Commentary – Staring At The Sun by The Offspring

Maybe life is the like a ride on a state highway Dodging bullets while youre trying to find your way Everyones around, barely no one does a damn thing It brings me brush up, but I wont let them If I seem bleak Well youd be correct And if I dont speak Its cause I stackt disconnect But I wont be levy by the reflection Of the fire in your eyes As youre staring at the sun When I ran I didnt feel like I ran outdoor(a) When I escaped I didnt feel like I got away Theres to a greater extent to living than only surviving Maybe Im not at that place, but Im understood trying Though you hear me I dont think that you relate.My will is something That you cant confiscate So forgive me, but I wont be frustrated By destruction in your eyes As youre staring at the sun Commentary (Staring At The Sun) The Offspring are commonly known to be a punk-rock exercise set but they have taken up so many different styles in their albums that many would gybe that they sing something unique which cannot be fitted fully in a specific genre of music. But the issue of almost every album has been fast songs with really meaningful lyrics (and not just something that rhymes which can be often heard in punk-rock).Their album, Americana not only sold over 10,000,000 copies worldwide but too presented the band in a new light and served as a development of Californian punk-rock. In Americana, the band sings about different events that happen in the life of ordinary American families and teenagers. Staring At The Sun is one of my favorite songs not only because of the music but also because of powerful lyrics which combines come up with the rhythm. Generally, the song is about trying to figure out your identity and how you fit in the world.It is especially perspicuous for teenagers that are growing up and trying to fit in everything they do. The song also tells us of peck who want to fit in so desperately that they compromise their interests and transform their character in gear up to fit in. The lyrics remind me of a narrative poem. The root line sets the mood of the song and suggests that the persona is in deep thoughts about life. Simile life is like a ride on a freeway reflects the subject of personas thoughts. Freeway suggests freedom in choosing your way of living or your place in the society. excite links to the predilection of searching for something in this society. The second line completes the persuasion raised in the front line that life is searching for your place, trying to fit in the world. Dodging bullets suggests rage which could mean difficulties that can be encountered when trying to find yourself and that irrespective of anger or grudge that you may have you should encompass to seek for your place in society.The contiguous cardinal lines link to the idea that it is important for anybody to be who he/she is and do not care what anyone else thinks. This is suggested by the trine line that although everyones around, there is really no he lp from them in selecting the path of your life (no one does a damn thing). The next line extends the idea slightly suggesting that being yourself while all the rest turn against you is very rough but you should not quit the path you have selected. The end of the third line and the beginning of the one-fourth are loaded with heavy words.This becomes even more evident as the singer stresses these words when interpret the song. Repetition of d and g in the words damn, thing, brings, down emphasizes the fact that there is no help from the throng surrounding you and that they essentially try to stop you from selecting your path (bring, down). But this is then contradicted by I wont let them. The second stanza emphasizes personas unwillingness to conform to everyone else. This is suggested by the first four lines. The last three lines of the stanza are very significant.In these lines persona is trying to say that if soulfulness is going to destroy himself, he is not going to drag th e persona down with him. This is suggested by I wont be burned by the reflection of the fire in your eyes. The words burned and fire are significant here as they emphasize burning, dying out, destruction of character and identity of soulfulness who is trying to fit in something unnatural for himself. Staring at the sun is a metaphor or analogy for people that are being self-destructive or compromising themselves.The persona says that he is not a part of this and appeals to people to stick to their own paths that they have selected and not compromise themselves. The burning of these lines suggests personas displeasure about this situation. The third stanza is about persona in the actual search for his path of life. The first cardinal lines of the stanza suggest that you may be uncertain or doubt the path you have selected when all the people around you are trying to stop you.Echoing of running away (ran and ran away) and escaping (escaped and got away) in the same lines emphasizes your tireless search for the true path, that you may not know what to do or where to go but you should keep seeking for it. This idea is also confirmed by the last cardinal lines of the stanza that you should live in the way you want and not to conform to somebody elses style of living (theres more to living than only surviving) just because you have to, if it is unnatural for you. The last line of the stanza confirms the idea that although you lay down you have not found your path yet you should continue seeking for it.It is also significant that the idea of searching, emphasized by the first two lines (ran, ran away, escaped and got away) also links it to the idea that your mind could be confused by other peoples opinions. The last stanza again emphasizes the fact that the persona is not going to be dragged down by self-destructive people who compromise themselves. In the first two lines persona is suggesting that although these self-destructive people may understand him they c annot take any action towards changing it as their identity and character are already tied in with the thought that they have to compromise themselves.The third and fourth lines of the stanza signify the fact that persona will not be a part of that by admitting that my will will be guiding him in search for his path and that it cannot be manipulated or confiscated foreign the minds of people who compromise themselves. This is also confirmed by stressing my will which emphasizes strength and endurance. The last three lines of the stanza bear the end of the second one and thus emphasize the personas thoughts that it is important for anybody to be who they really want to and not to try conforming to or to fitting in somebody elses style.