Set It Off Lyrics
(written by: Chris Cornell)
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He was standing at the rock
Gathering the flock
And getting there with no directions
And underneath the arch
It turned into a march
And there he found the spark to
Set this fucker off
Chorus
Set it off
Set it off now children
Set it right
Set it off
Set it off now children
Set it off
Set it off now children
Set a fire
Set it off
Set it off now children
Suddenly a shot
Ripped into his heart
He lay in need of some attention
And there he played his card
Going into shock
The last thing that he said was
Set this fucker off
Chorus
Set it off
Set it off now children
Set it right
Set it off
Set it off now children
Set it off
Set it off now children
Set a fire
Set it off
Set it off now children
Alright (x6)
Jesus at the back door
Everything is all right
All we need is some direction
Every time the wind blows
Everything you don't know
Turns into a revelation
And it all adds up inside your head
Time is wasting
Chorus
Set it off
Set it off now children
Set it right
Set it off
Set it off now children
Set it off
Set it off now children
Set a fire
Set it off
Set it off now children
Alright (x6)
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User Comments
8 comment(s) posted
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Gishra
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12/08/2006
10:25:27
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Hah, I didn't even want to admit to myself that with all the deep and complex songs on this album that this one was my favorite. But when I always caught my self shouting out "The last thing that he said was set this fucker off!" along with the song I had to admit that this in your face song was the one I liked the most. So set it off now children!
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ramajla
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21/05/2005
05:53:00
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I've read what Chris has to say about this song, and he said he wrote it about a riot that broke out in Seattle during a protest. Sorry, no religious undertones, except for the Jesus reference, showing that the man was dead.
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j_manuel7
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25/02/2005
16:41:11
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Almost everybody agrees that this is one of the best songs in the whole album. I agree with that (I think it's the best song in the album for that matter!). But so many people don't even have a clue to what's the meaning of the song. Chris does not write stuff just for the heck of it. There’s always a meaning. The meaning of this song is what I like the best. This song is referring to doomsday cults (specifically Christian cults) in which the leader pretends to have direct communication with God or that God has given him a special revelation. I think this song refers specifically to David Koresh and the Waco Texas incident that happened on Monday, April 16, 1993. In this incident 75 people died including 25 children. David Koresh branched out from the Seventh Day Adventist Church to form his own religious movement after God “gave him the interpretation of the meaning of the 7 seals” found in the Bible’s Book of Revelations. After several weeks of negotiation with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) and the FBI, David and his followers killed themselves by setting on fire the compound they were using to hide. It is believed that Koresh was killed in the shooting with the ATF/FBI and when his followers realized this, they set the compound on fire. Probably Koresh’s last words were the order to set the whole place on fire.
The first hint to the interpretation of the song is given in the first verse ….“gathering the flock”… note that flock is almost always used to refer to people belonging to a church or a religious cult or denomination. “getting there with no directions”… probably means that in reality Koresh didn’t had any guidance in how he got to the point in life where he was. The chorus…”set it off my children, set a fire” …. refers how the people set the compound on fire. On the second verse “suddenly a shot ripped in to his hart” refers to the moment Koresh was killed in the shooting with the FBI/ATF. At the end of the second verse we have “ The last thing that he said was set this fucker off” refers to probably on how Koresh gave the order to set the compound on fire after being shot. On the bridge we get the reason of how everything turned sour: first: Jesus at the backdoor, everything is alright” means that the cult (Koresh) always believed they had the approbation or blessing of God and Jesus, “Every time the wind blows Everything you don't know Turns into a revelation”, this was the hart of the matter. Koresh thought he’s interpretation of the Book of Revelations was correct, being the fact that God himself gave the interpretation to him. Remember that the Bible is a book that can easily be misinterpreted if a person does not have the big picture in mind. And any verse can be interpreted or twisted to justify a way of thinking or a doctrine (that’s why we have so many denominations of the Christian church today). The line “it all adds up in your head” means that everything was just in the head of David Koresh. His own invention. And this is what I think the real meaning of the song is. As you can see it is not trivial stuff at all. And very interesting. We must not commit the same mistakes we made in the past. God Bless!!
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j_manuel7
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25/02/2005
16:40:55
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Almost everybody agrees that this is one of the best songs in the whole album. I agree with that (I think it's the best song in the album for that matter!). But so many people don't even have a clue to what's the meaning of the song. Chris does not write stuff just for the heck of it. There’s always a meaning. The meaning of this song is what I like the best. This song is referring to doomsday cults (specifically Christian cults) in which the leader pretends to have direct communication with God or that God has given him a special revelation. I think this song refers specifically to David Koresh and the Waco Texas incident that happened on Monday, April 16, 1993. In this incident 75 people died including 25 children. David Koresh branched out from the Seventh Day Adventist Church to form his own religious movement after God “gave him the interpretation of the meaning of the 7 seals” found in the Bible’s Book of Revelations. After several weeks of negotiation with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) and the FBI, David and his followers killed themselves by setting on fire the compound they were using to hide. It is believed that Koresh was killed in the shooting with the ATF/FBI and when his followers realized this, they set the compound on fire. Probably Koresh’s last words were the order to set the whole place on fire.
The first hint to the interpretation of the song is given in the first verse ….“gathering the flock”… note that flock is almost always used to refer to people belonging to a church or a religious cult or denomination. “getting there with no directions”… probably means that in reality Koresh didn’t had any guidance in how he got to the point in life where he was. The chorus…”set it off my children, set a fire” …. refers how the people set the compound on fire. On the second verse “suddenly a shot ripped in to his hart” refers to the moment Koresh was killed in the shooting with the FBI/ATF. At the end of the second verse we have “ The last thing that he said was set this fucker off” refers to probably on how Koresh gave the order to set the compound on fire after being shot. On the bridge we get the reason of how everything turned sour: first: Jesus at the backdoor, everything is alright” means that the cult (Koresh) always believed they had the approbation or blessing of God and Jesus, “Every time the wind blows Everything you don't know Turns into a revelation”, this was the hart of the matter. Koresh thought he’s interpretation of the Book of Revelations was correct, being the fact that God himself gave the interpretation to him. Remember that the Bible is a book that can easily be misinterpreted if a person does not have the big picture in mind. And any verse can be interpreted or twisted to justify a way of thinking or a doctrine (that’s why we have so many denominations of the Christian church today). The line “it all adds up in your head” means that everything was just in the head of David Koresh. His own invention. And this is what I think the real meaning of the song is. As you can see it is not trivial stuff at all. And very interesting. We must not commit the same mistakes we made in the past. God Bless!!
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lazyhippie
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28/10/2003
17:51:30
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Everytime I hear it, it gets better and better.
Definitely band of the year. WHAT A FUCKIN' VOICE!
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sheriness
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20/09/2003
10:35:41
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No one seems to care that this is the tightest, hardest song on the album. Oh well--I love it. I must have skipped that day of church.....YEA RIGHT! LOL
Still laughing - christian rock. Oh man, that'a a good one. LOL
LOL - stoopid people
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ejlove
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10/05/2003
04:20:18
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Audioslave can do no wrong son. This song is so tight. Awesome, awesome. Please Audioslave fans, please support this CD. They should be Best new band this music award year. Chris and The Rage deserve it. I am Audiocher...
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Foo_Fighter
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30/04/2003
10:40:25
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Can Audioslave do no wrong? I dont think they can THIS SONG KICKS ASS LIVE TOO!!!!!:D:D:D
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