"The Tribe I Claim" is about how people try to embrace a
singular culture or identity, like how so many punks are
having this Irish roots resurgence or whatever. Though
there is nothing inherently wrong with this, I can never
identify with one set, so the song is about how the culture
that I identify most with is sub-culture or drop out
culture. People who reject cultures that have been imposed
on them. Gay people who reject the gay community's attempts
to be accepted as main stream, African American kids that
prefer listening to deathmetal, sex workers, transgenders,
artists that push the envelope with their work, basically I
feel more affinity for the misfits and odd balls the
seemingly contradictory and unusual people of the world,
they are the people I feel more of a connection with than
people who buy into the blueprint of societal norms. People
who have chosen to live their lives by their own rules.
People who have acceptance and understanding of who they
are and what they want out of life, even it means the path
won't be easy. Though there are analogies to rats and
roaches in the lyrics, I do not associate these communities
with vermin, though mainstream society might view these
communities in exactly that light. The analogy is more to
the ability to survive under the most adverse
circumstances.
Nomads and wanderers
pirates and sex workers
living life by their own rules
autonomous and free
dissemination inherent to our clan
you'll find our people spread through
each and every land
"young" punks and artisans
deviants and eccentrics
like rats within the walls
roaches beneath the floors
Página 1 / 2