Give It All

This article is about the song by Rise Against. For other uses, see Give It All (disambiguation).
"Give It All"

Cover art for the single "Give It All" by Rise Against.

"Give It All" cover
Promotional single by Rise Against from the album Siren Song of the Counter Culture
Released November 2004
Format
Recorded The Warehouse Studio, Vancouver, British Columbia
Genre Hardcore punk
Length 2:50
Label Geffen
Writer Rise Against
Producer Garth Richardson

"Give It All" is a song by American rock band Rise Against. It was originally recorded for the compilation album Rock Against Bush, Vol. 1 (2004), while a slightly altered version appeared on the band's third studio album Siren Song of the Counter Culture later that year. It is a hardcore punk song, with lyrics that are about "being a punk rocker in today's world," according to lead vocalist Tim McIlrath. It was released as a promotional single for the album in November 2004.

Despite receiving little to no coverage from contemporary music critics who reviewed Siren Song of the Counter Culture, "Give It All" has become one of the band's most widely recognized songs, and is often credited with helping Rise Against achieve mainstream success. It has been featured on multiple lists of the best Rise Against songs, and peaked at number thirty-seven on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart. The accompanying music video has the band perform in a crowded subway car, while other people travel throughout the city of Chicago vandalizing and defacing billboards and posters, with the intention of raising social and political awareness.

Background and composition

After spending several years as an underground band,[1] Rise Against signed a recording contract with Geffen Records in 2004.[lower-alpha 1][4] This deal was criticized by some fans, who felt that a major record label would hinder the band's creative process and negatively impact their music.[4] The first song the band released following their signing to Geffen was "Give It All", which was featured on the compilation album Rock Against Bush, Vol. 1 (2004).[lower-alpha 2][6] The band liked the song, and decided to record a slightly altered version for their third studio album Siren Song of the Counter Culture (2004).[6] It was released as a promotional single for that album in November that year.[7]
"Give It All"
A seventeen second sample of the Siren Songs of the Counter Culture version's 's chorus.
Problems playing this file? See media help.

"Give It All" is a short hardcore punk track,[8] with a fast pace and a slow bridge.[1] Lead vocalist Tim McIlrath commented that the song is about "being a punk rocker in today’s world; like what being a human being in today’s world is like."[9] Scott Heisel of Punknews.org felt that the Rock Against Bush, Vol. 1 version maintained the band's distinctive sound, and signing to a major record label had not changed the band's music.[10] Davey Boy of Sputnikmusic noted that the Siren Song of the Counter Culture version reminded him of a harder version of songs by The Offspring, and that it was controlled enough to appeal to casual rock fans.[8]

Reception and legacy

Upon the release of Siren Song of the Counter Culture, "Give It All" received little to no coverage from music critics who reviewed the album.[11] Despite this, it has become one of the band's most widely recognized songs,[12] and is often credited with helping Rise Against achieve mainstream success.[6] Dave Kim of WGRD-FM listed "Give It All" as the fourth best Rise Against song,[13] while WatchMojo.com listed it as the band's best song.[12] WatchMojo.com also ranked it as number ten on their list of Top 10 Decade Defining Hard Rock and Heavy Metal Songs: 2000s.[1]

Commercially, "Give It All" became the first Rise Against song to reach the US Alternative Songs chart, peaking at number thirty-seven on January 1, 2005.[14]

Music video

In the music video, Rise Against performs the song inside a crowded subway car.

The accompanying music video was directed by James Cox, and filmed in Chicago.[15] In the video, Rise Against performs inside a subway car on the Chicago "L". Passengers begin boarding the car in large quantities, and engage in a mosh pit, while the band continues to perform.[13] Simultaneously, other passengers leave the car and travel throughout the city at night, vandalizing and defacing billboards and posters with the intention of raising social and political awareness. In the morning, the vandals change into suits, and go to work.[13]

The band was given a small budget to film the music video.[15] McIlrath remarked that the band did not want to make a video that felt "really cheesy or overproduced", and instead wanted to incorporate the song's message.[9] The night before filming began, the band performed at a local venue, and asked the audience members to star in the video; several audience members came the following day.[15] The subway car featured in the video continued to make its regular stops, while the band and the actors performed.[15] During one scene in the video, the vandals sneak into the local zoo, and deface a tiger cage with a sticker that says "I've spent my entire life trapped in a cage". The zoo had not given permission for the band to film the tiger cage, out of fear it would damage their reputation. The filming crew then chose to sneak into the zoo at night to film the scene.[16]

Personnel and credits

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Siren Song of the Counter Culture.[17]

Rise Against

Additional backing vocals by Neil Hennessy.

Production

Charts

Chart (2005) Peak
position
US Alternative Songs (Billboard)[14] 37

References

Notes

  1. ↑ Rise Against had originally signed with DreamWorks Records in 2004,[2] but when DreamWorks Records folded into Geffen Records, the band was forced to switch labels.[3]
  2. ↑ The Rock Against Bush, Vol. 1 version also appears on the 2013 compilation album Long Forgotten Songs: B-Sides & Covers 2000–2013.[5]

Footnotes

  1. 1 2 3 Crilly-Mckean, Alex. "Top 10 Decade Defining Hard Rock and Heavy Metal Songs: 2000s". WatchMojo.com. Retrieved April 3, 2016.
  2. ↑ White, Adam (December 2003). "Rise Against Signs To Dreamworks". Punknews.org. Retrieved April 5, 2016.
  3. ↑ "Jordan Schur In Partnership With Interscope Records Launches Suretone Records". Universal Music Group. March 13, 2006. Retrieved April 6, 2016.
  4. 1 2 Donnelly, Justin. "Rise Against". Blistering. Retrieved April 3, 2016.
  5. ↑ Childers, Chad (October 25, 2013). "Enter to Win a Rise Against Prize Pack + Check Out the 'Long Forgotten Songs' Album Sampler". Loudwire. Retrieved April 3, 2016.
  6. 1 2 3 Rosen, Steven (November 11, 2014). "Tim McIlrath: 'I Never Had a Very Careerist Attitude Towards Rise Against's Music and Message'". Ultimate Guitar Archive. Retrieved April 3, 2016.
  7. ↑ "Give It All" (CD single) (Media notes). Rise Against. Geffen Records. 2004.
  8. 1 2 Boy, Davey (June 16, 2008). "Review: Rise Against – Siren Song of the Counter Culture". Sputnikmusic. Retrieved April 3, 2016.
  9. 1 2 Gorman, Bobby (April 14, 2005). "Rise Against". The Punk Site. Archived from the original on April 7, 2016. Retrieved April 3, 2016.
  10. ↑ Heisel, Scott (April 20, 2004). "Rock Against Bush Vol 1 (2004)". Punknews.org. Retrieved April 3, 2016.
  11. ↑ Reviews that did not assess “Give It All” in a critical manner include:
  12. 1 2 Stuhr, Brandon. "Top 10 Rise Against Songs". WatchMojo.com. Retrieved April 3, 2016.
  13. 1 2 3 Kim, Dave (September 23, 2012). "10 Best Rise Against Songs". WGRD-FM. Archived from the original on March 11, 2015. Retrieved April 3, 2016.
  14. 1 2 "Rise Against – Chart history" Billboard Alternative Songs for Rise Against. Retrieved September 6, 2015.
  15. 1 2 3 4 Garner, George (February 15, 2015). "The Ultimate Rise Against Videography". Kerrang!. Archived from the original (select Give It All slide) on April 7, 2016. Retrieved April 3, 2016.
  16. ↑ Paul, Aubin (December 8, 2006). "Interviews: Tim McIlrath (Rise Against)". Punknews.org. Retrieved July 25, 2015.
  17. ↑ Siren Song of the Counter Culture (liner notes). Rise Against. Geffen Records. 2004.

External links

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Sunday, April 17, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.