Make It Stop (September's Children)

"Make It Stop (September's Children)"
Single by Rise Against
from the album Endgame
B-side "Lanterns"
Released May 30, 2011
Format CD single, digital download, 7"
Recorded September 2010–January 2011 at The Blasting Room, Fort Collins, Colorado
Genre Punk rock
Length 3:55
Label DGC, Interscope
Writer(s) Tim McIlrath, Joe Principe, Brandon Barnes and Zach Blair
Producer(s) Bill Stevenson, Jason Livermore
Rise Against singles chronology
"Help Is on the Way"
(2011)		 "Make It Stop (September's Children)"
(2011)		 "Satellite"
(2011)
Music sample
Make It Stop (September's Children)

"Make It Stop (September's Children)" is the second single from punk rock band Rise Against's sixth studio album, Endgame. The single was released to digital music outlets on May 30, 2011. It peaked at number six on Billboard's Alternative Songs chart and number eight on Billboard's Rock Songs chart. The song is part of the It Gets Better Project.

Song meaning

In an article for Punknews.org, lead singer Tim McIlrath revealed that "a number of events were the catalyst for the creation of Make It Stop, everything from the suicides in September 2010, to our own fans voicing their fears and insecurities from time to time. I decided to create the song as a response, and when I discovered the It Gets Better campaign and [It Gets Better Project co-founder] Dan Savage's commitment to such an important and concise message, I was moved." [1]

The song explicitly deals with the issues of bullying. According to McIlrath, "The message is: It can get better, it does get better, give it a chance to get better, don’t end your life prematurely." [2]

During the middle 8, the first 5 of the 9 names of the September 2010 suicides are read aloud: (Tyler Clementi, age 18; Billy Lucas, age 15; Harrison Chase Brown, age 15; Cody J. Barker, age 17; Seth Walsh, age 13).

Reception

Thomas Nassiff of AbsolutePunk called the song the best example of how the band had changed, and later commented on how "instead of [being] a gimmick, this song becomes an example of the way that radio-ready rock music should be written".[3] Scott Heisel of Alternative Press said that the song borrows the guitar opening from "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" by Green Day, but praised the lyrics for being "more pointed than Billie Joe Armstrong’s have ever been".[4] Davey Boy of Sputnikmusic praised the children's vocals, describing them as "effective devices employed to bring awareness to such a worthwhile issue".[5] John Gentile of Punknews.org commented on how the song "has a spacey, dance-influenced intro that deftly adds variety to melodic punk while seamlessly sliding into the song proper".[6]

Music video

In this scene, a teenage girl finds her locker covered in derogatory gay slurs, such as dyke and fag.

The accompanying music video was directed by Marc Klasfeld and filmed at Rolling Meadows High School in Rolling Meadows, Illinois, the same school McIlrath attended as a student. The video was a collaboration with the It Gets Better Project, a nonprofit organization that aims to prevent suicide within the LBGT community.[7]

The music video was nominated for the "Best Video with a Message" award at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards, but lost to Born This Way by Lady Gaga.[8][9]

Charts

Weekly Charts

Chart (2011) Peak
position
Canada Active Rock Songs (America's Music Charts)[10] 17
Czech Republic (Modern Rock)[11] 12
US Hot Rock Songs (Billboard)[12] 8

Year-end charts

Chart (2011) Position
US Hot Rock Songs (Billboard)[13] 35

References

  1. ↑ "Videos: Rise Against: "Make it Stop (September's Children)"". Punknews.org. June 21, 2011. Retrieved April 22, 2015.
  2. ↑ Montgomery, James (June 20, 2011). "Rise Against’s ‘Make It Stop’ Tackles Bullying, Suicide". Retrieved April 22, 2015.
  3. ↑ Nassiff, Thomas. "Rise Against - Endgame". AbsolutePunk. Archived from the original on September 26, 2015. Retrieved September 23, 2015.
  4. ↑ Heisel, Scott (February 28, 2011). "Rise Against - Endgame - Alternative Press". Alternative Press. Retrieved October 7, 2015.
  5. ↑ Boy, Davey (March 14, 2011). "Review: Rise Against - Endgame | Sputnikmusic". Sputnikmusic. Retrieved October 7, 2015.
  6. ↑ Gentile, John (March 15, 2011). "Rise Against - Endgame | Punknews.org". Punknews.org. Retrieved October 12, 2015.
  7. ↑ ""Make It Stop (September's Children) Video Premiere". riseagainst.com. June 21, 2015. Retrieved October 12, 2015.
  8. ↑ Kavner, Lucas (August 28, 2011). "VMAs 2011: 'Best Video With A Message' Category Premieres Tonight". The Huffington Post. Retrieved October 12, 2015.
  9. ↑ Hogan, Marc (August 29, 2011). "Katy Perry Wins Big, Beyonce Shines at VMAs". Spin. Retrieved October 12, 2015.
  10. ↑ "Canadian Active Rock & Alt Rock Chart Archive - August 16, 2011". America's Music Charts. Retrieved October 13, 2015.
  11. ↑ "IFPI ČR Hitparáda - Radio - Top 20 Modern Rock Týden - 2011_51,52" (in Czech). IFPI Czech Republic. Retrieved February 26, 2016.
  12. ↑ "Rise Against – Chart history". Billboard Hot Rock Songs for Rise Against. Archived from the original on January 25, 2015. Retrieved October 5, 2015.
  13. ↑ "Rock Songs Year End 2011". Billboard. Retrieved October 12, 2015.

External links

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