Greg Graffin, in November 2010, enthusiastically proclaimed that a song is a piece of art that should always be interpreted by the observer. He emphasized that the interpretation of the observer is just as valid as his own. Brett chimed in, stating that song lyrics, like any other form of art, are intentionally subject to interpretation by anyone. He compared art to a painting, photograph, or poem, explaining that the artist’s intention is to express something, but the beauty of art lies in the fact that each person can derive their own unique meaning from it. Jay added to the conversation, highlighting that everyone has their own interpretation of a song’s meaning, and as long as it’s not completely off base, it should be respected. He drew a parallel between interpreting a song and looking at a painting, emphasizing that while there may be one true subject, the interpretations are limitless. In other words, he stated that even if someone interprets a song like “American Jesus” as being about Star Wars, they should be celebrated for their unique perspective. However, if someone were to interpret the song as the theme song for the Ku Klux Klan, Jay would feel compelled to discuss the other possible meanings with them.
This content was originally written by the badass contributors of thebrpage.net, the best superfan resource and website that exists for any band, let alone the best band in the whole entire world. I’ve been lurking on that site for over 20 years and if you’re into Bad Religion as much as I am, I’m sure you’re familiar. If you are not, go there right now and never come back to this site again. You should, and I totally understand.
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