What Would You Do by Bastille Lyrics Meaning – A Dive Into the Soul of Survival
Lyrics
Saturday night was at this real wild party
There was liquor overflowin’ the cup
About five or six strippers trying to work for a buck
So I took one girl outside with me
Her name was Londy, she went to Junior High with me
I said, “Why you up in there dancing for cash?
I guess a whole lot’s changed since I seen you last”
She said
What would you do if your son was at home
Crying all alone
On the bedroom floor
‘Cause he’s hungry and the only way to feed him is to
Sleep with a man for a little bit of money?
And his daddy’s gone in and out of lock down
I ain’t got a job now
He’s just smokin’ rock now
So for you this is just a good time
But for me this is what I call life
Girl, you ain’t the only one to have a baby
That’s no excuse to be living all crazy
So she stared me right square in the eye
And said, “Everyday I wake up, hoping to die”
She said, “They’re gonna know about pain
‘Cause me and my sister ran away
So our daddy couldn’t rape us
Before I was a teenager
I done been through more shit
You can’t even relate to”
What would you do if your son was at home
Crying all alone
On the bedroom floor
‘Cause he’s hungry and the only way to feed him is to
Sleep with a man for a little bit of money?
And his daddy’s gone in and out of lock down
I ain’t got a job now
He’s just smokin’ rock now
So for you this is just a good time
But for me this is what I call life
What would you do?
Get up off my feet and stop making tired excuses
What would you do?
Get up off my feet and stop making tired excuses
What would you do?
Get up off my feet and stop making tired excuses
What would you do?
Get up off my feet!
What would you do if your son was at home
Crying all alone
On the bedroom floor
‘Cause he’s hungry and the only way to feed him is to
Sleep with a man for a little bit of money?
And his daddy’s gone in and out of lock down
I ain’t got a job now
He’s just smokin’ rock now
So for you this is just a good time
But for me this is what I call life
What would you do if your son was at home
Crying all alone
On the bedroom floor
‘Cause he’s hungry and the only way to feed him is to
Sleep with a man for a little bit of money?
And his daddy’s gone in and out of lock down
I ain’t got a job now
He’s just smokin’ rock now
So for you this is just a good time
But for me this is what I call life
What would you do if your son was at home
Crying all alone
On the bedroom floor
‘Cause he’s hungry
Bastille’s cover of ‘What Would You Do’ resonates with raw emotional energy, the kind that seeps from the wounds of life’s harshest realities. Originally by City High, the song captures a narrative seldom sung with such piercing clarity. Bastille, known for their hauntingly poignant soundscapes, interprets the track with an empathy that bridges music and social commentary.
The candid storytelling, matched with stirring vocals, plumbs societal depths often relegated to the shadows. Listeners are ushered into a world of survival where morality is a luxury and life choices are stark. This isn’t just music; it’s a mirror held up to the broken parts of society, reflected in the struggles of an individual.
The Tale of Londy – Truths Wrapped in Melody
The song’s protagonist is Londy, a symbol of lost innocence and shattered dreams. Her dialogue with an old school friend spotlights the distressing decisions that some must face. Her voice becomes the silent scream of many, addressing the gut-wrenching predicaments involving poverty, sacrifice, and parental responsibility.
Bastille’s rendition is a reminder that music can be a powerful vehicle for telling the stories of those who society often overlooks. The band imbues the song with a poignancy that calls for both reflection and action.
The Plight of Parenthood in Poetry
‘What Would You Do’ paints a vivid picture of a parent caught in dire straits. The lyrics speak of a mother pushed to the brink, forced into prostitution to feed her child. It’s a perspective that breaks down the traditional glorification of parenthood and exposes the gruesome struggle some must endure.
Through Bastille’s lens, listeners are given no room for passive consumption; the song demands empathy and understanding. It is a musical probe into the lengths one would go to for the love of their child, asking a question that echoes long after the song ends.
The Harsh Realities of Addiction and Absence
The narrative arc extends turmoil with a father ‘in and out of lock down’ and fueled by addiction. The song does not mince words in depicting the cyclical tragedies of substance abuse and its collateral damage. This verse is a condemnation of the voids left by absent fathers, often filled with societal judgement instead of support.
Bastille explores these themes with a sensitivity that provokes thought, rather than blame, weaving a deeper tale of human complexity within the catchy melody.
From Sound to Substance: The Song’s Hidden Meaning
Beneath the direct storytelling, ‘What Would You Do’ is a nuanced commentary on survival in a world that is unforgiving to the disenfranchised. Bastille’s understated yet gripping performance evokes the spirit of those fighting daily battles, beyond the prying eyes of the privileged.
The hidden meaning of the track is a lament and a battle cry, a dual message that champions the resilience of the human spirit while chastising a society complacent in its suffering.
‘Everyday I Wake Up, Hoping To Die’ – Lines That Haunt
Among the song’s most memorable lines, this confession stands as a chilling testament to hopelessness. It shakes the listener to their core, the sorrow of daily waking to a life of desperation. Bastille delivers it with an emotional gravity that few other bands have managed, turning lyrics into an indelible mark on the consciousness of their audience.
It is through lines like these that ‘What Would You Do’ transcends music, becoming a beacon of awareness for issues often kept in the dark. Bastille’s articulation is a poignant reminder of music’s capacity to tell stories that need to be heard.
