Against The Grain

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Details

Written by:	Greg Graffin
Released in:	1990
BPM:	158

Lyrics

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Three thousand miles of wilderness
Overcome by the flow.
A lonely restitution of pavement,
Pomp and show,
I seek a thousand answers,
I find but one or two,
I maintain no discomfiture,
My path again renewed.

Against the grain,
That's where I'll stay.
Swimming upstream,
I maintain against the grain.

Here labeled as a lunatic,
Sequestered and content,
There ignored and defeated
By the government.
There's an oriented public
Whose magnetic force does pull,
But away from the potential of the individual.

Against the grain,
That's where I'll stay.
Swimming upstream,
I maintain against the grain.

The flow is getting stronger
With smaller increments of time.
And Eddies of new ideas are
Increasingly hard to find,
You need all that the other has,
Your right to seize the day,
But in all your acquisitions
You will soon be swept away.

Against the grain,
That's where I'll stay.
Swimming upstream,
I maintain against the grain.

There's a common consensus
And an uncomfortable cheer,
A reverberating chorus that anyone can hear,
It sings "leave your cares behind you,
Just grab tenaciously",
This lulling sense or purpose
Will destroy us rapidly.

Against the grain,
That's where I'll stay.
Swimming upstream,
I maintain against the grain.

Versions

Version	Length	Release	Catalog ID	Country	Format	Year
Album version
	2:06	All Ages		Europe	12"	2023
	2:08	Against The Grain		Europe	12"	2023
	2:06	All Ages		Europe	12"	2023
	2:06	All Ages		United States	12"	2023
	2:08	Against The Grain		Europe	12"	2023
	2:08	Against The Grain		United States	12"	2022
	2:06	All Ages		United States	12"	2019
	2:08	Against The Grain		United States	12"	2017
	2:08	Against The Grain	E-86409-1 \| 86409-1TPU	United States	12"	2014
	2:08	Against The Grain	E-86409-1TYL	United States	12"	2014
	2:08	Against The Grain	E-86409-1	United States	12"	2010
	2:08	Against The Grain		United States	12"	2009
	2:08	Against The Grain	E-86409-1	United States	12"	2009
	2:08	Against The Grain	E-86409-1	United States	12"	2009
	2:08	Against The Grain		Russia	CD	2007
	2:08	Against The Grain	1309157-1	Brazil	CD	1999
	2:08	Against The Grain		Brazil	CD	1999
	2:06	All Ages	483563 4	Thailand	MC	1996
	2:06	All Ages	1221	Poland	MC	1996
	2:08	Against The Grain	E-86409-4	Poland	MC	1996
	2:06	All Ages		Taiwan	CD	1996
	2:06	All Ages	n/a	Malaysia	MC	1995
	2:06	All Ages	86443-4	United States	MC	1995
	2:06	All Ages		United States	12"	1995
	2:06	All Ages	86443-2	United States	CD	1995
	2:06	All Ages		Japan	CD	1995
	2:06	All Ages		Europe	CD	1995
	2:06	All Ages	EP 86443	United States	12"	1995
	2:08	Against The Grain	ESCA-6141	Japan	CD	1995
	2:06	All Ages		Indonesia	MC	1995
	2:06	All Ages	ESCA 6405 STEREO \| 483563 4	Philippines	MC	1995
	2:06	All Ages		Russia	MC	1995
	2:06	All Ages	86443	Europe	MC	1995
	2:06	All Ages		Russia	MC	1995
	2:06	All Ages		Yugoslavia	MC	1995
	2:06	All Ages		Bulgaria	MC	1995
	2:06	All Ages	OXX 1173-1	Brazil	CD	1995
	2:06	All Ages		Philippines	CD	1995
	2:06	All Ages		Bulgaria	CD	1995
	2:06	All Ages		Russia	CD	1995
	2:06	All Ages	86443-2	Australia	CD	1995
	2:08	Against The Grain		United States	12"	1994
	2:08	Against The Grain		United States	CD	1991
	2:08	Against The Grain	E-86409-4	United States	MC	1990
	2:08	Against The Grain	E-86409-1	United States	12"	1990
	2:08	Against The Grain		United States	12"	1990
	2:08	Against The Grain	E-86409-2	United States	CD	1990
	2:08	Against The Grain		South Korea	CD	1990
	2:08	Against The Grain		United States	CD	1990
	2:08	Against The Grain	6409-2	Europe	CD	1990
	2:08	Against The Grain	E-86409	United States	12"	1990
	2:08	Against The Grain		Russia	MC	1990
	2:08	Against The Grain	MG 2200	Poland	MC	1990
	2:08	Against The Grain		Brazil	CD	1990
Cover By Ted Leo
		Germs Of Perfection: A Tribute To Bad Religion		United States	DL	2010
Remastered
	2:08	Against The Grain		Europe	12"	2023
	2:08	Against The Grain		United States	CD	2016
	2:08	Against The Grain		United States	CD	2010
	2:08	Against The Grain		United States	MC	2004
	2:08	Against The Grain		United States	CD	2004
	2:08	Against The Grain		Europe	CD	2004
	2:08	Against The Grain		Australia	CD	2004
	2:08	Against The Grain		Thailand	MC	2004
	2:08	Against The Grain	86703-2	Europe	CD	2004
	2:08	Against The Grain	86703-2	Israel	CD	2004
	2:08	Against The Grain		Russia	CD	2004
	2:08	Against The Grain		Russia	CD	1990
*Not specified*
		Against the Grain / Recipe for Hate	BYCD-019	South Korea	CD	1997
	2:06	All Ages		Russia	MC	1995

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Comment:

Song interpretations (6)

randomperson Guest Location: Global Citizen	Quote I feel this song is, like the title states, about going "against the grain" of modern culture and the materialism we face everyday. It's about feeling alone in a sea of conformity, but hanging in there anyway. And when I first heard the line about "three thousand miles of wilderness" somehow it made me think of Henry David Thoreau. Reviewing the lyrics, this song probably wasn't written with him in mind but he would probably like and identify with it anyway. Because people thought he was crazy and strange, he got arrested for tax evasion (going against the government) and stuff, but through it all he maintained his course of staying out of the mainstream and going against what everyone else was doing. 08/17/2005 at 03:54 I feel this song is, like the title states, about going "against the grain" of modern culture and the materialism we face everyday. It's about feeling alone in a sea of conformity, but hanging in there anyway. And when I first heard the line about "three thousand miles of wilderness" somehow it made me think of Henry David Thoreau. Reviewing the lyrics, this song probably wasn't written with him in mind but he would probably like and identify with it anyway. Because people thought he was crazy and strange, he got arrested for tax evasion (going against the government) and stuff, but through it all he maintained his course of staying out of the mainstream and going against what everyone else was doing.
Guitarace_71 Guest Location: Global Citizen	Quote The initial message is to go your own way, or against Society, represented as 'The Grain'. But, as pop-culture today has shown us, being uncool-is cool. Punk fashions, as well as music has come into the 'Mainstream' that most Punks fear. In going 'Against the Grain', we must be careful. In our pursuit of non-conformity, we must search for the intelligible path, rather than just 'being different'. Looks are nothing, acts are something, but knowledge-is power. 07/11/2004 at 12:13 The initial message is to go your own way, or against Society, represented as 'The Grain'. But, as pop-culture today has shown us, being uncool-is cool. Punk fashions, as well as music has come into the 'Mainstream' that most Punks fear. In going 'Against the Grain', we must be careful. In our pursuit of non-conformity, we must search for the intelligible path, rather than just 'being different'. Looks are nothing, acts are something, but knowledge-is power.
Nichsnutz722 Guest Location: Global Citizen	Quote I think that there is something important to consider that this is not only a title of a given track, but the title of the album as well. This song (to me) is the culmination. And the general text of this album has a lot to do with the evolution of the planet, and its most evolved creature (Homo Sapien Sapien). Although I think that it is an accurate supposition that Graffin is standing against conformity, (on an even larger scale) he is standing against evolution, or the grain, and that into which modern man has evolved. Also, I don't think that it is any coincidence that 'modern man' is the first track- it sets the tone of the album. 07/11/2004 at 12:12 I think that there is something important to consider that this is not only a title of a given track, but the title of the album as well. This song (to me) is the culmination. And the general text of this album has a lot to do with the evolution of the planet, and its most evolved creature (Homo Sapien Sapien). Although I think that it is an accurate supposition that Graffin is standing against conformity, (on an even larger scale) he is standing against evolution, or the grain, and that into which modern man has evolved. Also, I don't think that it is any coincidence that 'modern man' is the first track- it sets the tone of the album.
Drew Guest Location: Global Citizen	Quote I think that against the grain means not going with the flow. But I don't think the song means go against the grain just for the sake of going against the grain. I think what Bad Religion was trying to say is do what you think is right even if it means swimming upstream. But if what you think is right means going with the grain than do it. 07/11/2004 at 12:12 I think that against the grain means not going with the flow. But I don't think the song means go against the grain just for the sake of going against the grain. I think what Bad Religion was trying to say is do what you think is right even if it means swimming upstream. But if what you think is right means going with the grain than do it.
Juanse Guest Location: Global Citizen	Quote It's about gaining knowledge. Always trying to think and stop being conformist and you now think and question and improve. He says that this is the world and that he is going against the grain cause he's not a conformist, he tries to be better and trying to improve as a person. 07/11/2004 at 12:12 It's about gaining knowledge. Always trying to think and stop being conformist and you now think and question and improve. He says that this is the world and that he is going against the grain cause he's not a conformist, he tries to be better and trying to improve as a person.
Todd Crafton Guest Location: Global Citizen	Quote Against the grain means against the trends. But, in going against the trends, you are setting a trend. It is paradoxical. It is evident that in order to create change from a trend, one must be created. Punks are about creating a trend that benefits all and secludes none, the opposite of most trends now-a-days. 07/11/2004 at 12:12 Against the grain means against the trends. But, in going against the trends, you are setting a trend. It is paradoxical. It is evident that in order to create change from a trend, one must be created. Punks are about creating a trend that benefits all and secludes none, the opposite of most trends now-a-days.