Entropy

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Details

Written by:	Greg Graffin
Released in:	1990
BPM:	154

Lyrics

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Random blobs of power expressed as that which we all disregard,
Ordered states of nature on a scale that no one thinks about.
Don't speak to me of anarchy of peace or calm revolt,
Man, we're in a play of slow decay orchestrated by Boltzmann.

It's entropy, it's not a human issue,
Entropy, it's a matter of course.
Entropy, energy at all levels,
Entropy, from it you can not divorce.
And your pathetic moans of suffrage tend to lose all significance.

Extinction, degradation: The natural outcomes of our ordered lives.
Power, motivation: Temporary fixtures for which we strive.
Something in our synapses assures us we're ok,
But in our disequilibrium we simply can not stay.

It's entropy, it's not a human issue,
Entropy, it's a matter of course.
Entropy, energy at all levels,
Entropy, from it you can not divorce.

A stolid proposition from a man unkempt as I,
My affectatious nature I can not rectify,
But we are out of equilibrium unnaturally,
A pang of consciousness of death
And then you will agree.

It's entropy.
Entropy, it's a matter of course.
Entropy, energy at all levels,
Entropy, from it you can not divorce.
Entropy,
Entropy,
Entropy,
Entropy!

Versions

Version	Length	Release	Catalog ID	Country	Format	Year
Album version
	2:23	Against The Grain		Europe	12"	2023
	2:23	Against The Grain		Europe	12"	2023
	2:23	Against The Grain		United States	12"	2022
	2:23	Against The Grain		United States	12"	2017
	2:23	Against The Grain	E-86409-1 \| 86409-1TPU	United States	12"	2014
	2:23	Against The Grain	E-86409-1TYL	United States	12"	2014
	2:23	Against The Grain	E-86409-1	United States	12"	2010
	2:23	Against The Grain	E-86409-1	United States	12"	2009
	2:23	Against The Grain	E-86409-1	United States	12"	2009
	2:23	Against The Grain		United States	12"	2009
	2:23	Against The Grain		Russia	CD	2007
	2:23	Against The Grain	1309157-1	Brazil	CD	1999
	2:23	Against The Grain		Brazil	CD	1999
	2:23	Against The Grain	E-86409-4	Poland	MC	1996
	2:23	Against The Grain	ESCA-6141	Japan	CD	1995
	2:23	Against The Grain		United States	12"	1994
	2:23	Against The Grain		United States	CD	1991
	2:23	Against The Grain	E-86409-4	United States	MC	1990
	2:23	Against The Grain		United States	12"	1990
	2:23	Against The Grain	E-86409-1	United States	12"	1990
	2:23	Against The Grain	E-86409-2	United States	CD	1990
	2:23	Against The Grain		South Korea	CD	1990
	2:23	Against The Grain	6409-2	Europe	CD	1990
	2:23	Against The Grain		United States	CD	1990
	2:23	Against The Grain	E-86409	United States	12"	1990
	2:23	Against The Grain	MG 2200	Poland	MC	1990
	2:23	Against The Grain		Russia	MC	1990
	2:23	Against The Grain		Brazil	CD	1990
Remastered
	2:23	Against The Grain		Europe	12"	2023
	2:23	Against The Grain		United States	CD	2016
	2:23	Against The Grain		United States	CD	2010
	2:23	Against The Grain		United States	MC	2004
	2:23	Against The Grain		United States	CD	2004
	2:23	Against The Grain		Europe	CD	2004
	2:23	Against The Grain		Australia	CD	2004
	2:23	Against The Grain		Thailand	MC	2004
	2:23	Against The Grain	86703-2	Europe	CD	2004
	2:23	Against The Grain	86703-2	Israel	CD	2004
	2:23	Against The Grain		Russia	CD	2004
	2:23	Against The Grain		Russia	CD	1990
*Not specified*
		Against the Grain / Recipe for Hate	BYCD-019	South Korea	CD	1997

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Comment:

Song interpretations (4)

dunk_the_punk Incomplete Location: Britain Status: Offline Posts: 0	Quote Yeah, entropy is a scientific measure of 'disorder'. The ultimate, final outcome of the universe is known as 'the heat death', (assuming you go with the cosmological model that the universe will expand and eventually stop). The 'heat death' is when all the atoms in the universe have spread out so much that they can't interact with each other and have dissipated all of their vibrational energy. When the entire universe is at absolute zero temperature and no more atomic movement or interaction is possible. This is the theoretical, ultimate state of entropy. All of our small, petty, human attempts to create order in 'our' world (a miniscule part of the universe) will ultimately amount to nothing. In a way we are fighting 'against the grain' of entropy in an ultimately fruitless attempt to order our reality. A fitting song for the album. 01/21/2009 at 09:30 Yeah, entropy is a scientific measure of 'disorder'. The ultimate, final outcome of the universe is known as 'the heat death', (assuming you go with the cosmological model that the universe will expand and eventually stop). The 'heat death' is when all the atoms in the universe have spread out so much that they can't interact with each other and have dissipated all of their vibrational energy. When the entire universe is at absolute zero temperature and no more atomic movement or interaction is possible. This is the theoretical, ultimate state of entropy. All of our small, petty, human attempts to create order in 'our' world (a miniscule part of the universe) will ultimately amount to nothing. In a way we are fighting 'against the grain' of entropy in an ultimately fruitless attempt to order our reality. A fitting song for the album.
persona Guest Location: Global Citizen	Quote Basically, this song says that there are forces beyond our control and that, while we try to control things and define life and such, the universe is slowly wearing out, things constantly die, decay, and end, and there's nothing we can do about it. It's somewhat fatalist, actually, because it's basically saying we won't live forever, nothing is permanent, and therefore everything pales in significance to the fact we're slowly decaying each second, whether this is chosen to be acknowledged or not. 01/20/2006 at 01:39 Basically, this song says that there are forces beyond our control and that, while we try to control things and define life and such, the universe is slowly wearing out, things constantly die, decay, and end, and there's nothing we can do about it. It's somewhat fatalist, actually, because it's basically saying we won't live forever, nothing is permanent, and therefore everything pales in significance to the fact we're slowly decaying each second, whether this is chosen to be acknowledged or not.
T-Mon Guest Location: Global Citizen	Quote These lyrics emphasis the absurdity of life as we strive for order and significance without regard to the natural forces of the universe. 11/06/2004 at 19:16 These lyrics emphasis the absurdity of life as we strive for order and significance without regard to the natural forces of the universe.
simian Infected Avatar Nauseam Location: Baltimore, MD Status: Offline Posts: 1155	Quote Entropy is a pretty simple song on one level. It's about the second law of thermodynamics, which states that energy is lost from a mechanical (or chemical) system in each reaction or movement. To put it another way, disorder is always increasing. "Don't speak to me of anarchy or peace or calm revolt man" Greg is emphasizing that regardless of how optimistic you are about the future for humanity, you have to acknowledge that eventually we're going to be dead and gone. Entropy affects all systems, which is what's meant by "it's not a human issue." Ludwig Boltzmann was an Austrian physicist who invented statistical mechanics, and came up with the formula for entropy (S). He committed suicide in 1906 because the scientific establishment was harshly critical of his work. 07/13/2004 at 19:53 Entropy is a pretty simple song on one level. It's about the second law of thermodynamics, which states that energy is lost from a mechanical (or chemical) system in each reaction or movement. To put it another way, disorder is always increasing. "Don't speak to me of anarchy or peace or calm revolt man" Greg is emphasizing that regardless of how optimistic you are about the future for humanity, you have to acknowledge that eventually we're going to be dead and gone. Entropy affects all systems, which is what's meant by "it's not a human issue." Ludwig Boltzmann was an Austrian physicist who invented statistical mechanics, and came up with the formula for entropy (S). He committed suicide in 1906 because the scientific establishment was harshly critical of his work.