Foo Fighters - The Pretender

I decided to switch it up a bit in this post. As most of you probably expected me to do another post on hip hop or rap. I listen to most types of music, and i'm sure this post will confirm that. The song is called "The Pretender", and it was the first single off of the Foo Fighters 2007 Album. The name of the album is called "Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace". This song is definitely up there in my list of favorite songs. Not only for its upbeat tempo and amazing instrumentation, but also for its deep lyrical content. There is a deeper meaning to this song, that the average person might not recognize by just listening to it.

 Me being the conspiracy enthusiast that I am, I could easily sense the deficiency in this song. Even the title itself, "The Pretender" gives a big hint as to what the subject matter is. When I read the title, I think of someone who is not themselves or is pretending. This is exactly what the song is about. "That's the nice thing with lyrics, you never really want to give away specifics, because its nice for people to have their own idea or interpretation of the song". Says Dave Grohl, the lead singer for the Foo fighters in a 2007 interview. This is my interpretation of the moving song. "What if I say i'm not like the others, what if I say i'm not just another one of your plays, your the pretender, what if I say that I'll never surrender". I immediately think of the whole "illuminati" conspiracy when I hear this chorus.

The Illuminati is a conspiracy that has been erupting all over the internet and media for the past couple of years. Basically saying that most if not all entertainers, such as musicians, actors, and athletes, sell their souls in order to receive success or all that they have now. In this conspiracy, the "illuminati" controls all aspects of the entertainment industry and the government. Its supposed to be a secret society, but I guess its not much of a secret now. Dave Grohl is pretty describing how the Foo Fighters are original and will never fall victim to the puppetry that occurs in mainstream music. When he says hes not just another one of your plays he means that they're not just another one of these random artists that the industry and "illuminati" can control. He calls us the pretender, because we are the ones being brainwashed without even noticing it. We "pretend" nothing is wrong, but deep down inside we know there is something fishy going on here. Why is it that all mainstream music now a days has a simple and materialistic subject matter? Its simply because the higher society realizes that the majority of people that listen to the mainstream music dont really care for meaningful lyrics anymore. Its more about what sounds good and makes you dance.

Finally Dave Grohl ends the chorus by saying "what if I say that ill never surrender". Originality is one of the main catalyst that boosted the Foo Fighters to success. So its evident that they will never give in and become unoriginal. If that makes sense? They want to have control over everything they do. If you watch the video for the song, it puts together all the missing pieces. Everything you heard, is painted in a vivid picture through the video.


Research on The Pretender Lyrics