Rabble Rouser

Album: The Spark (2017)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Frontman Rou Reynolds explained the song's meaning to Kerrang: "It's basically just a statement of what we do in the live arena. Just the mayhem, the sweat, the connection that you get at our shows and in live music, and as a wider concept as well."
  • Reynolds expanded on the almost grime-sounding track in a press release: "I see 'Rabble Rouser' as putting music to my job description," he said. "Bringing people together and getting them rowdy and energized. The track's influenced by the plethora of genres that I was lucky enough to grow up with; from jungle to garage, to grime, to dubstep."
  • "I torture rock stars with pliers," Reynolds sings in the song's opening line. The vocalist explained:

    "The line 'I torture rock stars with pliers,' I often go for a few weeks of getting so frustrated with how stagnant certain musical scenes can be. But the most obvious example is The Warped Tour – we've played that and there's been some amazing bands who've inspired us on it, but at least half of it is just an onslaught of really uninspiring banal, recycled trash. And when you're living that for months, it's really hard not to let it get to you (laughs)."
  • The video has the vibe of a classic '80s futuristic movie as we see Enter Shikari getting replaced by clones, after their original selves are disposed of.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Tony Joe White

Tony Joe WhiteSongwriter Interviews

The writer of "Rainy Night in Georgia" and "Polk Salad Annie" explains how he cooks up his Louisiana swamp rock.

Petula Clark

Petula ClarkSongwriter Interviews

Petula talks about her hits "Downtown" and "Don't Sleep In The Subway," and explains her Michael Jackson connection.

Dan Reed

Dan ReedSongwriter Interviews

Dan cracked the Top 40 with "Ritual," then went to India and spent 2 hours with the Dalai Lama.

Gary Lewis

Gary LewisSongwriter Interviews

Gary Lewis and the Playboys had seven Top 10 hits despite competition from The Beatles. Gary talks about the hits, his famous father, and getting drafted.

Michelle Branch

Michelle BranchSongwriter Interviews

Michelle Branch talks about "Everywhere," "The Game Of Love," and her run-in with a Christian broadcasting network.

Dave Alvin - "4th Of July"

Dave Alvin - "4th Of July"They're Playing My Song

When Dave recorded the first version of the song with his group the Blasters, producer Nick Lowe gave him some life-changing advice.