Red Flag

Red Flag by Billy Talent
this song seems to be based on the how society and school puts immense pressure on kids because in the Music Video it starts out with kids chanting "we want out!" and then shows as the song starts gets breaking through handcuffed school doors. This could mean a couple of things that either kids should start a rebellion or that school is meant nothing more but just to keep the kids busy which school was basically a day care service back in the day. Then the bands chorus goes

Cast off the crutch that kills the pain
The Red Flag waving never meant the same
The kids of tomorrow don't need today
When they live in the sins of yesterday
(x2)

This mean that throw away the the thing that keeps you from being in pain not totally but enough so that you aren't sheltered your entire life from the real world. Which leads up to the next line in saying clearly that the bloody flag under which countries were founded is not getting the respect it deserves and that people no longer understand what their flag mean. Then it goes on to say, "The kids of tomorrow don't need today when they live in the sins of yesterday" and by kids of tomorrow they mean the next generation and that they are living in the bad choices that we as a whole made and that we are deciding the future of the next gen. Then the next verse goes

Well I've never seen us act like this
Our only hope is the minds of kids
And they'll show us a thing or two

This verse pretty much explains itself in that we are acting ridiculous and that we dug our selves a big hole that we can't escape from ourselves and that the only people that can save us the the kids of tomorrow. Then the song goes on saying

Our only weapons are the guns of youth
It's only time before they tighten the noose
Then the hunt will be on for you

This verse says that our only weapon that we truly own is the next gen and that if the next gen doesn't fight then who will but then i think that the next 2 lines mean that we strangle hold the next generation in doing what we want and that we hunt for them and make them do our bidding so we don't have to get our hands dirty.

The Red Flag waving never meant the same
no...
The Red Flag waving never meant the same

Just re iterating that the bloody flags don't mean the same obviously and then the song repeats its corus two more times. Then they move into similies (i think thats what they are not sure though) which are talking to the next generation and the next two verses are talking directly to the next generation the are

Like the smallest bee packs a sting
Like a pawn checkmates a King
We'll attack at the crack of dawn

Build a ladder if there's a wall
Don't be afraid to slip and fall
Speak for yourself or they'll speak for you

First two line of the first verse is saying even though you may be small and insignificant you can still do great things and that don't wait until you want to do it do it when you can get the others by surprise. Then the next verse goes on saying that if you have and obstacle in your way don't just say, "oh well looks like i have to give up now ." figure out a solution to get around it and also don't be afraid to fail. Don't think of it as failing think of it as you finding way of how not to do it. Finally don't let the majority speak for you you have your own individual voice and you should use it.

Like a fire
Don't need water
Like a jury
Needs a liar
Like a riot
Don't need order
Like a Madman
Needs a martyr

These are saying that the only way something can be new is if something of equal value is destroyed to maintain balance in the world. Also that in order for their to be a jury their needs to be some one that lied. Then not all riots are bad for example there was a riot in russia for when communism took over that was deemed bad by us but for them it worked for them. Then all the madmen in the world usually are born from people who die for a cause or martyrs.

We don't need them [x8]

This is a tough one to figure out because is it saying that we don't need what was just mentioned or was it that we don't need people telling what others to do. That is what i got from that song.
for full lyrics click here