What do you think Burn It Down means?

Linkin Park: Burn It Down Meaning

Album cover for Burn It Down album cover

Song Released: 2012


Burn It Down Lyrics

The cycle repeated
As explosions broke in the sky
All that I needed
Was the one thing I couldn't find
And you were there at the turn
Waiting to let me know

We're building it up
To break it back down
We're building it up
To burn it...

  1. 1TOP RATED

    #1 top rated interpretation:
    anonymous
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    Feb 23rd 2017 !⃝

    The song begins by depicting an apocalyptic scene with "explosions in the sky." This is common in media today however, they do mention that this destruction is a repeating cycle. which could refer to a second revolution from an evil government with a globalist agenda. The cores simply refers to the public's desire to rebel against a globalist agenda. This desire to fight is derived from other songs and media platforms designed by the same people with globalist plans and a revolution causes complete destruction. (that is what they want.)

    The next notable lyrics are as follows, "I wanted to fix this, but couldn't stop from taring it down." This could be a reference to the narrator's personal influence, but it can be identified as people's desire to overthrow the new world order. They are saying that attempts to rebell are going to result in chaos. That is, after all the goal of the people designing songs like this.

    The song's rap sequence is the last important detail. It talks about a king who lied and lost the trust of his "soldier." This part of the song is meant to encourage people to hate a leader, specifically the leader of the New World Order. It also provides a solution that is chaotic and deadly. It's basically to encourage people to fight the New World Order's leader and it's an important part in sustaining chaos. (that's what the song is designed for.)


    Overall this song is basically a reference to society's growing desire to destroy itself. Yet, it fails to mention that this desire is put into us through media. All song's do.

  2. 2TOP RATED

    #2 top rated interpretation:
    anonymous
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    May 9th 2012 !⃝

    Its about society and war. How we try so hard to educate, learn, and prosper and then commit war and burn it all down..

  3. 3TOP RATED

    #3 top rated interpretation:
    anonymous
    click a star to vote
    May 11th 2012 !⃝

    One possible interpretation of this song, is of a relationship between two lovers.

    The narrator is a dutiful and loving "soldier" of his/her "king", and has a less dominant role in the relationship. However, the pair consistently run into confrontations, only to make up again. It appears that the King seems to be apologetic for, and causing these fall outs, as evidenced by the fact that they are the one who waits to speak at the turn (and make up), where as the Soldier becomes more and more distressed by the arrangement, and eventually intends to let go at the turn (and break up). This is supported by the verses below:

    "You told me yes
    You held me high
    And I believed when you told that lie
    I played soldier, you played king
    And struck me down, when I kissed that ring
    You lost that right, to hold that crown
    I built you up, but you let me down
    So when you fall, I'll take my turn
    And fan the flames
    As your blazes burn"

    These seem to speak of a faithlessness and deceit on the King's part, and a loss of trust and respect on the Soldier's part, as well as cementing the King's higher standing in the relationship.

  4. anonymous
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    Nov 5th 2020 !⃝

    This song spoke to me as the higher self speaking to the lower self, that he can't help but burn himself down because he accepts nothing but the return of himself without flaw ("the colors conflicted"), and wants to let the underdeveloped self know what the plan is "at the turn". But the lower self, not willing to understand the greater design, distrusts and curses the arsonist because he builds him up only to burn him back to the ground and this repeating cycle feels sadistic and brutal. Hence the king and the servant, but they are really one and the same.

  5. anonymous
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    Oct 26th 2020 !⃝

    It could be two meanings. 1. Abusive Relationship or 2 possible addiction. In both situations you play the soldier the other play the king and you eventually had enough and fought back. When you fall i take my turn and Fan your blazes burn.

  6. anonymous
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    Jul 30th 2020 !⃝

    My interpretation is very different from any others. The interpretation i have in my mind is of earth, heaven, and hell. I think Chester realizes what is truly going on in this world and he is saying he cannot wait for it to be burned to the ground, (Armageddon), (Revalation), i think its way more deeper than others opinion. In the end thats maybe why he hung himself. Its possibly he is angry with God for him forsaking us and chose lucifers side and he wants lucifer to take his turn at being king cause lucifer hasn't forsaken us.

  7. anonymous
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    Jul 16th 2020 !⃝

    This song described my marriage perfectly...the second we get committed and think we are ok the king let's you know you never should have kissed that ring...

  8. anonymous
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    Apr 17th 2020 !⃝

    The "king" is John podesta.
    They're related.
    He screwed up chesters life growing up.
    Then used him and the band as media 'soldiers'. For podesta's version of a N.W.O.

    Luckily it all fell through last minute.

    R.I.P Chester

  9. anonymous
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    Feb 7th 2020 !⃝

    In relationship, love, friendship,etc.,heart does a thing but brain burns it down and brain does a thing that heart burns down.

  10. anonymous
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    Mar 27th 2019 !⃝

    I think this is a political song. Enough said.

  11. anonymous
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    Nov 12th 2016 !⃝

    Although I do believe in looking at many angles of a writers intent...however i do believe this to be much simpler and that of a teaser of Illuminati suggestions & symbolism....and most importantly....what is to come.
    The full cycle....

  12. anonymous
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    Nov 16th 2015 !⃝

    People never can agree. That's fact. These people are against two other groups.
    Half of the world: Opportunists who build up society
    Other Half: Violent protestors who believe the only way to agree is the start riots and burn everything to the ground

    This is talking about life, and how whenever we manage to do something positive, we always end up tearing it down.

    This is most highly supported by the chorus:

    Were building it up
    To break it back down
    Were building it up
    To burn it down
    We cant wait
    To burn it to the ground

    Someone takes a bullet, and the other guy spits it out. People never get along, and everything always ends in conflict.

  13. Kay521
    click a star to vote
    Mar 8th 2015 !⃝

    I think that everyone is describing the surface of the song. Sure, it looks like a bad relationship, but if you read between the lines, there can be bigger connections. I think it is about how we idolize someone and build them up, hold them high, then drop them like a used tissue soon after, making up rumors about them. One example could be Justin Beiber. He had millions of people fangirling over him, then suddenly he does one thing wrong and suddenly nobody likes him.
    "You told me yes
    You held me high
    [people make them famous, hold them high]

    And I believed when you told that lie
    I played soldier, you played king

    [they perform for the audience, or king. They begin to believe that they are higher than the rest of thy human populous]

    And struck me down, when I kissed that ring
    You lost that right, to hold that crown

    [the fame gets to their head, they get caught doing one thing wrong]

    I built you up, but you let me down
    So when you fall, I'll take my turn
    And fan the flames
    As your blazes burn"

    [the fans who built up the star now take part in trashing them, burning them down.]

    At least, that's what I think it means.

  14. Subhash
    click a star to vote
    Oct 24th 2014 !⃝

    I think this sng is about chester and mike shinoda...how mike shinoda started linkin park and how chester took all the fame.mike's rap address about chester..how chester played as king and mike as soldier..

    This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
  15. anonymous
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    Mar 15th 2014 !⃝

    Some of you have the right idea. It's about two people in a relationship. Basically, the boy (or girl what ever) has had some dating troubles. He then found a girl again and fell in love with her. Hence, "The cycle repeated" Other hints to the meaning are especially found in the rap part. Never has a rap been so clear not only when talking about hearing wise but also the meaning. It's about the girl cheating, because she said yes, held him high, but lied about everything and he believed her, blinded by love. He found out in the end.

  16. gatesrocks101
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    May 24th 2013 !⃝

    I think that for one this song could be about revenge. Taking revenge on someone who marked you lower than them.
    "You told me yes
    You held me high
    And I believed when you told that lie
    I played soldier, you played king
    And struck me down, when I kissed that ring
    You lost that right, to hold that crown
    I built you up, but you let me down
    So when you fall, I'll take my turn
    And fan the flames
    As your blazes burn"
    It just sounds like someone wanting to take revenge on me. It could be about society and war.
    "The cycle repeated
    As explosions broke in the sky
    All that I needed
    Was the one thing I couldn't find
    And you were there at the turn
    Waiting to let me know"
    There you go.

  17. anonymous
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    Apr 11th 2013 !⃝

    I think the song means that there is no such thing as trust. I mean one day you will trust one person, then the next thing you they betray you.

  18. anonymous
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    Feb 26th 2013 !⃝

    I believe that this song is about human life. In the part where it says " the cycle repeated as explosions broke in the sky" it is talking about war and how it happens over and over again through history. Also, when in the chorus " where building it up to break it back down where building it up to burn it down we can't wait to burn it to the ground" it means how we build up society, we make our own economies, to destroy them later on by war.

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