This song will always have a special place in my heart. I put this on the radio driving home from my last 12 hour shift at my first ever 'real' job. I'd accepted an offer as a temp worker at a huge company in a field I didn't know the first thing about. I couldn't have guessed that not only would I get hired on full time, I'd eventually end up leading a team there 5 years later. In that time I moved out to live in my own place for a few years, traveled outside my own country, got to see Protomen play live in Atlanta, and I met my girlfriend who I'm now living with. I couldn't have guessed for a minute just how much my life would change that night, driving home with my windows down and this song blasting on the radio. I'll borrow from the song to send a message of my own: If you can hear my voice outside these walls, if you can hear me sending out this message tonight: There is hope for you, for us, for the future. No matter how dark it feels sometimes, don't turn your back on the city.
Next time you listen to the album, notice that the heartbeat begins during "How The World Fell Into Darkness," which marks when Light is run out of town. You can hear the city begin to change into an automated thing, represented by the diminishing physical instrumentation and increasing synth. The heartbeat starts when Joe is born during the transition to machine-fascism, and stops at the end of "The Fall." These guys are amazing.
"But, if I'm the only one left standing, I will not be afraid to fight!" There. That's the point. Protoman died when no one else would stand, and he felt humanity was wrong for forsaking him. Megaman gave up when he stood, and no one else stood with him. Neither is right. Joe knew that it doesn't matter if others stand with you or not. If you should stand, you stand. "A hero is just a man, who knows his is free." Free to stand without the need for others to stand with you. It took me a long time to figure it out, but that's what it means. Hope rides alone.
that's probably the lesson megaman learns in act 3. The story is about megaman so I'm pretty sure he is gonna come back. He will probably die though just saying
@@Darkmage1293 not wrong, i struggle with a fair bit in daily life but depression is the biggest factor in that and i find that i just give up on alot of things cause i dont haveny interest or care so time and time again i give in and it sucks, nothing ever does change and it never will.
Either this or The Hounds are the best song on the album. Or The Good Doctor. Or Light Up The Night. Or The Fall. Or...y'know what, the whole thing freakin' ROCKS.
Which makes it all the more epic when you realize that Joe wasnt your "average joe"- he was the opposite of average in the city- everyone else was scared to do anything, but Joe was unique in the way he did what HE wanted to, no matter what others thought or did.
GalaxyCat Animations also, on look at his account he has 3 playlists, one of which contains a fucking blender tutorial, also, if he really was a developer, he wouldnt be bragging about it in the fucking comment section of a fucking song
"Sometimes I just want to drive until the streets run out...I want to burn until there's nothing left to burn about..." best lyrics ever and probably my favorite song
The city doesn't know what's coming, She doesn't feel the heat. The city won't know what hit her, What knocked her out into the streets. The city is thinking that it's over, And she's already fast asleep. So I'm breaking out of here tonight. I am ready. We're given only what we need, Only the chance to survive. And even then, it's a coin toss, A roll of the dice. There's gotta be something better, Something that feels more alive. So I'm breaking out of here tonight. I'm breaking out of here. You've got to feel it girl, Feel the wind pick up. It feels like something's gonna change, But there's no use putting it in drive If all the wheels are stuck. There's somethin' wrong here, Like this whole city wants to scream, But no one makes a sound. But, you've got to feel it, baby. So I'm going to find out what it is And I'm going to tear it down The engine's running, baby. We don't have time for goodbyes. I know you can't come with me. I see that look in your eyes. So kiss me fast Cause there's no time to lose. Leave the light on I'll come back for you. When everything is said and done, I swear I'm gonna make it right. I'm breaking out of here tonight. I'm so tired of giving up. I am so tired of giving in. You wake up knowing things should change, Not knowing where to begin. This city won't say where she's going, And she won't speak of where she's been. So I'm breaking out of here tonight... Breakin' out. Don't turn your back on the city Say a prayer for all The children still sleeping. Say a prayer for all the fathers Who still remember. Say a prayer for all the girls Who've learned to stand up. Say a prayer for all the boys Who won't surrender. Sometimes I just want to drive Until the streets run out. I want to burn until there's Nothing left to burn about. This city's waiting for a better day. When I get back there will be hell to pay. But, if I'm the only one left standing, I will not be afraid to fight. I'm breaking out of here tonight. I feel a fever coming on me, Burning out of control. And I hear nothing but the static. For years now there's been nothing But the static on the radio. If you can hear my voice outside these walls, If you can hear me sending out this message tonight, Then break the silence, send a signal back. I'm coming, all I need is a little guiding light. ...If you can hear me. Don't turn your back on the city.. If you can hear me... Don't turn your back on the city.
5:01 to 5:31 Is probably one of the most powerful crescendos I've ever heard. It's like the instrumental equivalent to never giving up. I love this band so much
There's a slim chance anyone's going to read or notice this in the comments, but if you do, this is for you: You're here. You're alive. You mean something. So let your heart pump your veins with gasoline. Ride until the streets run out, and burn until there's nothing left to burn about, and break out of here tonight. Don't let your life be driven by anyone else who might turn the wheels. Make your own story. Be your own hero, and maybe some day when the people whose lives you enriched tell your story to their children before they sleep, they'll remember you as someone who knew they were free. Now get going, because you've got work to do.
Joe. Man's last hero, struggling to save a city that cannot be saved. I always thought that he was the ancestor of Megaman, reborn when Light was at his most desperate.
Even though Joe dies... his fight lives on through Light and Megaman. There is hope for the city. The whole album is almost like a parable in that sense. Hope in the face of hopelessness.
it’s a very springsteen-esque song, and springsteen’s best songs were all about triumphant hope in the face of insurmountable obstacles, knowing the world is against you and just saying fuck it and stepping on the gas pedal as hard as possible
Might it be that hopeful piano melody within the song following the tempo of the drums and the anyicipation in the emotion of the lyrics possibly? Its a great song either way though.
protoman fought for the people the people where scared the people watched there hope die and turn on them megaman rose and fought for them the people still scared watched and warned him when they saw there saviors fight they sided with blue don't turn your back on the city
I've heard this many times over the years, but this is the first time I realized that there's a reference to the stage select theme from Mega Man 1 from 2:17 to 2:30.
I really grew to love the Protomen, though there always seems to be one or two songs on an album that bring me back in immediately. On Act 2 it was definitely Breaking Out and The Good Doctor. This song is nothing short of beautiful.
If you can hear my voice outside these walls (If you can hear me) If you can hear me sending out this message tonight Then break the silence, send a signal back (If you can hear me) I'm coming, all I need is a little guiding light If you can hear me Don't turn your back on the city It's been a decade and this bit still hits just as hard as the first time I heard it.
Every time I hear this song I think of Law riding a motorcycle through a drive through. lol I miss VGHS, and more so I miss the way RocketJump used to be.
This was my least favorite song in Act II. I didn't like Joe until I listened to Act I, then Act II immediately after. The contrast between this and The Stand. Protoman didn't believe that humans would fight for their own freedom, and they hadn't. Give Us The Rope shows us this when they drive their only hope out of the city. Joe is the proof to the contrary. He's the proof that Humanity WILL stand. This entire song just goes to prove that Protoman overlooked one detail: He overlooked Joe.
The two best parts about being a dystopian movie writer and a Protomen fan at the same time: -You get to listen to The Protomen and ONLY The Protomen when you write -You get to dream of including The Protomen in your soundtrack when the movie gets made and converting more people who wouldn't have known about their music otherwise into the Protofandom
I know, I love the little bits like that in these songs. I love how it goes from gritty rock and roll into the synth rock from their original album, and how the cover art reflects this as well.
when I get my drivers licence and a car and all that, I'm getting this album to driving and this song will be the first song I listen to while driving through the city at night, I'm 100% serious about that xD I will fulfill this
This song is mandatory any time I'm on a road trip. And I sing at the top of my lungs and put the pedal to the metal. "Something's wrong here, so I"m gonna find out what it is and I'm gonna tear it down"
Regardless of how I came upon this band I'm extremely happy that I did. Next to Coheed and Cambria they are one of my favorite "Concept ONLY Rock Opera" bands.
I just found these guys thanks to Powerglove (and i found Dark Moor because of Powerglove) This is probably one of the coolest band i've ever listened to and it makes me so happy to actually find somewhat new good music on RU-vid today. makes me almost want to cry.
VGHS sent me here, too... but who really cares what prompts someone to find a band or song. Just be glad the artists are getting recognized and gaining new fans. That's all that matters in the end.
Sometimes I feel this song fits me, when Im stressed and fed up with things. Wanting to just drive off and leave for someplace better. While the "Don't turn your back on the city" is my inner conscious telling me to not.
So much angst...but i relate homie lol. I actually walked out of my therapist office and I put this song on because I just wanted to escape it all. I wanted to leave my city. Also my therapist is a bitch btw.
I thought I wouldn't like a lot of these but after listening to them through one I'm in love with this band. Breaking Out, Light up the Night, The Fall, and Keep Quiet are my fav!
5:20 "If I'm the only one left standing I will not be afraid to fight." Both Protoman and Megaman turn their backs on humanity because humanity refuses to help them - they are the only ones standing. Joe is saying he wouldn't do this, making his immediate failure and death ever more tragic.
Was desperately trying to find this song, but I finally found it! I had this feeling it was a Springsteen song, but it didn't quite fit. You can really here the "Born to Run" inspiration in this.
The reason I found the Protomen was due to comments about them in a few Megas Videos. Alls I have to say is that I now have to Megaman based bands to listen too that are fucking awesome! I just hope Act III and History Repeating: Red comes out this year.
It's a wonder how this band isn't any more popular or successful than they really are. They've cranked out some awesome music. Our music scene needs more of The Protomen, Andrew W.K., Babymetal and Lindsey Stirling...and less of Bieber, Beyonce, Kanye and One Direction.
One day I was listening to this on my way to my shitty fuckin job and I wound up quitting when I got there and it made things really hard but it eventually all got better and now I'm so goddamned happy I was listening to the Protomen that day.
I like how you can hear bit of the stage select from MM1 here and there, referencing the start of the fight against Wily. Though, it could also be the start of Elec Man's theme, which is kind of funny considering this is the first song after the album (and city) switch to a more electronic style.
If I were to guess anyone new being introduced into Act 3, I would go with Bass over Zero. My guess is the Wily would create Bass to be the new commander of his army and to terrorize the people as best he could. REALLY put fear into their hearts.
+dan “crunochaos” smith feels more like Meatloaf and Jim Steinman. Go search for a movie called "Streets of Fire" you'll hear the similaririties and hell SoF and this album have similair cover art!
![[HD] The Protomen - Act II - Breaking Out](/img/logo.svg){kind=logo}
