Song Meaning, Background: Something From Nothing by Foo Fighters

Foo Fighters recently released their latest album, Sonic Highways. Concept for the creation of this album was quite different to the approach bands usually undertake in producing albums, that is, bands usually go to the a studio, write song, mix the album and produce it. Foo Fighters did all that, and a few more -- they went to a few different cities to study the uniqueness of music that belong to the city.

"Something From Nothing" was recorded in the city of Chicago. If you know anything about American blues, you know that Chicago has deep roots in blues and rock & roll. As Dave Ghrol pointed out in an interview, the major influence for this song was Buddy Guy, the legendary blues musician from Chicago.

When Guy was young he made his own guitar, pretty much out of noting. He only used few string and a pieces of wood, thus the title of the song "Something From Nothing." However there's more to the song than that: Chicago was the first city where Dave went see his first live concert when he was thirteen. It was a punk rock band ( name of the band alludes me ). So there's some puck aspects too are evident in the lyrics.

Lyrics: 

Give me the flammable life
I'm cold as a match
Ready to strike
So here I go...

Here lies a city on fire
Singing along
The arsonist choir
Now here I go...

It started with a spark
And burned into the dark
Now here I go...

There is a river I found
Into the wild
Under the ground
So here I go...

A button on a string
And I heard everything
Now here I go...

Oh sweet ignition be my fuse
You have no choice you have to choose
Bid farewell to yesterday
Say goodbye I'm on my way

But in the end we all
Come from what's come before
So here I go...

Oh sweet ignition be my fuse
You have no choice you have to choose
Bid farewell to yesterday
Say goodbye I'm on my way
I threw it all away because
I had to be what never was
Been so hungry I could lie
You took my word I took your wine
And held you in my bloody hands
These rattled bones and rubber bands
Washed them in the muddy water
Looking for a dime and found a quarter
But you can't make me change my name
You'll never make me change my name
Pay no mind now ain't that something
Fuck it all! I came from nothing

I'm something
From nothing
You are my fuse
I'm something
From nothing
You are my fuse
It goes...

Oh oh oh...
Oh oh oh...
Oh oh oh...
It goes...
Oh oh oh...

All Rise!

No you can't make me change my name
You'll never make me change my name
Pay no mind now ain't that something
Fuck it all! I came from nothing
I'm something
From nothing
I'm something
From nothing

Lyrics from http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/foofighters/somethingfromnothing.html