[Verse 1]
In tents along the sidewalk
A dream that's been snuffed out
Earshot from the small talk
The hourglass runs out
They're muddying the waters
That once were crystal clear
The road signs we once followed
Have all but disappeared, oh, oh, oh
[Pre-Chorus 1]
In rolling blackout candlelight
An algorithm we can't fight
[Chorus]
Tell me, what the hell is going on?
We're digging in the mines for gold long gone
When everything we thought we always knew
Turns out wrong
How do we hold on?
[Verse 2]
They're chipping at the pillars
And pulling at the bricks
Some things will recover
While others can't be fixed, oh-whoa
[Pre-Chorus 2]
How do we always act surprised
When all our monsters come to life?
[Chorus]
Tell me, what the hell is going on?
We're digging in the mines for gold long gone
When everything we thought we always knew
Turns out wrong
How do we hold on?
[Bridge]
Like sheep we can't break away
Red, white, and blue in the face
Here I was hoping that someone could tell me
[Interlude]
What the hell is going on?
We're digging in the mines for gold long gone
When everything we thought we always knew
Turns out wrong
[Outro]
Could someone tell me, what the hell is going on?
We're driving through the dark hoping for a dawn
Tell me what to put my faith into
And tell me, when it's gone
How do we hold on?
Gold Long Gone was written by Tim McIlrath & Joseph Principe & Brandon Barnes & Zach Blair.
Gold Long Gone was produced by Catherine Marks.
Rise-against released Gold Long Gone on Fri Aug 15 2025.
Tim McIlrath:
I think this taps into some of the ideas behind our last record, Nowhere Generation. There’s a line in the song that says, ‘Tell me what the hell is going on/We’re digging in the mines for gold long gone.’ I have this image of people who went out to the gold rush late, and they’re jus...