{{short description|2006 single by Rise Against}} {{Infobox song | name = Ready to Fall | cover = Ready_To_Fall.jpg | alt = A simplistic black and white drawing of a fist in front of a heart. Underneath is the text "RISE AGAINST" and "READY TO FALL" | type = single | artist = Rise Against | album = The Sufferer & the Witness | B-side = "State of the Union" (live) | released = May 30, 2006 | recorded = | studio = The Blasting Room (Fort Collins, Colorado) | venue = | genre = {{flatlist| * Hardcore punk * melodic hardcore }} | length = 3:48 | label = Geffen | writer = Rise Against | producer = {{flatlist| * Bill Stevenson * Jason Livermore }} | prev_title = Life Less Frightening | prev_year = 2005 | next_title = Prayer of the Refugee | next_year = 2006 }}
"'''Ready to Fall'''" is the first single by the punk rock band Rise Against from their fourth studio album, ''The Sufferer & the Witness'' (2006).
An acoustic version of this song was performed live on the CJZN Radio station in Victoria, British Columbia, on January 18, 2007, before a Billy Talent concert featuring Rise Against, Anti-Flag, and Moneen.
==Composition and reception== "Ready to Fall" was the first single from ''The Sufferer & The Witness'', Rise Against's follow-up to its 2004 breakthrough album ''Siren Song of the Counter Culture''<ref name="The AV Club Review">{{cite web|last=Ryan|first=Kyle|url=http://www.avclub.com/review/rise-against-emthe-sufferer-amp-the-witnessem-8854|title=Rise Against: The Sufferer & The Witness|work=The A.V. Club|date=July 19, 2006|accessdate=December 8, 2012}}</ref> For ''The Sufferer & the Witness'', Rise Against's members sought to return to their punk roots. McIlrath commented: "It's definitely more of a punk rock record ... We haven't 'grown or matured' as such, we've just really executed what we've been trying to nail with the last few records."<ref>{{cite web|last=Murfett|first=Andrew|url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/music/politically-motivated/2006/11/30/1164777702584.html|title=Politically motivated|work=The Age|date=December 1, 2006|accessdate=June 18, 2017}}</ref> Like most of the songs from ''The Sufferer & The Witness'', "Ready to Fall" is characterized as hardcore punk and melodic hardcore, with a midtempo beat.<ref name="Punknews.org Review"/><ref name="AllMusic Review"/><ref name="AP"/> "Ready to Fall" features a complex song structure, with controlled verses that lead into an intense chorus and screaming vocals, while a continuous bassline plays in the background.<ref name="Punknews.org Review"/><ref name="AbsolutePunk Review"/><ref name="Sputnikmusic Review"/> The vocals and instrumentation are noticeably heavier than most of the songs on the album.
"Ready to Fall" was released on May 30, as the first single from ''The Sufferer & The Witness''.<ref name="7digital">{{cite web|url=https://us.7digital.com/artist/rise-against/release/ready-to-fall-album-version-4918635/|title=Ready to Fall (Album Version)|publisher=7digital|accessdate=January 24, 2016|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160131112744/https://us.7digital.com/artist/rise-against/release/ready-to-fall-album-version-4918635/|archivedate=January 31, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> It was released as a CD and 7" single; the B-side features a live performance of "State of the Union", take from the album ''Siren Song of the Counter Culture''.<ref>{{cite AV media notes|title="Ready to Fall"|others=Rise Against|publisher=Geffen Records|type=CD single|year=2006}}</ref><ref>{{cite AV media notes|title="Ready to Fall"|others=Rise Against|publisher=Geffen Records|type=7"|year=2006}}</ref> Commercially, "Ready to Fall" peaked at number thirteen on the ''Billboard'' Alternative Songs chart, the bands' highest charting single at the time.<ref name="AS"/>
"Ready to Fall" received positive reviews from critics, several of whom described the chorus as "compelling".<ref name="Punknews.org Review">{{cite web|last=Paul|first=Aubin|url=http://www.punknews.org/review/5429/rise-against-the-sufferer-and-the-witness|title=Rise Against – The Sufferer & the Witness|publisher=Punknews.org|date=July 4, 2006|accessdate=June 16, 2017}}</ref><ref name="AbsolutePunk Review">{{cite web|last=Beringer|first=Drew|url=http://www.absolutepunk.net/showthread.php?t=150185|title=Rise Against – The Sufferer & The Witness|work=AbsolutePunk|date=July 3, 2006|accessdate=June 16, 2017|archiveurl=https://archive.today/20120719224343/http://www.absolutepunk.net/showthread.php?t=150185|archivedate=July 19, 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="Sputnikmusic Review">{{cite web|last=Boy|first=Davey|url=https://www.sputnikmusic.com/review/26025/Rise-Against-The-Sufferer-and-the-Witness/|title=Rise Against – The Sufferer and the Witness|publisher=Sputnikmusic|date=July 19, 2008|accessdate=June 16, 2017}}</ref> Davey Boy of Sputnikmusic further praised the song for its controlled verses and intense bridge.<ref name="Sputnikmusic Review"/> Scott Heisel of ''Alternative Press'' and Corey Apar of AllMusic noted how "Ready to Fall" emulated Rise Against's older style of music.<ref name="AP">{{cite web|url=http://www.altpress.com/news/entry/archive_1130|title=Circa Survive, more dates added to Thursday/Rise Against tour|work=Alternative Press|date=August 16, 2006|accessdate=June 6, 2017}}</ref><ref name="AllMusic Review">{{cite web|last=Apar|first=Corey|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-sufferer-the-witness-mw0000410557|title=Rise Against – The Sufferer & The Witness|publisher=AllMusic|accessdate=June 16, 2017}}</ref> Heisel in particular said the song was "guaranteed to start circle pits wherever played".<ref name="AP"/>
==Music video== The accompanying music video, released in May of 2006, was directed by Kevin Kerslake.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.videostatic.com/vs/2006/05/booked-rise-against-kevin-kerslake-director-3.html|title= BOOKED: Rise Against - Kevin Kerslake, director|date= May 19, 2006|access-date= January 30, 2024|work= VideoStatic}}</ref> Much of the footage used in the video is from the documentary ''Earthlings''. The video was filmed at Brandywine Falls Provincial Park in British Columbia.{{cn|date=April 2021}} Running at 3 minutes and 51 seconds long, it cuts between shots of the band playing, wild animals, and footage related to pollution, environmental destruction, and animal rights. Similar environmental concerns, such as mining, forest clearing, desertification, oil, and melting of polar ice, as well as animals who are dead or dying as a result of those practices are depicted, and footage of hunters, rodeos, animal experimentation, the capture and slaughter of wild dolphins, and animals in captivity is also displayed. Finally, it features video from several areas of animal agriculture including eggs, fishing, and meat. At the end of the video, lead singer Tim McIlrath says, "Every action has a reaction. We've got one planet, one chance." Another, more graphic, 'uncut' version of the video was created, but was never officially released due to its graphic nature, but is available on certain websites such as Vimeo. The video focuses more on animal rights and serves a testimony to veganism.
Rise Against is an active supporter of PETA, an animal rights organization, and the band members are all active vegetarians.{{citation needed|date=June 2019}} Some cutscenes, such as the traffic scene and the napalm exploding, were also featured in the Linkin Park music video for "What I've Done".
==Credits and personnel== Credits adapted from the liner notes of ''The Sufferer & the Witness''.<ref name="SAW">{{cite AV media notes|title=The Sufferer & the Witness|type=liner notes|others=Rise Against|publisher=Geffen Records|year=2006}}</ref> {{col-begin}} {{col-2}}
===Rise Against=== * Tim McIlrath – lead vocals, rhythm guitar * Chris Chasse – lead guitar, backing vocals * Joe Principe – bass guitar, backing vocals * Brandon Barnes – drums
'''Additional personnel''' *Chad Price – backing vocals {{col-2}}
===Production=== * Bill Stevenson, Jason Livermore – producers * Bill Stevenson, Jason Livermore – audio engineering * Chris Lord-Alge – mixing * Ted Jensen – mastering {{col-end}}
==Chart performance== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" |- ! Chart (2006) ! Peak<br>position |- {{single chart|Billboardcanadarock|50|artist=Rise Against|access-date=December 7, 2023}} |- {{single chart|UKrock|6|date=2006-09-24|accessdate=June 26, 2023}} |- {{singlechart|Billboardalternativesongs|13|artist=Rise Against|accessdate=January 24, 2016|refname=AS}} |}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *{{youtube|XN2FrUUq-zI|"Ready to Fall" Official music video}}
{{Rise Against}}
Category:Rise Against songs Category:2006 singles Category:Environmental songs Category:Songs written by Tim McIlrath Category:Songs written by Joe Principe Category:Songs written by Brandon Barnes Category:Melodic hardcore songs Category:Music videos directed by Kevin Kerslake