What does From Yesterday mean?

30 Seconds To Mars: From Yesterday Meaning

Album cover for From Yesterday album cover

Song Released: 2006


From Yesterday Lyrics

He's a stranger to some
And a vision to none
He can never get enough,
Get enough of the one

For a fortune he'd quit
But it's hard to admit
How it ends and begins
On his face is a map of the world
(A map of the world)
On his face is a...

  1. 1TOP RATED

    #1 top rated interpretation:
    anonymous
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    Jan 8th 2007 !⃝

    It seems to me that the song is about a guy who can't get away from his past. he has been all over the world looking and being and doing things, but he can't get away from what he has done before. and it haunts and scares him.

    -isabel

  2. 2TOP RATED

    #2 top rated interpretation:
    Winchestergirl
    click a star to vote
    Dec 30th 2006 !⃝

    I pretty much agree-sort of...'From Yesterday' to me is about all the problems in the world that have been ignored, about all the terrible things committed by people (especially people in power) in the past (the word used to describe the past in this song would be 'Yesterday') and in our present times which have or are being forgotten and overlooked, and that one day this will come back and(for lack of better phrase) bite us in the -beep-....A sort of warning about what the world could become (check the video clip out-a stifled, cold world lead by a child, something that is meant to be innocent and good-but has become a hardened selfish monster"..."From yesterday its comming"

  3. 3TOP RATED

    #3 top rated interpretation:
    anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Feb 27th 2007 !⃝

    I believe this song is about someone who has been through a lot in his, and has been everywhere, and just can't seem to run from his past, and can't forget it, and it shows in his face, because we all know our faces tend to show a lot of our emotions, aging, and stress, and this person just can't seem to get past it or escape it. I've seen the video, the video is like 14 minutes long, and really somewhat confuses me too though, amybe someone can help me figure out that.

  4. anonymous
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    Nov 5th 2020 !⃝

    I know this isn't what it was written about obviously but every time I listen to it I can't help but think of Trump. ;-;

  5. anonymous
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    Mar 21st 2017 !⃝

    I think this song is about me .. yes it Sounds crazy , but i have been around the world , and i always quit my Jobs for a fortune , to travel around the world , when i was far far away from home i received a message from my sister , and i didnt want to read the message here (there) , the message was that my father died ................

  6. anonymous
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    Feb 2nd 2016 !⃝

    I always thought it was about the fall of a dictator, similar to Coldplay's "Viva la Vida", and his looking back on his mistakes (or refusing to, as implied by the lines "From yesterday, it calls him/But he doesn't want to read the message here").

  7. anonymous
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    Feb 24th 2015 !⃝

    This song is about The Devil, from what I can't tell.

    On a mountain he sits, not of gold but of sin. Through the blood he can look, see the lives that he took. From a council of one, decides what is done with the innocent. On his face is a map of the world.

    This is relatively plain to me, that this is a call out to the 'god' of this world, Lucifer. He chooses himself to enslave and punish. Although I do not believe there is any true remaining innocence beyond that of a young child.

  8. anonymous
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    Sep 11th 2014 !⃝

    ....how stupid u r?

    Its abt th devil controllin the world thru a "council of ONE"....ie a new world order

    on his fac3 is a map ov d world...ie devil wants to control the whole world with a COUNCIL OF ONE...

    sacrificial lambs to the slaughter. ..thru th blud he can look the lifes of the innocents...

    church of satan...centre to some

    vision to none..u cant see satan

    ....the message. ..gods books

    but u dont wanna read them so satan will shine!!!!

    Wake the fuk up the CABALIST NWO IS COMIN...

  9. anonymous
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    Nov 20th 2012 !⃝

    its about Christ and the end of the world

  10. anonymous
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    Sep 1st 2012 !⃝

    I got three different interpretations.
    1)A man who's trying to escape from his past but it still haunts him, 'cause he's sinned a lot. Actually I think that he doesn't wanna get rid of his past because he wants to become a better person;he's just afraid.
    2)God (maybe).

  11. anonymous
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    Feb 23rd 2012 !⃝

    This song talks about the devil who lives in fear...
    He decides when his done with the innocent...
    He has the map of the world meaning ruling the world with his evil action...

  12. FeederForLife
    click a star to vote
    Nov 15th 2011 !⃝

    I think that one person was close when they said it's about Bush, but I would take it further and say that it's about dictatorship and things like that in general (and no I'm not saying Bush was a dictator, I agree that he was elected fairly at least once but do think he was terrible).

    He's a stranger to some
    And a vision to none
    He can never get enough,
    Get enough of the one

    Many of the people who he rules don't know him, and wouldn't have elcted him. No one sees him as a 'vision' meaning signs of something good that's coming. He can never get enough of the power of being the only one with the power.

    For a fortune he'd quit
    But it's hard to admit
    How it ends and begins

    He'd retire if he had a fortune and could live that way elsewhere but since he doesn't he's going to stay in his postition of power against the will of the people until he's forced out, which leads into the next lines. They are about how dictators try not to face the fact that their reign will be ended, likely with violence, and free people don't want to face the fact that often another dictator will just take charge and it starts again.

    On his face is a map of the world
    (A map of the world)
    On his face is a map of the world
    (A map of the world)

    I think this a just supposed to symbolise his power, and that power is all he is, being a dictator is his whole identity.

    From yesterday, it's coming!
    From yesterday, the fear!
    From yesterday, it calls him

    The people he has exploited and ruled over will not forget and eventually the horrible things he did in the past will catch up to him in the form of a revolt.

    But he doesn't want to write the message yet

    He doesn't want to write the messag of resignation and give in, he'd rather just postpone the inevitable.

    On a mountain he sits, not of gold but of shit
    through the blood he can look, see the life that he took
    From the council of one
    He'll decide what he's done with the innocent

    His position is worth nothing and all he can do is try to extend his crumbling reign alone as he is the only one he has allowed to have power.

    Anyway, that's my view, and even if I'm wrong it's still an awesome song :D

  13. anonymous
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    Nov 8th 2011 !⃝

    this song is about a man who is best described by the word betrayal, judas. a man who gave up his loyalty for a fortune. a man who sat on akeldama while he was staring at the blood of the life that he took. felt guilty about the act. got insane of the haunting. then, you know the rest.

  14. anonymous
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    Aug 23rd 2011 !⃝

    this song is about him and cameron diaz. she wrote him a break up note and he didnt want to read it. Its legitimately about the day before

  15. anonymous
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    Aug 17th 2011 !⃝

    HE COULD BE ANYBODY, WHO HAS ENOUGH EXPERIENCE OF THIS WORLD "On his face is a map of the world",
    BUT NOTHING REALLY SATISFIES HIM ENOUGH "He can never get enough,
    Get enough of the one(THING)"
    AND EVERYDAY THE DEATH IS "COMING" CLOSER TO HIM, BUT HE DOESN'E WANT TO CARE ABOUT IT "he doesn't want to read the message"

    SUM1
    http://listn.to/Sum1

  16. anonymous
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    Jul 8th 2011 !⃝

    "He" is the god so many believe in... and all the issues he causes. The meaning, my interpretation anyway, is god always comes back and always creates fear. Those with religious power sit on a mountain of 8^%t, representing something so contrived and fake. "He doesn't want to write the message" is the fact that no answer for following god/religion can be given and therefore the world is going crazy.

    I am not an atheist. But I don't believe in the veil of S&%t that has been pulled over everyone's eyes. I'm happy someone finally speaks out about the society's ridiculous and lost behavior.

  17. anonymous
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    Jul 8th 2011 !⃝

    This song is about Emperor Henry PuYi

  18. anonymous
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    May 15th 2011 !⃝

    I think that the "on his face is a map of the world" thing might mean that everyone has something in there past that there not proud of and he can't seem to quit and he's afaid he will not be able stop.

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