---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If the storm doesn't kill me, the…"
description: "\"“If the storm doesn't kill me, the government will./Gotta get that outta my head./It's a new day today and the coffee is strong, I finally got some res..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c5c/michael-stipe-6714_new-day_if-the-storm-doesn-t-kill-me-the-governm_2456236.png"
---

#  If the storm doesn't kill me, the government will./Gotta…

![“If the storm doesn't kill me, the government will./Gotta get that outta my head./It's a new day today and the coffee is strong, I finally got some rest./So a man's put to task and challenges./I was taught to hold my head high.” quote by Michael Stipe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c5c/michael-stipe-6714_new-day_if-the-storm-doesn-t-kill-me-the-governm_2456236.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c5c/michael-stipe-6714_new-day_if-the-storm-doesn-t-kill-me-the-governm_2456236.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c5c/michael-stipe-6714_new-day_if-the-storm-doesn-t-kill-me-the-governm_2456236.png)

> ““If the storm doesn't kill me, the government will./Gotta get that outta my head./It's a new day today and the coffee is strong, I finally got some rest./So a man's put to task and challenges./I was taught to hold my head high.””

[Michael Stipe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-stipe/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Resilience against oppressive forces, finding personal strength after hardship.

**In simple terms:** Stay strong when external threats fail.

Key Takeaway

Rise above adversity.

Themes

resilience political critique personal empowerment

Mood

determined reflective

Type

motivational lyspirational

When to use this quote

- political protest
- daily routine
- self‑affirmation
- recovering from trauma

Key Concepts

oppression self‑reliance mental health

Questions to Reflect On

- What personal habits help you recover after setbacks?
- How do you balance protest with self‑care?

A Different Perspective

External systems may still dominate despite personal resolve.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[New day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-day/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/)

## Related quotes

> [The rush of power to the head is not as becoming as a new hat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-van-slyke/the-rush-of-power-to-the-head-is-not-as-becoming-as-a-new-hat/)

[Helen Van Slyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-van-slyke/)

> [Never let anyone tell you who you are, hold your head up high, look them in the eyes and TELL them who you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/never-let-anyone-tell-you-who-you-are-hold-your-head-up-high-look/)

[Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/)

> [Always hold your head up high, even if on the inside you're about to cry. Pretend that nothing's wrong at all. Close your eyes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernajoy-vaal/always-hold-your-head-up-high-even-if-on-the-inside-you-re-about-to/)

[Bernajoy Vaal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernajoy-vaal/)

> [Hold your head up high, girl. You must be doing something right, otherwise they wouldn't be hatin'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/britney-brehm/hold-your-head-up-high-girl-you-must-be-doing-something-right/)

Britney Brehm

> [I've just got to pull myself together and hold my head up high.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-gatlin/i-ve-just-got-to-pull-myself-together-and-hold-my-head-up-high/)

[Justin Gatlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-gatlin/)

> [“You can hold your head up high with no regrets when you give everything that you have, win or lose.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-o-neal/you-can-hold-your-head-up-high-with-no-regrets-when-you-give/)

Mark O'Neal

> [Don't let the haters bring you down. Hold your head up high and show them what you are made of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristina-orante/don-t-let-the-haters-bring-you-down-hold-your-head-up-high-and-show/)

[Cristina Orante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristina-orante/)

> [Hold your head up high, your life will get better :)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/savannah-j/hold-your-head-up-high-your-life-will-get-better/)

[Savannah J](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/savannah-j/)

> [“And when you play this song, hold your head high, motherfucker, don't ever look down, be comfortable with who you are, our flaws are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/machine-gun-kelly/and-when-you-play-this-song-hold-your-head-high-motherfucker-don-t/)

[Machine Gun Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/machine-gun-kelly/)

> [I had to hold my head up high and put a bold face on things, but the thoughts keep coming anyways.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-frank/i-had-to-hold-my-head-up-high-and-put-a-bold-face-on-things-but-the/)

[Anne Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-frank/)

> [Hold your head high, fake a smile, don't let anyone see you're hurting inside.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/hold-your-head-high-fake-a-smile-don-t-let-anyone-see-you-re-hurting/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Someone once asked me how I hold my head up so high after all I have been through. I said it's because no matter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-buckley/someone-once-asked-me-how-i-hold-my-head-up-so-high-after-all-i-have/)

Patricia Buckley

> [Sometimes, you just have to be strong &amp; hold your head high. It's not always going to be easy, but you'll be alright. Things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sometimes-you-just-have-to-be-strong-hold-your-head-high-it-s-not/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Hold your head up high, and put your middle finger up to the haters because your life will go on with or without them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/hold-your-head-up-high-and-put-your-middle-finger-up-to-the-haters/)

[SONYA PARKER](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/)

> [Rather hold my head high and die than live and duck.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fabolous/rather-hold-my-head-high-and-die-than-live-and-duck/)

Fabolous

## More by Michael Stipe

> [We don't get groupies.We get teenagers who want to read us their poetry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-stipe/we-don-t-get-groupies-we-get-teenagers-who-want-to-read-us-their/)

[Michael Stipe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-stipe/)

> [ At the \[teenage\] time, I did have an inkling of my sexuality. And I had an inkling that I was different from other people… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-stipe/at-the-teenage-time-i-did-have-an-inkling-of-my-sexuality-and-i-had/)

[Michael Stipe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-stipe/)

> [I don't find R.E.M. to be nihilistic. There is a constant undertone of joyous optimism. I'm not going to kill myself to Patti Smith…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-stipe/i-don-t-find-r-e-m-to-be-nihilistic-there-is-a-constant-undertone-of/)

[Michael Stipe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-stipe/)

> [ I simply constructed a project to try to snap Kurt \[Cobain\] out of a frame of mind. I sent him a plane ticket and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-stipe/i-simply-constructed-a-project-to-try-to-snap-kurt-cobain-out-of-a/)

[Michael Stipe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-stipe/)

> [I was vulnerable every day. Every night that I stepped on stage I was laying myself open.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-stipe/i-was-vulnerable-every-day-every-night-that-i-stepped-on-stage-i-was/)

[Michael Stipe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-stipe/)

> [We're absolutely American and distinctly so, I think. That's part of what people respond to outside of this country, part of the reason that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-stipe/we-re-absolutely-american-and-distinctly-so-i-think-that-s-part-of/)

[Michael Stipe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-stipe/)

> [ \[Columbia House\] magazines were how I found out about the punk world going on in New York. Because of what I read, at the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-stipe/columbia-house-magazines-were-how-i-found-out-about-the-punk-world/)

[Michael Stipe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-stipe/)

> [I'm tired of being this solemn poet of the masses, the enigma shrouded in a mystery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-stipe/i-m-tired-of-being-this-solemn-poet-of-the-masses-the-enigma-shrouded/)

[Michael Stipe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-stipe/)

> [Frankly I'm not great with heroin addicts. I tried heroin, but it was by accident. I'm not great with that level of substance abuse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-stipe/frankly-i-m-not-great-with-heroin-addicts-i-tried-heroin-but-it-was/)

[Michael Stipe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-stipe/)

> [The whole punk ethic was do-it-yourself, and I've always been very literal, especially as a kid. When they said that anybody can do this,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-stipe/the-whole-punk-ethic-was-do-it-yourself-and-i-ve-always-been-very/)

[Michael Stipe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-stipe/)

> [They spoke truth and a lot of people listened… that voice, Kurt we miss you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-stipe/they-spoke-truth-and-a-lot-of-people-listened-that-voice-kurt-we-miss/)

[Michael Stipe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-stipe/)

> [A wise man once said-'the skill in attending a party is knowing when it's time to leave,'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-stipe/a-wise-man-once-said-the-skill-in-attending-a-party-is-knowing-when/)

[Michael Stipe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-stipe/)

> [They always want me to play myself and that's a big snooze.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-stipe/they-always-want-me-to-play-myself-and-that-s-a-big-snooze/)

[Michael Stipe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-stipe/)

> [Anything you do as a group is fraught with compromise... But everyone 's got to do that, right? It's part of being a good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-stipe/anything-you-do-as-a-group-is-fraught-with-compromise-but-everyone-s/)

[Michael Stipe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-stipe/)

> [To be called an elder statesman is so unbelievably insulting. Brad Pitt is exactly three years younger than me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-stipe/to-be-called-an-elder-statesman-is-so-unbelievably-insulting-brad/)

[Michael Stipe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-stipe/)

[Explore all 98 Michael Stipe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-stipe/)

## More New day quotes

> [“Your journey through life and self-discovery is much like the start of a new day. As you grow, develop, and reinvent yourself, the tendrils…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-narofsky/your-journey-through-life-and-self-discovery-is-much-like-the-start/)

[Thomas Narofsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-narofsky/)

> [“A new day is born in gleaming fire, rippling pools of light racing in from the horizon. It is one of the most breathtaking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/april-daniels/a-new-day-is-born-in-gleaming-fire-rippling-pools-of-light-racing-in/)

[April Daniels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/april-daniels/)

> [Take each day as it comes. New day, new start, start fresh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/take-each-day-as-it-comes-new-day-new-start-start-fresh/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“Never mind those failures till yesterday. Each new day is a sequel of a wonderful life; gifted with hopes to succeed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aniruddha-sastikar/never-mind-those-failures-till-yesterday-each-new-day-is-a-sequel-of/)

[Aniruddha Sastikar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aniruddha-sastikar/)

> [At the start of each new day, remind yourself: I am talented. I am creative. I am greatly favored by God. I am equipped.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/at-the-start-of-each-new-day-remind-yourself-i-am-talented-i-am/)

[Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/)

> [New day has come, always be ready for every outcome you face or the one you will face.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simphiwe-scientist-dumi/new-day-has-come-always-be-ready-for-every-outcome-you-face-or-the/)

[Simphiwe Scientist Dumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simphiwe-scientist-dumi/)

> [Forget the past and learn from your mistakes. What is done, is done. Press forward! Today is a new day and new beginning for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/forget-the-past-and-learn-from-your-mistakes-what-is-done-is-done/)

[Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/)

> [After what seemed like an eternity, we finally reached the summit just as the sun was rising. I couldn't believe that we had actually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-hsieh/after-what-seemed-like-an-eternity-we-finally-reached-the-summit-just/)

[Tony Hsieh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-hsieh/)

> [Lord, give me the faith, the strength and the hope to meet the challenges of each new day with a heart that's always filled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/lord-give-me-the-faith-the-strength-and-the-hope-to-meet-the/)

[Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/)

> [Every day the sun rises is a new day to be your best](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-vargas/every-day-the-sun-rises-is-a-new-day-to-be-your-best/)

[Anthony Vargas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-vargas/)

> [Let each day should not be the same as day past away. Arm yourself with new promise every new day. Promise yourself to remain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-anil-kumar-sinha/let-each-day-should-not-be-the-same-as-day-past-away-arm-yourself/)

[Dr Anil Kumar Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-anil-kumar-sinha/)

> [Each day brings fresh insights and inner transformation, along with an inner effort and openness to growing into new and more wondrous views, vistas,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senora-roy/each-day-brings-fresh-insights-and-inner-transformation-along-with-an/)

[Senora Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/senora-roy/)

> [Yesterday I told myself I was gonna be okay. Gonna start a new day, truly happy. I was gonna take control of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivian-green/yesterday-i-told-myself-i-was-gonna-be-okay-gonna-start-a-new-day/)

[Vivian Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivian-green/)

> [Approach the New Year with resolve to find the opportunities hidden in each new day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-josephson/approach-the-new-year-with-resolve-to-find-the-opportunities-hidden/)

[Michael Josephson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-josephson/)

> [I'm a suck-it-up-and-move-on kind of person. Every day is a new day, and you'll never be able to find happiness if you don't move…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-underwood/i-m-a-suck-it-up-and-move-on-kind-of-person-every-day-is-a-new-day/)

[Carrie Underwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-underwood/)

[Browse all 988 New day quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-day/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“If the storm doesn't kill me, the government will./Gotta get that outta my head./It's a new day today and the coffee is strong, I finally got some rest./So a man's put to task and challenges./I was taught to hold my head high.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Michael Stipe"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-stipe/if-the-storm-doesn-t-kill-me-the-government-will-gotta-get-that-outta/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "New day"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-stipe/if-the-storm-doesn-t-kill-me-the-government-will-gotta-get-that-outta/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c5c/michael-stipe-6714_new-day_if-the-storm-doesn-t-kill-me-the-governm_2456236.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c5c/michael-stipe-6714_new-day_if-the-storm-doesn-t-kill-me-the-governm_2456236.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c5c/michael-stipe-6714_new-day_if-the-storm-doesn-t-kill-me-the-governm_2456236.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“If the storm doesn't kill me, the government will./Gotta get that outta my head./It's a new day today and…” — Michael Stipe",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Michael Stipe",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-stipe/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“If the storm doesn't kill me,...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-stipe/if-the-storm-doesn-t-kill-me-the-government-will-gotta-get-that-outta/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-stipe/if-the-storm-doesn-t-kill-me-the-government-will-gotta-get-that-outta/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
