| Elliott Smith – Christian Brothers Lyrics | 8 years ago |
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Christian Brothers by Elliott Smith relates to alcoholism and parental abuse. The title of the song is clever in the way that it exemplifies both of these subjects; Christian Brothers is the name of a brandy but also a religious organization with heavy sexual abuse charges that set up orphanages and schools for boys. Elliott was beaten and sexually abused by his stepfather, which later fueled his dependence issues on drugs and alcohol. "No bad dream fucker's gonna boss me around" Pretty straight forward. "Bad dream fucker" (referencing his stepfather) is important wording that ties up to a line at the very end of the song. "Christian Brothers gonna take him down" Referencing the brandy. The alcohol induced state is going to "take down" his memories of his stepfather's abuse. "But it can't help me get over" He knows his dependence on alcohol isn't going to help him actually fix anything in the long run. "Don't be cross" Play on words. "Cross" tying in with religious symbolism. "Don't be cross" signifies two things. The literal meaning, don't be abusive/angry. The other meaning, including the religious symbolism, having to do with the organization named Christian Bros. He's saying stop and don't follow suit after what Christian Bros. is infamous for (sexual abuse.) "This sick I want" He craves alcohol, and therefore, the sickness that comes along with it. I think the wording is important. He sounds like he's choosing between multiple sicknesses. I want this sickness, as opposed to another. Maybe the other sickness is the one that comes along with being sober, fully able to process what he's been through? "I've seen the boss blink on and off" "Boss" referencing his stepfather. "Blink on and off" meaning his stepfather's behavior switching between a nice state and an abusive state. This line indicates a panic. He never knows which side of his stepfather is going to rear its head. "Fake concerns is what's the matter, man" The stepfather is acting concerned, falsely so, because if he was truly concerned he'd change his behavior. It seems to be an answer to the popular question people get asked when they're outwardly upset, "What's the matter?" "Your fake concern about what's the matter is what's the matter." "And you think I ought to shake your motherfucking hand" Elliott doesn't want to put up a front with his stepfather. He doesn't want to act respectful to someone abusing him. Children are supposed to respect their parents, but it is twisted in this case because the parent-son dynamic has been perverted, which leaves room for Elliott to act defiantly. "Well I know how much you care" Extremely sarcastic. He's thinking on the past wrongdoings done to him by the very person who is acting concerned (possibly towards his alcohol dependency) and basically saying, "You did this to me so how can you turn around and act so caring and concerned?" "Come here by me, I want you here" Double meaning. It could be interpreted as bossy and self entitled or romantic and desperate. I see the bossy and self entitled side as the stepfather speaking to Elliott in a gross fit of rage, wanting Elliott to bend to his whims. I sense a parental air of "Do what I say." I see the romantic and desperate side as Elliott talking to the brandy. "Nightmares become me, it's so fucking clear" My favorite line. Remember the first line, "No bad dream fucker's gonna boss me around." The "bad dream fucker" was a label for his father. Now the "bad dream" or nightmare is him. He's let the things he's been through turn him into something frightening - a drunkard. "It's so fucking clear" is against what dreams and drunken states are supposed to be; foggy, blurry, and barely remembered. But this bad dream is painfully apparent. |
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