Thirteen grand
A year in the Meadowlands
Bored and rural-poor, Lord, at 35, right?
I'm the best seventeen-year-old ever

I've worked these sands
I won't go back again
Quitter, quitter, one boy bitter - rough luck
Man to man, hand to hand, fight forty
We're losing sand!
A Wrens' ditch battle plan
Record after record, black and deckered, tack, tack!
Definition: hell and high water

Fatty come a courting, Lord, the money!

Everyone choose sides
The whole to-do of what to do for money
Everyone choose sides
Poorer or not this year and hell's the difference
End of ropes and lines

From a house damned
To divorce and back again
Split my off days and holidays and days done
With a card to dad and calls to "Hi, momma"

Let's talk plans
And luck said, "Double damned
Were you give women worth winning or what?
A wasted share of shots at high-tide heaven"

Greener grasses fade from where you wind up

Everyone choose sides
I'm back! I'm back! So sing to raise the blind up
Everyone choose sides
I've walked away from more than you imagine, and I sleep just fine
We fought and brought up more
The shovel's high up on the ten-ton line


Lyrics submitted by Jawbreaker4Fs, edited by patinthehat

Everyone Choose Sides song meanings
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11 Comments

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  • +1
    General Comment

    I finally found the unprinted stanza, as reported by Charles on the Wrens' forum:

    "But let's see, that chorus ends with:

    "poorer or not this year and hell's the difference / end of ropes and lines"

    then if I remember right, the quiet verse is:

    "from a house damned / to divorce and back again / spent my off days and holidays and days done / with a card to dad and calls to 'Hi, momma..'

    or something. Cook for 4 years. Serves 1. Enjoy." wrens.com/board/viewtopic.php

    I'm pretty sure it's "split" rather than "spent." But yeah.

    deathprofon April 13, 2013   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    "Greener grasses fade from where you wind up."

    Favorite Wrens lyric. Actually, probably one of my favorite lyrics ever, at least thinking about it in the context of the song. Also, of course, "I've walked away from more than you imagine / and I sleep just fine".... this song and "This Boy is Exhausted" do such an awesome job of telling about their trials and tribulations as a band.

    SweetestSirenon May 04, 2004   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    it means lots of things.

    insert "everyone sell lies" in the chorus somewhere, and this lyric file is complete

    rockbassarton March 30, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Wrens are being self-refential again it seems. The song is about how they gave up the chance to be superstars for their artistic integrity. If you read up on the Wrens, that's pretty much what happened.

    Jyanon April 03, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    There is nothing wrong with this song. I've listened to it countless times, and everything is there: great melodies, drumming, awesome chorus, good melodies on the alternate chorus, and the ending outro is fucking incredible. Just... wow...

    couldBanyoneon April 13, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    this song sounded powerful before i read the lyrics...now its just...wow. i give them so much respect for resisting the temptation of selling out. this song is dripping in emotion

    Drewb18c1on April 26, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    this is one of the best songs i've ever heard. period.

    bangkissbangon August 09, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I only just figured out the significance of the line "Greener grasses fade from where you wind up"; I listened to The Meadowlands today and when that line came up I suddenly made the connection with Grass records changing hands and becoming Wind Up records and whatnot.

    destroyalltacoson December 16, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Anyone know what's up with them and ten tons? There's a reference in She Sends Kisses, too.

    Butterfly Edgeon April 02, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Also I think there are some lyrics missing right before "Let's talk plans," but I can't tell what they are.

    Butterfly Edgeon April 02, 2007   Link

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