In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
(You better get ready for the war)
It's so frustratin', so many hatin'
Somebody gon' make me break the law
But I ain't waitin', there's no escapin'
You better get ready for the war
A shotgun fanatic, who right back at it
You get, mopped and dropped like a filthy habit
X, snatch and grab it, got you hopin' I fail
'Cause if I fail you'd be happy like a faggot in jail
I'm full retail, guaranteed to sell
In my jet black McClaren with my mademoiselle
I'm strong-arm steady, you fragile and frail
You think you ready for them steady niggas? I can't tell
Sex sells so fuck you all, we came to bubble and ball
You getting shut down soon as I touch down
Bust rounds, enemies slayed and cut down
Fully automatic spittin' rounds with no sound
Break down your whole regime, like an M-16
Make sure the chamber in the barrel is clean
And the spring that's connected to the firin' pin
That's connected to the trigger when I squeeze it again, begin
Look ma, top of the world, the best of the best (yeah)
King California, L-A-X
Out the hood, in the penthouse, from the projects (come on)
One man, one gun, how the West was won (sing)
It's so frustratin', so many hatin'
Somebody gon' make me break the law (breathe)
But I ain't waitin', there's no escapin' (come on)
You better get ready for the war (yeah)
It's so frustratin', so many hatin' (uh-huh)
Somebody gon' make me break the law (yes)
But I ain't waitin', there's no escapin' (yeah)
You better get ready for the war (come on)
Hit like a heavyweight, breathe deep, meditate
Make the whole crowd get loud, make 'em levitate
I ride through my city like a presidential candidate
L-A-X, Phantom double-R, and accelerate
Stack, build, elevate, crash through the prison gate
Generation hate, appetite to eliminate
X-Man don't spit rhymes, I ventilate
Traffic contraband, yeah, banned through the interstate
Got a sick flow, didn't know? Let me demonstrate
Renovate the game, new nigga that you love to hate
The left hand lands and the right hand devastates
Half part of your face replaced with a metal plate
Irate, get snatched to a better place
Let the detached decorate with the yellow tape
Detonate, drop bombs, make the earth shake
In Brazil with a half mill' in the briefcase
Look ma top of the world, the best of the best (yeah)
King California, L-A-X
Out the hood, in the penthouse, from the projects
One man, one gun, how the West was won (sing)
It's so frustratin', so many hatin' (yeah)
Somebody gon' make me break the law
But I ain't waitin' (fucker), there's no escapin' (yeah)
You better get ready for the war
It's so frustratin', so many hatin'
Somebody gon' make me break the law
But I ain't waitin', there's no escapin'
You better get ready for the war
You better get ready for the war
(Keep listening all-)
(Smash hits)
It's so frustratin', so many hatin'
Somebody gon' make me break the law
But I ain't waitin', there's no escapin'
You better get ready for the war
A shotgun fanatic, who right back at it
You get, mopped and dropped like a filthy habit
X, snatch and grab it, got you hopin' I fail
'Cause if I fail you'd be happy like a faggot in jail
I'm full retail, guaranteed to sell
In my jet black McClaren with my mademoiselle
I'm strong-arm steady, you fragile and frail
You think you ready for them steady niggas? I can't tell
Sex sells so fuck you all, we came to bubble and ball
You getting shut down soon as I touch down
Bust rounds, enemies slayed and cut down
Fully automatic spittin' rounds with no sound
Break down your whole regime, like an M-16
Make sure the chamber in the barrel is clean
And the spring that's connected to the firin' pin
That's connected to the trigger when I squeeze it again, begin
Look ma, top of the world, the best of the best (yeah)
King California, L-A-X
Out the hood, in the penthouse, from the projects (come on)
One man, one gun, how the West was won (sing)
It's so frustratin', so many hatin'
Somebody gon' make me break the law (breathe)
But I ain't waitin', there's no escapin' (come on)
You better get ready for the war (yeah)
It's so frustratin', so many hatin' (uh-huh)
Somebody gon' make me break the law (yes)
But I ain't waitin', there's no escapin' (yeah)
You better get ready for the war (come on)
Hit like a heavyweight, breathe deep, meditate
Make the whole crowd get loud, make 'em levitate
I ride through my city like a presidential candidate
L-A-X, Phantom double-R, and accelerate
Stack, build, elevate, crash through the prison gate
Generation hate, appetite to eliminate
X-Man don't spit rhymes, I ventilate
Traffic contraband, yeah, banned through the interstate
Got a sick flow, didn't know? Let me demonstrate
Renovate the game, new nigga that you love to hate
The left hand lands and the right hand devastates
Half part of your face replaced with a metal plate
Irate, get snatched to a better place
Let the detached decorate with the yellow tape
Detonate, drop bombs, make the earth shake
In Brazil with a half mill' in the briefcase
Look ma top of the world, the best of the best (yeah)
King California, L-A-X
Out the hood, in the penthouse, from the projects
One man, one gun, how the West was won (sing)
It's so frustratin', so many hatin' (yeah)
Somebody gon' make me break the law
But I ain't waitin' (fucker), there's no escapin' (yeah)
You better get ready for the war
It's so frustratin', so many hatin'
Somebody gon' make me break the law
But I ain't waitin', there's no escapin'
You better get ready for the war
You better get ready for the war
(Keep listening all-)
(Smash hits)
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Standing On The Edge Of Summer
Thursday
Thursday
Cajun Girl
Little Feat
Little Feat
Overall about difficult moments of disappointment and vulnerability. Having hope and longing, while remaining optimistic for the future. Encourages the belief that with each new morning there is a chance for things to improve.
The chorus offers a glimmer of optimism and a chance at a resolution and redemption in the future.
Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere"
The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.
This kills XD You better get ready for the war XD