| Manchester Orchestra – I've Got Friends Lyrics | 3 years ago |
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"Dirty on the ground is what I need" I think there's this sort of allegory of a fight throughout the song. In my experience, 'dirty on the ground' would mean a physical fight. ~ "I got another one to tell you And another one to make you believe" and I interpret this line as being about his fists. Like when someone's hitting a person and says 'this is for what you did (one hit), and this is so you remember (two hit)'. ~ "Pity in the grass--" I picture him sitting in the grass after a fight, defeated, pitiful. ~ "--(I) tried to be The one you needed when I told you That you wanted something bigger than me" I think the fight is partially with himself, and partially with someone he has a relationship with. I'm not sure whether I think this someone is a person, or god. I think maybe it's meant to sound like both. The contention in this line is at least partially internal. He's defeated because he couldn't be what 'they' needed, but he's the one who suggested they needed more at all. He doesn't see himself as good enough, and can't meet his own standards. This is really reminiscent of religious struggles I've seen and experienced-- "how can I be a servant of God? I'm so small and imperfect, I'm not enough for that." (-> try to be perfect, fail, think ur the worst) ~ As for the chorus, I'm not totally sure what it means, but I understand bits. There's this song, "Friends in High Places" that I really think "I've Got Friends" is referencing. It's a worship song, wherein God is the friend in a high place-- i.e. a friend with a lot of influence or power, which can be used for your benefit. ('Friends in high places' is a phrase which generally refers to cops, politicians, bosses, etc. 'Friends in low places' is a similar phrase, which generally refers to people like members of criminal organizations or bar staff, who have a kind of productive influence.) I think this bit from "Friends in High Places" corresponds with the chorus in "I've Got Friends": "I got friends in high places I've got someone I can call And I got someone watching over me" ("I've Got Friends" chorus:) "I've got friends in all the right places I know what they want And I know they don't want me to stay … I said that I've got friends in all the right places I know what they want And I know they don't want me to stay" By 'all the right places', he could mean high and low, or he could mean "in places I'm 'supposed' to have friends. Like another commenter said, this could mean members of the church, and/or god. What I don't know, is what they want, or where they don't want him to stay. I'd think god, or members of the church, would want him to stay in the religion. Maybe it's this idea that he's not good enough. They don't want him because he's imperfect, or not what they want him to be. ~ I think this bit in "Friends in High Places" sort of corresponds with this next bit (Friends in High places) "I walk by faith and not by sight If things go wrong, it'll be alright Someone greater is watching over me My God cares too much to say His mercies are new everyday I get down to pray and then help is on its way" (I've Got Friends) "'Cause you are not alive"-- ("'Cause you and I will ride*) (but) When I need you I need it quickly In case you('d) never know" I interpret this as a statement to god: 'you and I will ride-- (think like the phrase 'ride or die', meaning you'd die before leaving a person, no matter how hard it gets) I'll have faith without sight & just trust that you're there. But, in case you didn't know (snarky), when I get down on my knees and pray for help, I *need help*. Like, kind of urgently.' ~ "I can't play where I'm not supposed to anyway" This is a childlike separation from the 'friends'. I like that the previous line, 'in case you'd never know' was gaining intensity, even in the guitars, and then it drops to this faded tone, like after you let off anger and you're left with dejection. There are a lot of interpretations of this that I can see. The back and forth battle one has when questioning religion being a central one: he spits frustration at God, then settles back into 'I can't break the rules anyway so I'll just stay here'. But the frustration(/anxiety) will come back--! ~ "Dirty on the ground is what I see I need another reason why I need another reason, tell me to breathe" He sees fighting and conflict. Often in Christianity, when one questions why God would let something evil happen, they're met with non-answers like "it's God's will". When questioning religion, people can panic a lot. It's scary to question such a fundamental worldview, especially when everyone you know believes and has taught you to believe that denouncing the religion will mean you suffer eternally. Even just seeing conflict, and questioning why a good god would allow such suffering, leading to questions of if God is good, can be terrifying. 'I need another reason, tell me to breathe' shows his panic. ~ "The dirtier the sound, the best I breathe" I'm pretty sure this is talking about the sound of the song. 'Dirty sound' is a musical term-- 'clean sound' is a pure tone; "dirty sound is distorted with fuzzy effects and sounds harsh". Like how at this point in the music, the rock quality of it picks up, i.e. the sound becomes dirtier. He's able to release anxiety and anger and frustration through music, and the dirtier the sound, the more he relaxes. ~ "I tried to do it all for you It didn't do anything for me" He tried to meet impossible standards, he tried to be perfectly devoted, but he saw nothing in return, even when he was in need. He didn't get the satisfaction just in worship that some people get. ~ ("'Cause I've got friends in all the right places I know what they want And I know they don't want me to stay I've got friends in all the right places I know what they want And I know they don't want me to stay") … ~ "And you and I will find That when I need you I need it quickly In fact, you'll never know" I think here he's coming to terms with this idea that God isn't going to be there for him. Previously, a snarky 'in case you didn't know', now, 'in fact, you'll never know'-- he's done begging for help that won't come. Even the tone of voice has shifted from stressed to decided. ~ ("I've got friends in all the right places I know what they want And I know they don't want me to stay I said that I've got friends in all the right places I know what they want And I know they don't want me to stay He said I've got friends in all the right places I know what they want And I know they don't want me to stay I've got friends in all the right places I know what they want And I know they don't want me to stay") |
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