He knows well his wicked ways
Are 'cause of bitterness
A grudge held from his childhood days
As if life had loved him less
Reading down his list of names
He ticks them one by one
He points the barrel at the sky
Firing shots off at the sun

I am the law and I am the King
I am the wisdom, listen to me sing
He carves out the victim's names
In the wooden butt of the gun
He leans well back against the tree
He knows his Kingdom's come
He'll breath a sigh self satisfied
The work is in good hands
He shoots the coins into the air
And follows where the money lands

I am the law and I am the King
I am the wisdom, listen to me sing
He pauses at the city's edge
Of hellfire and of stone
He summons up the devil there
To give him courage of his own
He'll free the sinners of deceit
They'll hear his name and run
His justice is his own reward
Measured out beneath the sun

I am the law and I am the King
I am the wisdom, listen to me sing
And my name's on the gun


Lyrics submitted by weezerific:cutlery, edited by darkgrace

The Boy With the Gun Lyrics as written by David Sylvian

Lyrics © MUSIC SALES CORPORATION

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The Boy With The Gun song meanings
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2 Comments

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  • +1
    General Comment

    this should have been a single. A brilliant song, could be his best in my opinion

    nic-ckon December 31, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    When first you hear the song, the words seem like a story being told from the third-person omniscient point-of-view. Later, David suddenly adds a line which doesn't fit with what went before. His voice has a different timbre (sung more quietly; a lot of echo on it). Nor is it the same melody we've been hearing.

    Now we know who's been sketching this portrait of a callow assassin: "My name's on the gun..." Who says dead men tell no tales?

    foreverdroneon July 12, 2008   Link

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