I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
There's no earthly way of knowing
What was in your heart when it stopped going
The whole world shook
A storm was blowing through you
Waiting for God to stop this
And up to your neck in darkness
Everyone around you was corrupted
Say something
There's no dignity in death
To sell the world your last breath
We're still fighting
Over everything you left
I saw you standing at the gates
When Marlon Brando passed away
You had that look upon your face
Advertising space
No one learned from your mistakes
We let our prophets go to waste
All that's left in any case
Is advertising space
Through your eyes the world was burning
"Please be gentle, I'm still learning"
You seemed to say as you kept turning up
They poisoned you with compromise
But at what point did you realize
Everybody loves your life but you?
A special agent for the man
Through Watergate and Vietnam
No one really gave a damn
Do you think the C.I.A. did?
I saw you standing at the gates
When Marlon Brando passed away
You had that look upon your face
Advertising space
No one learned from your mistakes
We let our prophets go to waste
All that's left in any case
Is advertising space
No one learned from your mistakes
We let our prophets go to waste
All that's left in any case
Is advertising space
I've seen your daughter man
She's cute
I was scared but I wanted to
Boy, she looks a lot like you
What was in your heart when it stopped going
The whole world shook
A storm was blowing through you
Waiting for God to stop this
And up to your neck in darkness
Everyone around you was corrupted
Say something
There's no dignity in death
To sell the world your last breath
We're still fighting
Over everything you left
I saw you standing at the gates
When Marlon Brando passed away
You had that look upon your face
Advertising space
No one learned from your mistakes
We let our prophets go to waste
All that's left in any case
Is advertising space
Through your eyes the world was burning
"Please be gentle, I'm still learning"
You seemed to say as you kept turning up
They poisoned you with compromise
But at what point did you realize
Everybody loves your life but you?
A special agent for the man
Through Watergate and Vietnam
No one really gave a damn
Do you think the C.I.A. did?
I saw you standing at the gates
When Marlon Brando passed away
You had that look upon your face
Advertising space
No one learned from your mistakes
We let our prophets go to waste
All that's left in any case
Is advertising space
No one learned from your mistakes
We let our prophets go to waste
All that's left in any case
Is advertising space
I've seen your daughter man
She's cute
I was scared but I wanted to
Boy, she looks a lot like you
Lyrics submitted by minimoorcroft
Advertising Space Lyrics as written by Robert Williams Stephen Duffy
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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"Special agent for the man, through Watergate and Vietnam" This refers to Elvis writing a letter to President Nixon in autumn of 1970 requesting to be made a federal agent. In December of that year he met with Nixon and recieved his badge making him an agent for the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs (Later to become the DEA). Thus he was an agent through Watergate (1972-1974) and at least some of the Vietnam war (1957-1975) until his supposed death in 1977. Despite being made an agent, he didn't have much of an impact on the war on drugs. - Perhaps because "No one really gave a damn".
"And up to your neck in darkness" This could be another reference to Elvis' depressions.
"To sell the world your last breath" Possibly a reference to the theories (by Albert Goldman amongst others) that Elvis killed himself by overdosing on drugs, and that the evidence was removed before paramedics arrived. To sell something usually indicates that you have a choice, which you would have in a suicide. The lines "waiting for God to stop this, and up to your neck in darkness" from the previous verse also seems to point towards suicide, since he is waiting for God to do something, but is so depressed that he cannot go on. On the other hand it could also refer to Elvis performances (the last of which came 3 weeks before his death) in which he, metaphorically speaking, gave his last breath to the world.
"I saw you standing at the gates" This could double as a slight reference to the numerous Elvis sightings over the years. I still agree that the explanation made by the_wombat above is the primary one though.
"No one learned from your mistakes, We let our profits go to waste". Probably a reference to Elvis management contract with Colonel Parker which secured Parker 50% of Elvis' earnings. And of course artists still get caught up in unfair deals with record companies and managers today. It could also refer to the money Elvis wasted on i.e. prescription drugs. Perhaps Robbie also feels that he has wasted money on too many useless things.