10 Meanings
Add Yours
Follow
Share
Q&A
With A Gun Lyrics
I could be wrong but I have seen your face before
You were the man that I saw running from his door
You owed him money but you gave him something more
With a gun
With a gun
You will be what you are just the same
Did you pay the other man with the piece in your hand
And leave him lying in the rain?
You were the founders of the clinic on the hill
Until he caught you with your fingers in the till
He slapped your hand so you settled up your bill
With a gun
With a gun
You will be what you are just the same
Did you pay the other man with the piece in your hand
And leave him lying in the rain?
When you're born to play the fool
And you've seen all the western movies
Woe to the one who does you wrong
You hide in the bushes
Murder the man
With Luger in hand
I understood that you will soon be leavin' town
Don't try to call me when they finally run you down
Just give fair warning any time you come around
With a gun
With a gun
You will be what you are just the same
Did you pay the other man with the piece in your hand
And leave him lying in the rain?
You were the man that I saw running from his door
You owed him money but you gave him something more
With a gun
You will be what you are just the same
Did you pay the other man with the piece in your hand
And leave him lying in the rain?
Until he caught you with your fingers in the till
He slapped your hand so you settled up your bill
With a gun
You will be what you are just the same
Did you pay the other man with the piece in your hand
And leave him lying in the rain?
And you've seen all the western movies
Woe to the one who does you wrong
You hide in the bushes
Murder the man
With Luger in hand
Don't try to call me when they finally run you down
Just give fair warning any time you come around
With a gun
You will be what you are just the same
Did you pay the other man with the piece in your hand
And leave him lying in the rain?
Add your song meanings, interpretations, facts, memories & more to the community.
I can't believe no one's commented on this. I love this song.
First a correction. I think the line is "you were the foundres of the clinic in the hills."
I think over all it's pretty much about a guy who's addicted to drugs and owes his dealers a lot of money, so he decides to get a gun and just kill anyone who stands in his way. But that doesn't really some any of his problems.
I love the twangy, western guitars. I can definitely Steely Dan's influence on Midlake in this song.
You are correct...it is 'founders of the clinic IN the hills".
You are correct...it is 'founders of the clinic IN the hills".
This is one of the best songs ever - not just one of the best Steely Dan songs, the best ever! This is about a crooked man who started a medical clinic with his friend but he became crooked and stole money from the clinic. His friend caught him and was going to turn him into the authorities but he killed him before he could. But the police caught him and he runs to the teller of the story who remembers him and refuses to help him. The murderer flees town, and is hunted down and has a standoff with the police. He is arrested and sent to jail, "I understand you will soon be leaving town" and again asks the speaker for help, but he only says to warn him when he gets out of jail.
@theonesean, I agree - one of the best songs ever! I also agree with your interpretation, except for the last part - I don't think the cops caught him, just that they're looking for him, and the speaker agrees to not turn him in, as long as he never comes around again. If he does, the speaker will be the first to shoot.
@theonesean, I agree - one of the best songs ever! I also agree with your interpretation, except for the last part - I don't think the cops caught him, just that they're looking for him, and the speaker agrees to not turn him in, as long as he never comes around again. If he does, the speaker will be the first to shoot.
probably my #1 song on this record; like the country feel of the song.
i think it is about embezelment ,getting caught ,being publicly shamed with being caught.then overreacting to all of this by commiting murder.
Or as I mentioned to my co-worker, Steely Dan does their version of a typical Johnny Cash song about criminals. Even got the Johnny Cash beat to it.
*founders... (that's what 3 years of french does to you).
Steely Dan rock out country-style better than anyone else! I love the "Ruby Don't Take Your Love to Town" drum beats and the desperate lyrics. It's about outlaws on the run - but in a counter-cultural hippie context(?) juxtaposed to the typical/traditional Hollywood Western.
The "clinic in the hills" is one of those great cryptic lines that stick with you.
Could be a meth lab? I even imagine an abortion clinic sometimes.
this song was written long before any meth lab was in existance
this song was written long before any meth lab was in existance
@NomadMonad , agree with johnnyo that meth wasn't a thing at that time.
Still, there were plenty of clinics that overprescribed various prescription drugs for profit. It might have been a totally legitimate clinic, with a crooked doctor who got caught skimming the till by his partner.
@NomadMonad , agree with johnnyo that meth wasn't a thing at that time.
Still, there were plenty of clinics that overprescribed various prescription drugs for profit. It might have been a totally legitimate clinic, with a crooked doctor who got caught skimming the till by his partner.
@NomadMonad like that Beatles song "Dr. Roberts" about the clinic that injected celebs and rich socialites with pure speed in the 60's !
@NomadMonad like that Beatles song "Dr. Roberts" about the clinic that injected celebs and rich socialites with pure speed in the 60's !
So many Steely Dan songs are about specific people or incidents, this one probably is too. Two people owned a clinic, one was embezzling, got caught by the other, and shot him. Not going to research 40-year-old microfiches to find out if this is a specific incident, but those of you are career Investigative Reporters should do so.
The term Luger references a semi-automatic pistol produced in several models and by several nations from 1898 to 1948. Perhaps our historians (Fagen/Becker) are telling a story from "days gone by", similar to the "Black Friday" story.
@DanFan57 I get the feeling (from songs like "Only A Fool Would Say That") that SD are not fans of firearms, and not particularly likely to have been aware that Lugers are relatively uncommon outside Europe and highly unlikely to figure in an American country/western tale. I strongly suspect they just liked the sound of the word as it fit into the lyric.
@DanFan57 I get the feeling (from songs like "Only A Fool Would Say That") that SD are not fans of firearms, and not particularly likely to have been aware that Lugers are relatively uncommon outside Europe and highly unlikely to figure in an American country/western tale. I strongly suspect they just liked the sound of the word as it fit into the lyric.
Is it possible these two guys had a drug lab? Seems like whenever they mention “on the hill” it’s drug related.