I Coulda Been a Contender

This is a great song. Their best, in my opinion. I love the line

"You were gonna be my Judy Garland, We were gonna share your tin man heart"

To me its about someone having a hard time and a friend tell him that its all going to be ok and there is a light at the end of a tunnel.

I have to Agree totally with RavenSan

Very catchy song , How come these guys arent massive , they should be

the judy garland makes this song, and waltzing too.

To me, this is about someone who was in love, but they did something self destructive and ruined it, stated in the lines:

And of the few things that I am certain, I'm the captain of my burden.

Which mean he is most likely the cause of the problem. The first verses are just memories and plans they made. Then the chorus comes in with a lot of imagery depicting a storm, which could mean their plans were ruined. The last line, Atlantis is my only dream tonight, probably means that through the storm the person is hoping to find some sort of paradise at the end of it, but the song doesn't really have a solid conclusion so I would say its unknown if they find it.

I got all this from a personal experience I've been through, so you all might not see it the same way as me.

The "Waltzing Matilda" line is likely a reference to Tom Waits' "Tom Traubert's Blues (Four Sheets to the Wind In Copenhagen)", which is itself a take on the traditional "Waltzing Matilda". Gaslight Anthem references Waits songs on number of occasions.

The title is a reference to a famous line in the 50s film On The Waterfront with Marlon Brando. Terry: You don't understand. I coulda had class. I coulda been a contender. I coulda been somebody, instead of a bum, which is what I am, let's face it.

The whole thing is a maritime metaphor for a relationship. Atlantis was a lost city under the sea according to Greek myth and legend.

Wasn't "I coulda been a contender" The line from a movie? I forget which one, but was it?

im probably reading far too much into this but this is my interpretation...

the title...i coulda been a contender...we coulda been a couple, together, happy.

verse 1, he feels sorry for himself, i think he's saying that he's spent a lifetime looking for the woman for him, "iv been dancing on this killing floor for years" and he's lonely because of a life he's chosen but understands that its his choice n he has to deal with it "i'm the captain of my burden"

verse 2, a very sad verse with words like " ONCE u said i was ur hero" and "gonna" all past tense. he clearly met an amazing woman, a woman who turned his world upside down and meant everything to him. "you would dance with me on a dime" i think is saying how they would dance to the sound of a jukebox. i think in the last 3 lines he is saying that he was "gonna" support her in her dreams and her career as a singer and she would be his own "judy garland". we were going to share ur empty heart, together. she will still have a career and become a star, but he wont be there with her to see it.

verse 3, i find this really interesting, when i hear a "dirty wind blowing" i picture a sand storm, a dusty dirty sand storm in the desert. "a storm front coming in" a storm as everyone knows is scary, with load bangs of thunder and bright flashes of lightning, not unlike war, when u see fighting from a distance u often see a big flash of an explosion followed by a thunderous bang. the last 3 lines i think he's talking to himself, "steady now, soldier hold fast now" he's making himself focus, he's going away to war now concentrate on what u have to do, he needs all is focus if he wants to live through this. "It's heads or tails on heart attacks and broken dreams" heads and tails....50/50 on dying and destroying his and her dreams.

verse 4, "waltzing matilda" i dont no what he means by that but i think he's still reminiscing the time they had together, note that this reminiscing verse compared to the others is very short, he really is trying to put her to the back of his head and focus on whats coming.

he now repeats the chorus 3 times which tells me he's now fully focused on what he has to do, understands theres a big chance of death and "broken dreams" but he's now got his head clear of any distractions. the last line is brilliant," Atlantis is my only dream tonight" when he goes to sleep he allows himself to relax and take his mind off the stress of what he's going through, "atlantis" he could be talking about what he sees as paradise and hope, something to live for...

maybe i have too much of an imagination

The line "Soldier hold fast now" a traditional sailor tattoo is to have "Hold Fast" on your knuckles or wrists, they belived it would help them hold/grip the rope tighter, i agree with "cieran" saying it is not unlike a war (a storm at sea) and the sailors are the soldiers fighting to get to their "only dream" a greek myth also to do with a sea, but i do belive this song is written about a romance that has gone wrong but hides it in the whole thing behind the sea. Does any one else also think that the name of the album and album cover are related to this song? sink or swim is to do with the sea and so is the album cover but this could just be me making no real conections bettween anything