This is a hauntingly beautiful song about introspection, specifically about looking back at a relationship that started bad and ended so poorly, that the narrator wants to go back to the very beginning and tell himself to not even travel down that road. I believe that the relationship started poorly because of the lines:
"Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet"
So, the first night was not a great start, but the narrator pursued the relationship and eventually both overcame the rough start to fall in love with each other:
"I had all and then most of you"
Like many relationships that turn sour, it was not a quick decline, but a gradual one where the narrator and their partner fall out of love and gradually grow apart
"Some and now none of you"
Losing someone who was once everything in your world, who you could confide in, tell your secrets to, share all the most intimate parts of your life, to being strangers with that person is probably one of the most painful experiences a person can go through. So Painful, the narrator wants to go back in time and tell himself to not even pursue the relationship.
This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
She had excuses and she just used them
She was the victim of unspeakable abuses
Her husband was violent, malicious and distant
Her kids now belong to the state of Massachusetts
They've been taken away
They've been taken away
Billy was a bright one
Tommy's off his head
Mother loved them both the same, at least that's what she said
I don't predict the future, I don't care about the past
Send them both to DSS, now you had your chance
The poison who stole your babies
The judges took your rights
You can have your children, or the night
I suppose you've a victim
I suspect you may have lied
If you've lost all ambition won't you give this thing a try
If you can't and you fail won't be the only loser
These kid don't stand a chance with you in their future
They've been taken away
They've been taken away
Billy was a bright one
Tommy's off his head
Mother loved them both the same, at least that's what she said
I don't predict the future, I don't care about the past
Send them both to DSS, now you had your chance
The poison who stole your babies
The judges took your rights
You can have your children, or the night
The poison stole your babies
The tenants took your rides
You can have the children, or the day
Billy was a bright one
Tommy's off his head
Mother loved them both the same, at least that's what she said
I don't predict the future, I don't care about the past
Send them both to DSS, now you had your chance
The poison stole your babies
The judges took your rights
You can have your children, or the night
She was the victim of unspeakable abuses
Her husband was violent, malicious and distant
Her kids now belong to the state of Massachusetts
They've been taken away
They've been taken away
Billy was a bright one
Tommy's off his head
Mother loved them both the same, at least that's what she said
I don't predict the future, I don't care about the past
Send them both to DSS, now you had your chance
The poison who stole your babies
The judges took your rights
You can have your children, or the night
I suppose you've a victim
I suspect you may have lied
If you've lost all ambition won't you give this thing a try
If you can't and you fail won't be the only loser
These kid don't stand a chance with you in their future
They've been taken away
They've been taken away
Billy was a bright one
Tommy's off his head
Mother loved them both the same, at least that's what she said
I don't predict the future, I don't care about the past
Send them both to DSS, now you had your chance
The poison who stole your babies
The judges took your rights
You can have your children, or the night
The poison stole your babies
The tenants took your rides
You can have the children, or the day
Billy was a bright one
Tommy's off his head
Mother loved them both the same, at least that's what she said
I don't predict the future, I don't care about the past
Send them both to DSS, now you had your chance
The poison stole your babies
The judges took your rights
You can have your children, or the night
Lyrics submitted by Brendonsoh
The State of Massachusetts Lyrics as written by Timothy John Brennan Alexander Barr
Lyrics © SPIRIT TWO SMA
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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I think the first verse refers to the Irish in America. "excuses and she chose to use them" =Ireland. Victim of unspeakable abuses=Ireland. Husband violent=England. Kids in Massachusetts=Immigrate to america. Irish in Massachusetts.
"i think the title of the song is a play on words...using state to mean a country AND the culture of it...
p.s i wanna make it clear i do not link child abuse and a bad government to massachusets"
I do. that's first thing I think of when it comes to MA. Also, Minnesota is known for witches, and Idaho for streaking. Texas uses potatoes for currency and Delaware gives out Peyote like it was chewing gum/ It's all true
Silly, it's Idaho that uses potatoes for currency.
Yeah, so, I'm late. :) I came here to check a hard-to-hear lyric to make sure I was hearing it right and, as always, got caught up in the user posted discussions.
Bearealman, I believe I can clear up some of your questions, if you're still on this site, or haven't figured it out by now.
The whole song is written about a manipulative mother who seems to care more about herself than her children. She tries to make excuses for her poor parenting skills (blaming it on the father, her own history of abuse, etc.), but it all boils down to her wanting to have her fun and not give up the party life for her children.
The lines, "I don't predict the future, I don't care about the past," in my opinion are from the eyes of the State, so to speak. They don't know for sure these kids won't come out all screwed up if they stay with her, and they don't care about what past events she's throwing out there as her excuses for treating her kids so badly. Instead, the only safe bet they see is to...
"Send them both to DSS, Now you have had your chance."
When the lyrics go on to say, "The poison stole your babies, the judges took your rights," DKM's are saying, the drugs or alcohol that you put above your children are the real reason your children are gone, all the judges did was take your rights away to see them because you were being an asshat (okay that was my personal opinion on this type of parent). It then goes on to say, "You can have your children, OR the night," which is to say, you can either be a good mother and keep your kids, or you can continue to be an asshat and lose them to DSS.
Anyway, that's my spin on the lines that confused you.
isnt it "you can have your children OR the night" as in the mother has to choose between night life and having kids? i also thought it sounded like FOR the night but that doesnt make sence.. does it?
Two comments? Come on, this is an amazing song. Pretty straightforward meaning; she couldn't take care of her kids and they took them away. Again, awesome song.
By the way, for all of you out-of-staters, DSS is the Department of Social Services. They take care of troubled kids, orphans, kids of divorced parents, etc.
I like to think it's "You can have your children... FOR the night"
seems like a way of saying if you don't stop being a piece of shit to your children then we'll take them away from you, all in all... i just live in new jersey but i love some dropkick murphys... who knows
Yes, I agree with Gatsby and soul_doubt , there should be a way to change the lyrics to the correct ones, you guys are right...
This is a great, after living in MASS for years, I know how WT famlies can be like everywhere. These guys (DMs) are great, I wold love t o see them live.
As for the OR or the FOR. I think both meanings make sense, as described above. I have watched the video a couple times now and they say that line 3 times. And I really think the first 2 they said OR and the 3rd they said FOR, so maybe the writer wanted both....
This is a brand new song , but I think it will get lots of play in Boston. Oh BTW DSS is in most states, so I think the people know what it means.
This song really has a tough Boston feel to it. Like Shippin Off, it is a way for outsiders of Boston to get the energy of Southie, Fenway and St Patties day in Boston. Its hard to explain to my family from Philly, but that why I stay in the Boston area. At least one of the reasons.
Huh, I thought it was "For a price"
I got these lyrics right from the DKM myspace, I didn't do it by ear So They're definitely correct I would think
O maybe I didnt... I could have sworn I did, I know I didnt do it by ear, I'll correct 'em according to their myspace