Bandoliers

intensely good song. the use of the power chord structure and lazy lyrical delivery give it a life of it's own, making it one of the stand out songs on the album.

i think the song isn't literal... it's about a guy who knows a relationship is ending, but doesn't want to be the one to pull the trigger. so he's waiting for her to end it instead... if that's the way it has to be.

Just adding something: After some thought, this song is talking about him (Homme) firing his friend Nick Oliveri from the band (QOTSA)after Nick was violent with his girlfriend. Apparently Nick already promised Josh never to behave this way again after the previous incident. You turned the corner I’ll never go I admit I feel a bit deceived So the old friendship is gone. And of course it is breaking his heart. Prepare to take aim And fire Cos no-one can make me fire No-one can make me fire So he is ready to take all the publicity dirt in the news, Nick "firing" at him. But he is not going to answer with firing back (actually he did it later).

earvolution.com/2005/07/josh-homme-reveals-reason-for-firing.asp madmforums.com/index.php

Probably it is my imagination but I was thinking about a different interpretation: Maybe it is not about breaking up with a woman, but with a friend, maybe a former member of his band. Maybe this man is doing something unethical that Homme just can not live with, maybe he became a drug dealer or whatever. Anyhow, now they are on the different sides of the closing door, maybe even this former friend became arrested and Homme has to testify against him. So he is accused of being not loyal, but he can not imagine following the wrong pass.

This sounds so awesome

When I first heard it, all I thought about was a bank robbery.

I thought it was kind of like a couple go in to rob a bank or some kidnapping crime, but one of them backs out when the other gets over zealous.

The one who backed out still loves her even though he's staring down the barrel of a revolver. I thought it was just that guy saying, "I can't go through with this. I'm out. You want to pull a gun on me? Fine. Go ahead. I won't try to fight you; I love you too much for that."

At this point, a classic movie point, the enraged person is stuck threatening someone who will not threaten them back, making the kill a lot harder. And no matter how much she clicks the gun or pushes it further in the guy's face, she can't make the guy draw his gun on her.

However, we're left with an open ending, so what happened to the guy is up to the interpreter.

Personally, I think the guy gets his head blown out, and turns the whole thing into a murder suicide, but that's my imagination getting the better of me...

The song's about being accused of being unfaithful/a bad partner by his girlfriend when in reality he didn't do anything wrong. Hence why he says "fire away, if that's the way it has to be". The girlfriend is trying to justify her cheating on him, but she's only kidding herself.

One of my favourites on the album!

As far as meanings go, as verse 1 begins it sounds like the guy has been left in some capacity by a woman. Now it gets twisted here for me, either she went all dramatic on him and that's a route he won't go and is taking the high road OR simply being left is something he doesn't want. I'm leaning on the latter due to the next set of lyrics where nobody caused the rift, perhaps it's a clean break due to circumstances not based on one party doing wrong to the other, but just busy schedules, new interests, both, etc. "Prepare and take aim, and fire, on me".

Verse 2, seems like she lied to him in some regard and he was naive enough to believe it (coincidently now leaning to my first initial scenario), and now admits to seeing the change in her. He's taking the high road out, "Fire away, if you must, but I only came just to let you know, this is goodbye."

I think the first verse is he has walked out on this girl, but i don't think it is that they've just grown apart because of the lines;

'My you’ve changed You turned the corner I’ll never go I admit I feel a bit deceived'

so he blames her for not being the person he first knew.

Then the chorus I see the lines;

'Nobody caused the rift We’ve just grown apart now'

are him directly talking to her and letting her down gently rather than blaming her for the relationship going wrong.

I think that fits in with the final lines;

'Cos no-one can make me fire No-one can make me fire'

So even though he's had enough of her 'fictionary tales' (verse 2, maybe the real reason they have split) he still cares about her and won't burden her with all the blame for how things have ended up.

Here's the lyrics as they are in the liner notes to the album:

It's too late, I got hit by the closing door & as I watch myself reflect on The wrong side of...~My you've changed. You turned a corner I'll never Go ~ I admit I feel a bit deceived. You're expecting Id follow ~ Bandoliers, to fight me dear ~ Nobody caused the rift ~ We've Just grown apart now... ~ You'd better prepare then take aim & fire - Prepare then take aim & fire... ~ On me. ~ If That's the way it has to be ~ Fooling myself, fooling myself into believing you & all these fictionary tales you're telling yourself ~ So selfish, Like a child that never heard a no ~ I watch this ever changing you, never find us ~ Bandoliers, to fight you dear ~ Nobody caused the rift ~ I cant become what I'm not ~ You've always had my heart ~ So if it must be broken ~ You'd better prepare then take aim & fire ~ Fire away ~ If you must, but I only came ~ Just to let you know ~ This is goodbye you'd better pre- pare then take aim & fire ~ Know that no one can make me fire

Think Starman hit the nail on the head.

what a beautifully written song. it's obviously a break up song. i've been playing this on repeat for days now. must agree with starman as well. it's a subject that most anyone can relate to. there are many similar songs lyrically, the only difference is the delivery.