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In Remission Lyrics
I've got a winning lotto ticket
From the state of Massachusetts
Tucked in the back of my wallet,
I'll cash it when I'm back in Boston
With a blank eye from the cashier
For why it's torn and busted up
I remember that moment of silence
I was at a mall in Norridge
Shoppers stared at the ground
The escalators went on smoke break
So at 19, 18, you've yet to see the worst
Of human tactic
Maybe the future's just a little bit weird
Maybe the god you love is all I've gotta fear
Life's a terminal illness in remission
So I took the weight of it all
After our train came back
We drove back drunk through the busy city streets
I hate how I always get nervous
Every time I try to speak
In front of a big crowd,
A pretty girl, or the police
And I hate the things that I know about you
And all of the horrible things that you do
I don't wanna be late for a war today
I wanna chew up my dinner and spit it in your face
Light fire to your home
And tap your cellphone
Oh yeah (x2)
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah
Oh yeah
(Pause)
If everyone needs a crutch
Then I need a wheelchair
I need a reason to reason with you (x4)
(Pause)
Oh yeah (x2)
Oh yeah, yeah yeah
Oh yeah
If everyone needs a crutch
Then I need a wheelchair
I need a reason to reason with you (x2)
From the state of Massachusetts
Tucked in the back of my wallet,
I'll cash it when I'm back in Boston
With a blank eye from the cashier
For why it's torn and busted up
I was at a mall in Norridge
Shoppers stared at the ground
The escalators went on smoke break
So at 19, 18, you've yet to see the worst
Of human tactic
Maybe the god you love is all I've gotta fear
Life's a terminal illness in remission
So I took the weight of it all
After our train came back
We drove back drunk through the busy city streets
Every time I try to speak
In front of a big crowd,
A pretty girl, or the police
And I hate the things that I know about you
And all of the horrible things that you do
I wanna chew up my dinner and spit it in your face
Light fire to your home
And tap your cellphone
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah
Oh yeah
Then I need a wheelchair
I need a reason to reason with you (x4)
Oh yeah, yeah yeah
Oh yeah
Then I need a wheelchair
I need a reason to reason with you (x2)
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This may be a stretch, but could this be about the boston marathon bombings?
The first verse tells us his mind is on Boston. The entire second verse is about a sudden moment of silence for something, probably at the same time of day the original event happened. The marathon bombings were in the afternoon (1;49 Norridge, IL time), prime shopping hour, unlike the morning events of 9/11 and Newtown.
"19, 18" could refer to the April 18th and 19th when the bombers were on the loose and still killing people ("you've yet to see the worst") and "The worst human tactic" is terrorism. Alternatively 19: 18 is a verse from Leviticus: "Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord", appropriate considering they were domestic terrorists (neighbors) and all of Boston was calling for revenge during the manhunt.
In any case, "Maybe the god you love is all I've gotta fear" could allude to Islamic extremism. "I don't wanna be late for a war today" meanwhile "Light fire to your home/And tap your cellphone" sound like the war on terror.
The last repeated lines are much darker with the Boston marathon bombings in mind, considering how many people lost legs. As a result, everyone [near the blasts] needs a crutch and those who lost two legs need wheelchairs. Also we don't "reason" (understand, or negotiate) with terrorists.
I understand that you can find meanings in anything, so this could be completely off, but the Menzingers have been plenty political before. (see "No Ticket").
If this was the intended meaning, then this song is poetic genius.
Also, they were on tour in Boston 5/25/13, a little over a month after the bombings. Maybe he felt the need to give a little Boston Strong speech, which explains "I hate how I always get nervous/ Every time I try to speak/ In front of a big crowd,"
Also, they were on tour in Boston 5/25/13, a little over a month after the bombings. Maybe he felt the need to give a little Boston Strong speech, which explains "I hate how I always get nervous/ Every time I try to speak/ In front of a big crowd,"
"And I hate the things that I know about you/ And all of the horrible things that you do" is his reaction to the in-depth news coverage of the bombers' lives and their killing spree
"And I hate the things that I know about you/ And all of the horrible things that you do" is his reaction to the in-depth news coverage of the bombers' lives and their killing spree
holy shit, what an interpretation! "the escalators"=media vultures like nancy grace, et al "went on smoke break"=took a few minutes to prepare their vitriol, practice overreacting and focus their coverage on fear mongering, "muslim extremists" talking points, xenophobia The more i listen to the part before "oh yeah...", i'm convinced it's the average American viewer's amplified rage towards muslims, mirroring the media spin, after being bombarded with constant coverage. While the singer's repulsion is due to the cliched, calculated exploitation of tragedy and pain. It' s a repeated pattern of sociopathic callousness. Most recently with the missing plane, nearly every story discounted the...
holy shit, what an interpretation! "the escalators"=media vultures like nancy grace, et al "went on smoke break"=took a few minutes to prepare their vitriol, practice overreacting and focus their coverage on fear mongering, "muslim extremists" talking points, xenophobia The more i listen to the part before "oh yeah...", i'm convinced it's the average American viewer's amplified rage towards muslims, mirroring the media spin, after being bombarded with constant coverage. While the singer's repulsion is due to the cliched, calculated exploitation of tragedy and pain. It' s a repeated pattern of sociopathic callousness. Most recently with the missing plane, nearly every story discounted the fact that those people are dead and their loved ones are coping with grief.
Really well interpreted, think this could be close. But "If everyone needs a crutch, then I need a wheelchair" is a lyric I think anyone and everyone can relate to, it's a brilliant lyric
Really well interpreted, think this could be close. But "If everyone needs a crutch, then I need a wheelchair" is a lyric I think anyone and everyone can relate to, it's a brilliant lyric
@jefferson104 Nice work! I would just add that my thought regarding 1918 was a World War 1 reference. We thought we could not sink lower as humanity but we keep reaching new lows as time moves forward.
@jefferson104 Nice work! I would just add that my thought regarding 1918 was a World War 1 reference. We thought we could not sink lower as humanity but we keep reaching new lows as time moves forward.
There's a very good chance that instead of "indoors" he says the city name of the mall he was in. I couldn't fully make it out. Any corrections are welcome.
Yeah, credit to Steve at Plyrics for hearing Norridge where I wrote "indoors."
Yeah, credit to Steve at Plyrics for hearing Norridge where I wrote "indoors."
And for "human tactic." I did embarrassingly bad here.
And for "human tactic." I did embarrassingly bad here.