Fix what’s wrong, but don’t rewrite what the artist wrote. Stick to the official released version — album booklet, label site, verified lyric video, etc. If you’re guessing, pause and double-check.

Respect the structure

Songs have rhythm. Pages do too. Leave line breaks where they belong. Don’t smash things together or add extra empty space just for looks.

Punctuation counts (but vibe-editing doesn’t)

Correct typos? Yes. Re-punctuating a whole verse because it ‘looks better’? Probably not. Keep capitalization and punctuation close to the official source.

Don’t mix versions

If you’re editing the explicit version, keep it explicit. If it’s the clean version, keep it clean. No mashups.

Let the lyrics be lyrics

This isn’t the place for interpretations, memories, stories, or trivia — that’s what comments are for. Keep metadata, translations, and bracketed stage directions out unless they’re officially part of the song.

Edit lightly

If two lines are wrong… fix the two lines. No need to bulldoze the whole page. Think ‘surgical,’ not ‘remix.’

When in doubt, ask the crowd

Not sure what they’re singing in that fuzzy bridge? Drop a question in the comments and let the music nerds swarm. Someone always knows.

Mellow_Harsher

Submitter

2015-03-08 01:09:15

4 Meanings

Add your song meanings, interpretations, facts, memories & more to the community.

Sort by

by XxTuna1988xX

11y ago

This songs referring to god as an Indian giver as one who gives gifts and wants it back later. The gift for god is life and how it can later be taken away. The asshole is referring to an average person who lives their life and asks too many questions about it and should just live the life they are given because existence is as random as nonexistence and if you worry about it your whole life you wont live the actual one you have been given. Also how sad some people's lives are in that they try to make such meaning out of it when no meaning was given to it in the first place. Some are so scared to take chances and put themselves out there and living for something else that is greater than themselves that they forget they're alive themselves. "Get on your horse and ride" meaning to just live your own life to the fullest extent you can live it.

My Interpretation

Users:

Reply · 0 Share

by Boswell

11y ago

indians didn't give gifts and take them back later, they had a custom of giving something with the expectation of receiving something in return - it was trading, only a form of trading the europeans weren't accustomed to - and if the indians didn't receive anything, they would take it back. europeans misunderstood the custom and assumed they were being presented with gifts.

with that said, the song might not deal with the "indian giver" term. forget the word indian and replace it with natives/aboriginals of any land, and think of the settlers who enountered the natives/aboriginals. the natives/aboriginals were, not in all cases, happy to help the settlers by providing food, shelter, clothing, and teaching them how to use the land. as time passed, the settlers wanted more, demanded more, began to take, they brought illnesses and death. eventually, the natives/aboriginals were pushed aside when they were no longer useful, or they were "civilized."

one possibility, then, is that god is someone who gave us a means to live/survive, and we, the assholes, are never happy with what we have and demand more. all we do is kill god or use god for things we want and toss god to the side when we're done.

"get on your horse and ride" is another way of saying "fuck off."

Users:

Reply · 1 Share

by jaredyankee 10y ago

@Boswell I originally thought it was this interpretation as well. The Native Americans/Indians didn't believe in property, they lived in Rousseau's state of nature, more or less. And they were happy this way. I think American culture today is the opposite of that, with everything being about personal property and everyone benefiting off of a system that inherently unequal. So to me it's saying, you're not an Indian, you're not gonna save the world, your just another asshole in the rat race buying things you don't need, so do what you're gonna do but "fuck off" with your holier-than-thou self....

by mathew1114

7y ago

I think this is a retort to someone being a racist.

Users:

Reply · 1 Share

by heather109 4y ago

@mathew1114 you are correct, sir. Isaac is not unenlightened. A site base on supposition is antithetical to everything MM, as well.

My Opinion

by hitchslap

10y ago

Yeah... Boswell... to quote isaac: "You're living on fancy wine You'll drink that turpentine You're starting conversations You don't even know the topic"

The first poster was right. Boswell could not be more wrong. Literally.

God's an indian giver, and live while you can cuz he's intent on snatching your ass back.

Evidence? See modest mouse song, "bukowski" Where isaac says: "God who'd want to be such an asshole? Well we sat on the edge of the river, The crowd screamed, "Sacrifice the liver!" If God takes life, he's an Indian giver. So tell me now why, you'll tell me never. Who would want to be? Who would want to be such a control freak?"

Naughty lil isaac.... oh, whoa whoa, what a wicked campaign..... (but it was not his plan)

Users:

Reply · 0 Share

Questions and Answers

Ask specific questions and get answers to unlock more indepth meanings & facts.