Death Cab for Cutie

Hold No Guns

2 Meanings

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Hold No Guns Lyrics

Darling, don't you understand
That there are no winners
Metals hung from silken strands
To greet you at the finish
As we're dissolving into the sea
I only take what I can carry
The counsel's combing through our debris
The treasures we never buried

My love why do you run?
For my hands hold no guns

Darling, though you may pretend
Pretend that you are selfless
You break with but the slightest bend
It leaves you lost and helpless
So to whom will you place the call
In the coldest night of winter?
'Cause numbers change and people fall
And friends they always splinter

My love why do you run?
For my hands hold no guns

My love why do you run?
For my hands hold no guns
They hold no guns
No, not a one

Submitted by

reecespiecezz On Mar 25, 2015

I Will Follow You Into the Dark

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supoman

2018-07-12 07:46:41

reecesPiecezz

Submitter

2015-03-25 16:54:33

2 Meanings

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by supoman

8y ago

Like the rest of the album, I think it's pretty clear this is about Ben Gibbard's divorce. Sounds like he feels unfairly blamed for the breakup. From his point of view, his wife is competing with him to not take credit for ruining it. He doesn't want to compete ("There are no winners..."). He thinks that he is innocent since his hands "hold no guns", that he has never hurt her. Reading between the lines, there is a clear bitter tone of anger towards her, despite his claims that he doesn't want to hurt her. "Why do you run?" --> he is blaming her completely for the breakup. The second verse is all about how she doesn't appreciate him. "to whom will you place the call In the coldest night of winter?" He thinks that he was the only person there for her when she needed someone, and that no one else could ever do that for her as well as he can ("And friends they always splinter"). She thinks that she is independent ("though you may pretend Pretend that you are selfless"), but he attacks her saying she constantly needs support from others ("You break with but the slightest bend It leaves you lost and helpless"). The line "So to whom will you place the call" is also him saying that he refuses to be there to support her going forward. In other words, he tried so hard to help her with past struggles and she didn't appreciate it. She instead chose to leave him after all he did for her, saying she is independent and will rely on her friends. Instead of him truly holding no guns and willing to remain open to helping her, his bitterness shows by him turning his back on her. If she didn't appreciate him when she had him, then after rejecting him she will be sorry when she realizes how alone she is.

Beautiful lyrics from the perspective of someone being left by their spouse. Clearly the breakup is partially his fault, since he is lashing out and blaming her for it. But he doesn't seem to see that, he only sees how she didn't appreciate him and chose to leave him. He is asking her not to run away while showing (probably) why she is running. I can unfortunately relate.

My Interpretation

Like the rest of the album, I think it's pretty clear this is about Ben Gibbard's divorce. Sounds like he feels unfairly blamed for the breakup. 
From his point of view, his wife is competing with him to not take credit for ruining it. He doesn't want to compete ("There are no winners..."). He thinks that he is innocent since his hands "hold no guns", that he has never hurt her.
Reading between the lines, there is a clear bitter tone of anger towards her, despite his claims that he doesn't want to hurt her. "Why do you run?" --> he is blaming her completely for the breakup. The second verse is all about how she doesn't appreciate him. "to whom will you place the call In the coldest night of winter?" He thinks that he was the only person there for her when she needed someone, and that no one else could ever do that for her as well as he can ("And friends they always splinter"). She thinks that she is independent ("though you may pretend Pretend that you are selfless"), but he attacks her saying she constantly needs support from others ("You break with but the slightest bend It leaves you lost and helpless"). The line "So to whom will you place the call" is also him saying that he refuses to be there to support her going forward. In other words, he tried so hard to help her with past struggles and she didn't appreciate it. She instead chose to leave him after all he did for her, saying she is independent and will rely on her friends. Instead of him truly holding no guns and willing to remain open to helping her, his bitterness shows by him turning his back on her. If she didn't appreciate him when she had him, then after rejecting him she will be sorry when she realizes how alone she is.

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by LookinFaSlim

6y ago

Spent a night lightly breaking down his & Zoey's records. Easily found these references;

"I can't help it, I can't win"

She & Him- Never Wanted Your Love

"I'm done, I guess I haven't won"

She & Him- I Could've Been Your Girl

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by LookinFaSlim 6y ago

Oh ya, and he says "numbers." Figure, you listen to their 4 songs or so, and you get a pretty good idea of the matters & odds.

She & Him- I've Got Your Number, Son

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