So this has been.my favorite song of OTEP's since it came out in 2004, and I always thought it was a song about a child's narrative of suffering in an abusive Christian home. But now that I am revisiting the lyrics, I am seeing something totally new.
This song could be gospel of John but from the perspective of Jesus.
Jesus was NOT having a good time up to and during the crucifixion. Everyone in the known world at the time looked to him with fear, admiration or disgust and he was constantly being asked questions. He spoke in "verses, prophesies and curses". He had made an enemy of the state, and believed the world was increasingly wicked and fallen from grace, or that he was in the "mouth of madness".
The spine of atlas is the structure that allows the titan to hold the world up. Jesus challenged the state and in doing so became a celebrated resistance figure. It also made him public enemy #1.
All of this happened simply because he was doing his thing, not because of any agenda he had or strategy.
And then he gets scourged (storm of thorns)
There are some plot holes here but I think it's an interesting interpretation.
Well I'm finding it harder
To be a gentleman every day
All the manners that I've been taught
Have slowly died away
But if I held the door open for you
It would make your day
You think that I care
About me and only me
When every single girl needs help
Climbing up a tree
Well I know it don't take much
To satisfy me
Maybe it's whatever's in my head
That's distracting me
But if I could find emotion
To stimulate devotion
Well then you'd see
Well I'm finding it hard to say
That I need you twenty times a day
I feel comfortable so baby why
Don't you feel the same?
Have a doctor come and visit us
And tell us which one is sane
I never said I wouldn't
Throw my jacket in the mud for you
But my father gave it to me so
Maybe I should carry you
Then you said
"You almost dropped me"
So then I did
And I got mud on my shoes
To be a gentleman every day
All the manners that I've been taught
Have slowly died away
But if I held the door open for you
It would make your day
You think that I care
About me and only me
When every single girl needs help
Climbing up a tree
Well I know it don't take much
To satisfy me
Maybe it's whatever's in my head
That's distracting me
But if I could find emotion
To stimulate devotion
Well then you'd see
Well I'm finding it hard to say
That I need you twenty times a day
I feel comfortable so baby why
Don't you feel the same?
Have a doctor come and visit us
And tell us which one is sane
I never said I wouldn't
Throw my jacket in the mud for you
But my father gave it to me so
Maybe I should carry you
Then you said
"You almost dropped me"
So then I did
And I got mud on my shoes
Lyrics submitted by weezerific:cutlery, edited by culprit
I'm Finding It Harder to Be a Gentleman Lyrics as written by John Anthony White
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
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I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
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A lot of men I know are trying to be gentlemen to girls, but some gorls consider this courtesy to indicate that the guy sees them as voulnerable. With the feminist movement guys really don't know with is considerate and what is rude. Is opening a door for a girl a nice gesture or are you showing that you wear the pants?
That's a really interesting take. It's something I'd never considered before, but makes a lot of sense now you say it. I think this song could have an undercurrent about gender equality.
That's a really interesting take. It's something I'd never considered before, but makes a lot of sense now you say it. I think this song could have an undercurrent about gender equality.
@Mokki Sounds like an incel take. Opening a door for anyone is a nice gesture, you sound like a nut.
First off, we've got a typo/mishearing in the lyrics. If you listen closely you'll hear it, and it fits much better in the meaning of the song:
but if I held the door open for you It wouldn't make your day
As others have pointed out, the guy in the song feels unappreciated. She wants the door held open, but she won't say thank you or be delighted by it - she just expects it. The woman is needy, and the guy is sick of having to help her constantly.
BUT, the flipside is that the guy is selfish and uncaring. The writer emphasizes both side of the relationship, and admits "have a doctor come and visit us, tell us which one is sane". It's two sides to the relationship, and I don't think either one is "right".
The last stanza is absolutely great. I think we've all been in that situation where someone is complaining, and you feel compelled to validate their complaint - in this case by dropping the girl in the mud.
But you have to remember, the only reason he was carrying the girl is because he was more worried about his jacket than her. After he drops her, all he can think about is the mud on his shoes, caring nothing about his girlfriend, who is now covered in mud.
Absolutely agree. The point is not that the guy is unappreciated, it's that the guy just don't care too much and he finds it hard to pretend the other way. But he feels alright and comfortable so doesn't see what's the problem with the girl and why she demands all these things from him. I find myself in quite the same situation.
@ukyo43 There's a couple mess ups. The one you posted and the one where he says Maybe it's what ever's in my HAND that's distracting me. It's probably a metaphor for his sex drive distracting him. <br /> <br /> Maybe he's sentimental about a gift from his dad? If his dad's passed, there's no way to duplicate the gift. He doesn't want to get either his girl or his dad's jacket dirty. I also think that he didn't drop her in the mud, but rather after. He says She says he almost dropped her. Like the danger is over. And instead of letting her down easy, he lets go. No matter what, he's willing to get mud on his shoe by stepping in the puddle while carrying her. Dont look a gift horse in the mouth. It's free, you dont need to know it's age ;)
Well I never said I wouldn't Throw my jacket in the mud for you but my father gave it to me so maybe I should carry you then you said "You almost dropped me" so then I did and I got mud on my shoes
Hehe, thats great! I love it. Oh what? Yes, I AM going to see them tonight!
You lucky motherfucker. I'm too jealous, lol.
I love when he says "Every little girl needs help climbing up a tree". On one hand, the line seems so innocent and childlike. But, then I think of a mischeivous boy boosting a girl up a tree in order to sneak a peek at her "dainties" (then having to explain it to the girl that he shares his puppy love with- and doing so Eddie Hascal-style: "What did I do? Little girls need help up trees, and I was just being nice!") . haha
It starts off with a gentle and reasonable statement. and then the frustration come out...my frustration as well. what good are manners anyway, "but if ai held the door open for you it wouldn't make your day." To me, that line means that 'your indignance has nothing to do with me opening or not opening the door (or whatever it might be) - it's about you and you just try and lay guilt trips on me."
"I'm finding it hard to say I need you 20 times a day. I feel comfortable so why can't you feel the same?"
I laugh almost every time I hear that line. It describes what goes on between me and my wife. But maybe she's right and I'm just cold.
The 'and i got mud on my shoe' bit seems quite mocking, like it's her fault (by complaining nad hence Jack dropping her). It could also mean that even when he's sticking up for himself, as he goes in the end, he'll still somehow suffer because of it, so no win situation ha!
the last stanza ranks among some of my favorite lines from Jack. this entire song seems to be about going out of your way to please someone you care about yet getting nothing but criticism in return ("you almost dropped me"). it is also about trying your hardest but getting shit on in return ("i got mud on my shoes"))
. . . may I have a show of hands on who cares?
That is sweet that you saw them. How did it go?
this song kicks ass. the last stanza is awsome and you dont even have to be a guy to relate, its just about doing the right thing, or even a simple favor and not getting the simplest "thank you" from the person you helped