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Machine Gun Lyrics

see you walking and i know shes my friend, again
just the weight of the water drags me down, again
guess i'll think of the water its my friend, oh yea
it's just the way that the water makes me feel again

son of sheba i saw him drown
son of yellow i saw him drown
it's all i need yeah
Song Info
Submitted by
typo On Dec 26, 2001
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8 Meanings

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Cover art for Machine Gun lyrics by Slowdive

I'm pretty sure the lyric is "Son of Shiva" not "Son of Sheeba"--the "Son of Yellow" must refer to Sati, Shiva's wife in Hindu mythology, who has the nickname (Guari) translating to "turmeric hued" (yellow). Sati self-immolates and then is reincarnated as Parvati, who has the sons Ganesha and Murugan. The Ganesh Chaturthi festival involves the submersion of idolic representations of Ganesha in a body of water.

My Interpretation

@161803 This is an attractive interpretation - possibly what Neil or Rachel had in mind - but there are a few inaccuracies here. I'm from India and have a fair idea about the mythological context surrounding Gauri/Parvati/Sati and Shiva. Gauri does not mean 'yellow-hued', it means 'white-hued'. Additionally, the immersion of Ganesha idols does not have any mythological relevance. It is merely a way of returning the idols - which were traditionally made of clay or mud sourced from banks of water bodies - back to where they came form.

Cover art for Machine Gun lyrics by Slowdive

the most beautiful song ever

Cover art for Machine Gun lyrics by Slowdive

suicidal and lovely. drowning is such a pretty way of dying. even the word 'drown' has such a nice ring to it.

with most of halstead's lyrics on souvlaki talking about the breakup of him and rachel goswell, this song could easily be about how he feels around her. around her, he's happy, but the fact that they can't be together anymore is like the weight of water that's dragging him down.

I normally don't agree with people who go straight for the "suicide" angle but the son of Sheba (Kittens) and son of Yellow (puppies) I saw you drown would make me agree slightly but I still think it is simply the helplessness that is felt by him as opposed to wanting to join them. No need for suicide, it is already killing him.

Not Valid
Cover art for Machine Gun lyrics by Slowdive

I've literally got no idea what this song means, at all.

But, damn.. it's too beautiful to really care about silly things such as meanings.

Cover art for Machine Gun lyrics by Slowdive

Well said Numbus the Kitten. I too have absolutely no idea what the hell this song means. Yet I've listened to it non stop, hundreds of times, and still can't get over how amazingly beautiful this song is. One of the prettiest tunes I've ever heard in my life, and at 22 and having listened to a shit ton of music, that says a lot.

Wow, at 22 you must have heard SO MUCH MUSIC.. colour me impressed! That says a lot.

Cover art for Machine Gun lyrics by Slowdive

I always heard, "Guess I'll think of the water AS my friend, oh yea"

Seems to make more sense to me, sort of a giving in.

My Interpretation
Cover art for Machine Gun lyrics by Slowdive

I always thought the name of the song referred to the fact that when Neil sings "Son of Sheba" it sounds like "saw a machine gun". I can imagine that in early rehearsals that's what people said, and the name stuck. It's quite suitable and striking considering the suicidal theme of the song.

Cover art for Machine Gun lyrics by Slowdive

puff at a doob to this song.