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A Small Victory Lyrics

A hierarchy
Spread out on the nightstand
The spirit of team
Salvation is another chance
A sore loser
Yelling with my mouth shut

A cracking portrait
The fondling of trophies
The null of losing
Can you afford that luxury?
A sore winner
But I'll just keep my mouth shut

It shouldn't bother me (no)
It shouldn't (no, no)
It shouldn't bother me (no)
It shouldn't
But it does

The small victories
The cankers and medallions
The little nothings
They keep me thinking that someday
I might beat you
But I'll just keep my mouth shut

It shouldn't bother me (no)
It shouldn't (no, no)
It shouldn't bother me (no)
It shouldn't
But it, but it does

It
Shouldn't
Bother me (no, no)
It
Shouldn't
Bother me

If I speak at one constant volume
At one constant pitch
At one constant rhythm right into your ear
You still won't hear, you still won't hear
You still won't hear, you still won't hear
You still won't hear, you still won't hear
You still won't hear, you still won't hear
You still won't hear, you still won't hear
You still won't hear
Song Info
Submitted by
jt On Apr 23, 2001
25 Meanings

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Cover art for A Small Victory lyrics by Faith No More

"Its kind of about, well my dad was a coach, so I grew up and I always wanted to win. And well, I found out that I just cant win every game...darn it."

  • Mike Patton

I guess we're all soare losers at some point of our lives.

Cover art for A Small Victory lyrics by Faith No More

This is such a cool song, and yes, I had heard that Mike's dad was a coach and I had drawn the same conclusion. I love the spoken part at the end and the way the vocal counter melody works behind it. this song is pure magic, it cements FNM as one of the coolest bands ever.

Cover art for A Small Victory lyrics by Faith No More

What is a small victory? One that doesn't matter much. Say you were in an argument with your spouse or family or close friends. This argument is meaningless, say your brother gets to do something you don't or that your spouse wants to argue about the Neo-Nazi right to voice their views... Winning the argument doesn't mean anything and the bad feelings that can come from such arguments are destructive. I was told by an old scout leader once that it is better to be happy than it is to be right. Kind of has deep meaning but doesn't exactly work in a lot of cases where if you always bottle up your opinion you are setting yourself up to explode. So, given what I think a small victory is, I think the song isn't about choosing your battles, but that it is about how ridiculous the battles are in the first place and how what should be avoided is the battle mentality where what should be happening is a free exchange of ideas.

good. i reckon so too, more abstract than some isolated incidents in pattons past it shouldnt bother me, but it does - i think that speaks more widely, to us all!

Cover art for A Small Victory lyrics by Faith No More

Makes me think of how, even though you know something shouldn't bother you, how it's actually insignificant in the grand scheme of things, that there are these nagging thoughts (depression, regret, anger), that won't f-ing leave you alone sometimes, and you just have to go through the moods that they put you in, like bad medicine.

Cover art for A Small Victory lyrics by Faith No More

this is my favorite faith no more song..off one the best and most underated albums of all time angel dust,from the first song to the last it is a great cd.

Cover art for A Small Victory lyrics by Faith No More

An ode to millions of poor bastards who have fought in war. A vet crying himself to sleep the night before a parade

Cover art for A Small Victory lyrics by Faith No More

This might not fit the general consensus but I feel like the song sounds really cool when you read it as a toxic relationship between someone and their significant other.

They're always arguing, and it gets to a point where some built up hatred is within. And so, he / she goes for the small and petty victories (think, not helping them do x, or "accidentally" forgetting something, intentionally being distant, etc.) which does nothing to mend the relationship.

This works really well because of the end of the song. That even if I'm calm and I speak at one constant pitch, you still won't listen to me (hence why I'm resorting to this BS)

My Interpretation
Negative
Subjective
Sadness
Toxic Relationship
Arguments
Petty Actions
Communication Breakdown
Emotional Distance
Cover art for A Small Victory lyrics by Faith No More

Its about how winning and losing. Mike Patton's dad was a coach and made Mike have a desire to win..but realised he couldn't always.

Yeah the lyrics are pretty straightforward; the 'hierarchy' is all of the trophies on his nightstand.

Cover art for A Small Victory lyrics by Faith No More

One of my favorite FNM songs. Patton has the best range of almost any singer ive ever heard.

Cover art for A Small Victory lyrics by Faith No More

the video for this song is awesome

 
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