Lyric discussion by deadrain 

Cover art for Are We Family lyrics by Tragically Hip, The

"Are we family when it's only if not when taking care of each other one bullet to another when it's all, 'if a song can't save us then nothing can' are we family? or what"

This reminds me of my "SAMWAP" friends, and I love them more like a family than my real family. We are always there for eachother we are the only ones who understand eachother, and this verse just reminds me of them.

If I understand this verse right, I think it is being sarcastic and making a social comment on how effed up the world has become. Gord writes, 'Taking care of each other'- and how do we do that? 'One bullet to another.' I wouldn't want that referring to how I take care of my friends. There's nothing very tender about this verse or the song in general.

It's a very bleak but realistic outlook on the sad state of affairs existing in the world today. It's not 'We are family,' but rather 'Are we family?' Or, as Gord introduced...