It's an interesting and unusual kind of song with which to conclude an album. A tune about hopelessness and despair rather than a more thematically upbeat or whistful number, as is more often the case.
The message is pretty simple: No matter what you do, or how well you've succeeded so far, you're still going to fail in the end, so "you might as well give in." The verses, themselves, seem to suggest someone up late at night, frustrated and depressed, interpreting everything he perceives (trees branches - "fingers" - scratching at the window, screaming cats, and neighbours' telephones) in negative, futile tones.
One bit of text that people have missed so far is the title of the song: "The House Wins" It's a clear gambling/casino reference, most recognizably present in Blackjack, suggesting that if you gamble in the "game of life", your losses will always outweigh your wins.
It's an interesting and unusual kind of song with which to conclude an album. A tune about hopelessness and despair rather than a more thematically upbeat or whistful number, as is more often the case.
The message is pretty simple: No matter what you do, or how well you've succeeded so far, you're still going to fail in the end, so "you might as well give in." The verses, themselves, seem to suggest someone up late at night, frustrated and depressed, interpreting everything he perceives (trees branches - "fingers" - scratching at the window, screaming cats, and neighbours' telephones) in negative, futile tones.
One bit of text that people have missed so far is the title of the song: "The House Wins" It's a clear gambling/casino reference, most recognizably present in Blackjack, suggesting that if you gamble in the "game of life", your losses will always outweigh your wins.