Overall I feel like this song criticizes American millitary and the ignorance and perceptions of citizens.
"I can see the gallows all lit up in neon just waiting for me.
The limelight started burning" He uses juxtaposition comparing death with bright neon lights, inviting him in, and lights on stage at a concert.
"They're all paying for bullets to shoot at my feet.
Does that make you happy?"
Complete satire of the military. Americans are shedding out money to the government and the government is spending it on the military. Everyone at home is supporting the military and are so proud of the soilders they know who are fighting for America. However, the siolders are experiencing terrible times and seeing that this isn't a fun game and they are killing innocent people. If you get shot you get to go to the hospital and possibly go home (or always do, idk), so soilders would shoot their feet or have a friend do it for them because it wouldn't be fatal but would get them out of the war.
So pretty much, america is happy to be fighting but in reality is paying for the bullets that soilders shoot at their feet to get out of the misery of war.
"Truman will always be remembered for dropping the bomb.
I'll always be remembered for my fuck ups but I'm still living in Richie's basement.
I'm still sitting at the coffee shop with Ken.
We still talk about nothing. I still feel like the same person I've been."
People think he's worth nothing because he still lives with friends and dosent have anything important to say (ha). And how people just remember what you did wrong. Truman did lots of things but everyone will think he's a villian for dropping the atomic bombs even though I'd like to see them think of a better solution with the knoledge he did.
"I knew a lot of talented kids who got lost in painkillers and turned into nothing.
Sometimes I can still feel it pulling but I just can't let that happen."
Some people have so much potential but get lose in the wrong crowd and end up bums, because it's so much easier than working hard and doing something with your life. He feels the temptation to just stop trying but he won't let himself do so.
It's not a criticism of military culture. The entire album is about a struggle to live up to live up to a family legacy (or what he believes their expectations to be.) For instance, the repeated line "If I'm in an airport and you're in a hospital bed, what kind of man does that make me?" Or the line "Bury me at sea / Pretend it's all a bad dream" becoming "Bury me in the memories of my friends and family." Their last album dealt with finally breaking out of the suburbs, and this album is a concept album about...
It's not a criticism of military culture. The entire album is about a struggle to live up to live up to a family legacy (or what he believes their expectations to be.) For instance, the repeated line "If I'm in an airport and you're in a hospital bed, what kind of man does that make me?" Or the line "Bury me at sea / Pretend it's all a bad dream" becoming "Bury me in the memories of my friends and family." Their last album dealt with finally breaking out of the suburbs, and this album is a concept album about the guilt you're left with after you actually leave.
So for me, the line "they're all paying for bullets to shoot at my feet" doesn't have anything to do with a military industrial complex, (which doesn't fit at all with the rest of the album) instead it calls to mind someone shooting at someone else's feet to make them "dance" by having to dodge the bullets. The guilt he's feeling from leaving is driving him to succeed for fear of letting down everyone he loves. Then, the following line makes sense. "Does that make you happy?" It's at once a bitter tongue-in-cheek jab, and a genuine heartfelt query: "Am I living up to what you want from me?" Or to borrow a line from the album's final song, "Am I enough for everyone?"
Overall I feel like this song criticizes American millitary and the ignorance and perceptions of citizens.
"I can see the gallows all lit up in neon just waiting for me. The limelight started burning" He uses juxtaposition comparing death with bright neon lights, inviting him in, and lights on stage at a concert.
"They're all paying for bullets to shoot at my feet. Does that make you happy?" Complete satire of the military. Americans are shedding out money to the government and the government is spending it on the military. Everyone at home is supporting the military and are so proud of the soilders they know who are fighting for America. However, the siolders are experiencing terrible times and seeing that this isn't a fun game and they are killing innocent people. If you get shot you get to go to the hospital and possibly go home (or always do, idk), so soilders would shoot their feet or have a friend do it for them because it wouldn't be fatal but would get them out of the war. So pretty much, america is happy to be fighting but in reality is paying for the bullets that soilders shoot at their feet to get out of the misery of war.
"Truman will always be remembered for dropping the bomb. I'll always be remembered for my fuck ups but I'm still living in Richie's basement. I'm still sitting at the coffee shop with Ken. We still talk about nothing. I still feel like the same person I've been." People think he's worth nothing because he still lives with friends and dosent have anything important to say (ha). And how people just remember what you did wrong. Truman did lots of things but everyone will think he's a villian for dropping the atomic bombs even though I'd like to see them think of a better solution with the knoledge he did.
"I knew a lot of talented kids who got lost in painkillers and turned into nothing. Sometimes I can still feel it pulling but I just can't let that happen." Some people have so much potential but get lose in the wrong crowd and end up bums, because it's so much easier than working hard and doing something with your life. He feels the temptation to just stop trying but he won't let himself do so.
It's not a criticism of military culture. The entire album is about a struggle to live up to live up to a family legacy (or what he believes their expectations to be.) For instance, the repeated line "If I'm in an airport and you're in a hospital bed, what kind of man does that make me?" Or the line "Bury me at sea / Pretend it's all a bad dream" becoming "Bury me in the memories of my friends and family." Their last album dealt with finally breaking out of the suburbs, and this album is a concept album about...
It's not a criticism of military culture. The entire album is about a struggle to live up to live up to a family legacy (or what he believes their expectations to be.) For instance, the repeated line "If I'm in an airport and you're in a hospital bed, what kind of man does that make me?" Or the line "Bury me at sea / Pretend it's all a bad dream" becoming "Bury me in the memories of my friends and family." Their last album dealt with finally breaking out of the suburbs, and this album is a concept album about the guilt you're left with after you actually leave.
So for me, the line "they're all paying for bullets to shoot at my feet" doesn't have anything to do with a military industrial complex, (which doesn't fit at all with the rest of the album) instead it calls to mind someone shooting at someone else's feet to make them "dance" by having to dodge the bullets. The guilt he's feeling from leaving is driving him to succeed for fear of letting down everyone he loves. Then, the following line makes sense. "Does that make you happy?" It's at once a bitter tongue-in-cheek jab, and a genuine heartfelt query: "Am I living up to what you want from me?" Or to borrow a line from the album's final song, "Am I enough for everyone?"
Oh wow, @rwiggum I hadn't pieced together that that's what the whole album was about--I knew a few songs were but now this makes sense haha. Thanks!
Oh wow, @rwiggum I hadn't pieced together that that's what the whole album was about--I knew a few songs were but now this makes sense haha. Thanks!