I'm almost certain that this song is about "nice guys" and not nice guys. And also the fact that they tend to have little to no self worth. Check this out.
The first verse is, in my opinion, a monologue of the "nice guy". It's self pity by his side. Along side this
"sometimes you're at your best
When you feel the worst" - In this case the "nice guy" is feeling a sort of joy from being degraded. This is evident by the next verse.
"Pressure cooker pick my brain and tell me I'm insane
I'm so fucking happy I could cry" - Pressure cooker pick my brain, in my opinion, is anything from making fun of someone to bullying someone. The next line: "I'm so fucking happy i could cry" - Literally means he's tearing up and about to break down, people are hurting him and he's taking it.
Next part:
"Every joke can have its truth but now the joke's on you
I never knew you're such a funny guy" - This is told by someone other than the nice guy. As in, they enjoy him making fun of himself, "I never knew you're such a funny guy" is feeding into this problem.
The altered chorus:
"Oh nice guys finish last
When you are the outcast
Don't pat yourself on the back
You might break your spine" - Is sarcastic in nature. Pretty much saying "don't even think about being proud about yourself or even having a bit of self worth"
And finally the last verse:
"Living on command
You're shaking lots of hands
You're kissing up and bleeding all your trust
Taking what you need
Bite the hand that feeds
You lose your memory and you've got no shame" - This verse flips the whole song on it's head. Now the "nice guy" pretty much lost it. He lost all trust from other people(You're kissing up and bleeding all your trust) and now he's selfish and closed-off(Taking what you need, bite...) . Even though there are now people that are returning the favor "...the hand that feeds". He forgot his roots and doesn't regret it (You lose your memory and you got no shame)
I'm almost certain that this song is about "nice guys" and not nice guys. And also the fact that they tend to have little to no self worth. Check this out.
The first verse is, in my opinion, a monologue of the "nice guy". It's self pity by his side. Along side this
"sometimes you're at your best When you feel the worst" - In this case the "nice guy" is feeling a sort of joy from being degraded. This is evident by the next verse.
"Pressure cooker pick my brain and tell me I'm insane I'm so fucking happy I could cry" - Pressure cooker pick my brain, in my opinion, is anything from making fun of someone to bullying someone. The next line: "I'm so fucking happy i could cry" - Literally means he's tearing up and about to break down, people are hurting him and he's taking it.
Next part:
"Every joke can have its truth but now the joke's on you I never knew you're such a funny guy" - This is told by someone other than the nice guy. As in, they enjoy him making fun of himself, "I never knew you're such a funny guy" is feeding into this problem.
The altered chorus:
"Oh nice guys finish last When you are the outcast Don't pat yourself on the back You might break your spine" - Is sarcastic in nature. Pretty much saying "don't even think about being proud about yourself or even having a bit of self worth"
And finally the last verse:
"Living on command You're shaking lots of hands You're kissing up and bleeding all your trust Taking what you need Bite the hand that feeds You lose your memory and you've got no shame" - This verse flips the whole song on it's head. Now the "nice guy" pretty much lost it. He lost all trust from other people(You're kissing up and bleeding all your trust) and now he's selfish and closed-off(Taking what you need, bite...) . Even though there are now people that are returning the favor "...the hand that feeds". He forgot his roots and doesn't regret it (You lose your memory and you got no shame)