I'm in you
You're in me
I can't tell

You're so cruel
More than me
It is true
That's right

Loyal to
Only you
Up your sleeve

I want some (come on, take it)
Of all of you (it's yours)
Trickin' me

First it give'th
Then it take'th away

I would beg
I would plead
I would shake

On a hook
Dangling
By the way

I'm so young
And beautiful
(That's right)
(I'm slick)
I'm no fool

Time goes by
Tables turn
Now I know

First it give'th
Then it take'th away



Lyrics submitted by ikari

Track duration: 03:18

"First It Giveth" as written by Josh/oliveri Homme

Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.

Lyrics powered by LyricFind


First It Giveth song meanings
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39 Comments

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  • 0
    My Interpretation:Like most of the QOTSA repertoire, it's an introspective look at the more seedier parts of life.

    In this particular case, I also think it's about drugs. To me it sounds like the description of a very psychedelic drugs experience (a heavy dose of shrooms or mescaline).

    First verse: the hallucinations begin to kick in, the ego begins to dissolve. The protagonist is still clear of mind.

    Second verse: the nauseousness associated with heavier doses of shrooms, mescaline or designer drugs begins to come up. The protagonist begins to fear he has taken too much of the drug.

    Third verse: I admit, doesn't fit that well. Perhaps the itchy/anxious/excited part of the trip when the world slowly becomes more strange and the protagonist tries to keep a clear mind? ("loyal, only to you")

    Fourth verse: the protagonist realises that he did, indeed, take too much. In the last moments of clarity before tuning into the drug completely, the protagonist converses with himself, on how he could have been such an idiot taking that dose.

    Verse: Everyone who's done psychedelics might recognize the feeling. First the drug gives you something, then it takes away all control and sanity.

    Sixth, seventh and eight verse are about experiencing the horror of a bad trip, trying to stay in touch with yourself and reality, all the while plunging into the murky depths of your own psyche.

    Ninth verse is the coming down. The protagonist is still sane, but he has surrendered some of his own innocence/former personality in the trip. Now he remembers: first drugs give an experience, then they take you away.
    Flag LeviNunon May 13, 2013   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:this is definately about drugs. loyal to only you, up your sleeve. yeah, if you've been there then you would understand. i'm pretty sure that this song is about how in the begining drugs helped him be more creative but eventually they took away from his music because they became the main focus. a really great song, whatever it is about.
    Flag murphyhurtmeon October 15, 2010   Link
  • +1
    My Interpretation:Brazilian, it's an archaic version that was often used in the King James Version of the Bible.

    Homme is referring to Job chapter 1, verse 21:

    [Job] said, "Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord."

    The verse is about submission. So is this song. Probably submission to a drug addiction.
    Flag azkmon September 13, 2010   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation:I know how to get the song title meaning, but I really don´t know why the words "giveth/taketh" instead of "give/take".
    I mean...it´s an english language question.
    could someone help me, please?
    Flag BrazilianFanon September 13, 2010   Link
  • 0
    Song Meaning:First It Giveth... - Then Taketh Away...
    You get high... - And then you come down...
    Flag HYPERZEPHARIANon March 09, 2010   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation:Just listening to it for the past several years I thought it was about sex, for some reason, I'd never looked up the lyrics online until now, but yeah, after reading:

    "Loyal to
    Only you
    Up your sleeve"

    and shortly after that:

    "I would beg
    I would plead
    I would shake"

    DRUGS!!! (For those of you who don't get the 2+2 juxtaposition above, the first quote is talking about shooting heroin, "up your sleeve," since your arm is the most readily available vein and easiest to get to by yourself. The second is about the withdrawal symptoms, aside from being irritable without it, ["I would beg, I would plead"] it talks about the physical symptoms, like tremors. ["I would shake"])
    Flag hazmat16380on February 13, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I like to think this song is about life in general. Life gives you everything, but at the end it takes it all away. So the whole lyrics are a remark about living and knowing that "time goes by, tables turn" until life claims back all that was given to us. Not necessarily in a negative way, I think it's more like "I acknowledge that"
    Flag Wild Wolfon July 29, 2009   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:This song is most defenantly about a drug addiction.

    "I'm in you You're in me I can't tell"
    - He's talking about how its hazy, after a while of using some particular drugs, whether your taking the drug or if the drug is taking you.

    "First it giveth, then it taketh away"
    -
    this is like when you first start taking certain drugs it entertains and makes you feel good, but after a while of taking the drugs you start to go down in a hole. Your 'good times' become an addiction. "I would beg I would plead I would shake"


    This song is easy to understand for some people who have experienced a drug addiction. Thats why some people think its about love with a girl. but its for sure a love/hate song about drugs.
    Flag bloodbledblackon June 24, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Dave Grohl is an incredible drummer and he shows it in this song. It's to bad he is to busy playing frontman to drum nowadays. I even like Foo Fighters but his drumming is way better than his guitar playing/singing.
    Flag Goboon June 20, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:The first time I read these lyrics I thought that it was about religion... which seems to fit pretty good.
    Flag ObsessedAxeon March 04, 2008   Link

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