The Fallen

This song is filled with double meanings, which is only appropriate because it functions just as well as a religious commentary (along the lines of: society is so that if Jesus came back we'd probably kill him again, and the ones fundamentalists call 'sinners' are closer to God than those who hypocritically kill in God's name) as a near-perfect party song custom-made for dance parties inhabited by outsiders such as the sinning, supermarket-robbing, hard-drinking and violent main character.

According to Wikipedia, Kunst is the German and Dutch word for "art," so the Kunst appear to be the high and mighty who spurn the hero of this song. It is also more than likely that it is a pun on "cunts", seeing as how they regularly censor the word when playing the song live (at least on TV appearances, where the FCC may not be friendly to such a double-entendre) and the fact that Franz has dabbled in the same type of punnery in their past work (see the "Do You Want To" video where a member of the band removes the letter O from an art exhibit containing the word COUNT).

The prophets of Tesco that the narrator spurns, playing off of the prophet/profit homonym, could either mean the funds of the supermarket branch or a sardonic name for a group of people who view the supermarket (and, by extension, capitalism) as a type of religion.

"Five thousand users fed today" always sounded to me like "Five thousand uses for today." I still think the latter is a better and less awkward line (how often are misheard lyrics improvements?), but seeing the other double meanings and slanted pronunciations in this song, it could well be intentional. At least that's what I'm hoping.

i think it is about a morden time jesus

"So I'm sorry if I ever resisted I never had a doubt you ever existed I only have a problem when people insist on Taking their hate and placing it on your name"

I think the whole song is about those ultra religious people that use the name of god to commit awful crimes, discrimination and even bomb some countries.

I think it could be about how religious people tend to be hypocritical. Like, these high Christian people think they're great, and though their religion says they should be helping sinners, they don't. They judge them and avoid them, throwing them bread but not really helping them overcome their 'problems.' If St. Rollox is a church and the person kissed it adieu, in other words they left the church/religion. They took up stealing and became 'the Fallen,' which I took to mean someone fallen from society. They were no longer accepted by the religious people or the rich people. Kunst means art in German, not really sure what it means in context with the song. I think the song is saying that these fallen people are really the ones who are right. They don't judge someone because they live differently or because of religious differences. Perhaps if god or christ viewed from the eyes of the fallen, the people who hadn't helped them would be damned. Idk if this is right, but...yeah.

I wonder if this is a rant against conservative Christians who are discriminatory.

It's about a mate of theirs who was a bit different, someone who was very honest with themselves, and virtuous, yet he wasn't accepted by the mainstream because he was rebellious etc.

St. Rollox is a retail park in Glasgow, where a Tesco is. Obviously their mate robbed it now and again.

I agree with rhons... "This song is so awesome. I'm fairlly certain its about sort ofr a situation if Christ were here to day and how he would shake up the establishment."

It's something along those lines. Also notice how he sings: "You are the word, the word is 'destroy'." the Word referring to God.

The song is obvious for the most part, but can someone explain to me: "I need a bit of black and blue to be a rotation." Took me a week to even figure out what he was singing when I first got the CD, he says it so fast. What clever alliteration. What a clever band.

The Chorus really sums p the whole song.

"Did I see you in a limousine Flinging out the fish and the unleavened Turn the rich into wine Walk on the mean"

The high and mighty christian types act like their better than the "Unwashed masses", treating them like dirt

"For the fallen are the virtuous Walk among us Never judge us to be blessed"

Really, "The Fallen" (those who don't follow Christ, those who have fallen from grace) are the real virtuous ones, because they don't judge on petty matters of relgion.

"So I'm sorry if I ever resisted I never had a doubt you ever existed I only have a problem when people insist on Taking their hate and placing it on your name"

This verse is very important because it explains that he doesn't mean that he doesn't beleive in God or Christ, and that he thinks the religon is fine and dandy, but what he hates is when people judge people based on religeous views, and condemn them for having their own beleifs. Killing (or just fighting) in the name of God.

I think this is about obsession with fame. We act as if rich people are Jesus:

"Did I see you in a limousine Flinging out the fish and the unleavened"

alright- "Just because you like to destroy All the things that bring the idiots joy"

-destruction of the tables of the money chargers at the temple Matthew 2:12

"Did I see you in a limousine Flinging out the fish and the unleavened" -feeding of the 5000, Matthew 14:13–21, Mark 6:31-44, Luke 9:10-17 or John 6:5-15

"Turn the rich into wine and walk on the mean"

• (2nd?) miracle, changing water into wine John 2:1-12

"Be they Magdalene or virgin you've already been" Mary Magdalene Luke 8 :2, and Virgin Mary

Thats all the biblical references i could find, its not terribly surprising since Kapranos into theology.