Know something about this song or lyrics?
Add it to our wiki.
Well, you praise him, then you thank him
Until you reach the by-and-by
And I've won hundreds at the track
But I'm not betting on the afterlife
Then you kiss his lips; he forgives you for it
He forgives you for all you've done
But not me, I'm still angry
What have I done?
Why am I always messing with
The big guns?
First, I'll build a sword, get some words to explain
It's a plan, brother, at least
And I'll pretend that everybody here wants peace
Have mercy, have mercy
Have mercy on me
Because we're tired and lonely, and we're bloody
What have we done?
Why are we still running from our own failing bodies?
The big guns
The big guns
Sing mercy, sing mercy
Sing mercy on me
Let's pretend that everybody here wants peace
What have we done?
Why are we still chasing our own tails, and running
From the big guns?
The big guns
The big guns
Until you reach the by-and-by
And I've won hundreds at the track
But I'm not betting on the afterlife
Then you kiss his lips; he forgives you for it
He forgives you for all you've done
But not me, I'm still angry
What have I done?
Why am I always messing with
The big guns?
First, I'll build a sword, get some words to explain
It's a plan, brother, at least
And I'll pretend that everybody here wants peace
Have mercy, have mercy
Have mercy on me
Because we're tired and lonely, and we're bloody
What have we done?
Why are we still running from our own failing bodies?
The big guns
The big guns
Sing mercy, sing mercy
Sing mercy on me
Let's pretend that everybody here wants peace
What have we done?
Why are we still chasing our own tails, and running
From the big guns?
The big guns
The big guns
Lyrics submitted by lessadventurous, edited by terrysalt
Track duration: 02:33
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
Then you kiss his lips; he forgives you for it
He forgives you for all you've done
But not me, I'm still angry
To me, it sounds like she's saying even if someone's actions are harmful or hateful they can be either be justified by or forgiven by religion. It seems like it frustrates her that they may feel comfort in this "abstract" forgiveness, even though the real world aftermath remains.
First, I'll build a sword, get some words to explain
It's a plan, brother, at least
And I'll pretend that everybody here wants peace
That sounds like an indictment of organized religion. People give lip service to peace, but that's not the means or goal.
The whole album Rabbit Fur Coat is heavily steeped in subversive religious themes, and this song fits right in.
It's actually, "why am I always messing with the bug guns," not "missing the big guns."
Aaaanyway...
"Well, you praise him
Then you thank him
'Til you reach the by-and-by
And I've won hundreds at the track
But I'm not betting on the afterlife
Then you kiss his lips
He forgives you for it
He forgives you for all you've done
But not me
I'm still angry"
Now, you'd think that was about God, but it could easily be about a lover. Or maybe both, in the way that some particularly fanatical religious sects view him (e.g., the idea that Catholic nuns are 'married' to God, to the extent that nuns would wear wedding dresses and gold bands). Meh.