So the air's gettin' colder,
and the news keeps us scared,
I still wrestle this summer,
from the bones of our tired, blistered hands,
cause tonight we got drinks,
just a couple of friends,
and the girl that my brother likes is finally talkin' to him,
and his chest is all swelled like he's proud and happy,
like he's got a great idea,
like he's makin' a memory...

Wake up,
and come out to the car,
there's an east swell comin',
and it's howlin' offshore,
and we'll be,
lyin' like lions out in the sand,
but i'll be dead before you put a gun in my brother's hands.

So we make jokes back home,
and we lighten the mood,
but growing up my parents saw,
what sending a kid to fight can really do,
but now with the war I can tell they're a little shook up,
'cause just a few mothers sons will never really be enough,
not 'til half our names are etched out in the wall,
and the other half ruined from the things we saw...

Wake up,
and come out to the car,
there's an east swell comin',
and it's howlin' offshore,
and we'll be,
lyin' like lions out in the sand,
but i'll be dead before you put a gun in my brother's hands.

Wake up,
and come out to the car,
there's an east swell comin',
and it's howlin' offshore,
and we'll be,
lyin' like lions out in the sand,
but i'll be dead before you put a gun in my brother's hands.



Lyrics submitted by tjwells


Untitled 03 (Brothers) song meanings
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94 Comments

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  • +1
    General Comment:"lying like lions out in the sand" is a reference to hemingway's "old man and the sea" where the main character dreams of lions on the beach three times, remembering his youth. i think here it's just saying they're young and enjoying life and war disrupts that.
    Flag canteron March 19, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:i think this song was lyrically too direct for brand new to release. jesse's a bit more cryptic than this. i really think 'coca cola' is the same subject matter, only coded.

    coca cola isn't as poetic though..which is kinda sad.
    Flag sorryicrashediton May 06, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:The lion they are talking about, does this have anything to do with the lion on the t-shirt brand new sells? What does it represent?
    Flag darklitchon August 15, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:This song, regardless of your interpretation, is beautiful. And I agree about the "lyin' like lions out in the sand" line, it really hits an emotional chord. It does have a Play Crack The Sky feeling,
    Flag afewmorehourson July 30, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Every time Jesse says "Lyin' like Lions out in the sand" it just brings a tear to my eye. I don't know why.
    Flag crazyfool11190on April 14, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I love this song. I'm in the army and everytime I listen this song it, it gives me the chills. I believe the name of it is "Brothers".... anyway, i have all the demos, so get back to me if anyone needs them.
    Flag Redoct0286on October 20, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:this has the saddest tone of any song i've ever heard.
    Flag drummerman91on June 21, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:this has nothing to do with the draft. he's talking about young men who join the military willingly, but is protesting the senseless war we're in...

    the "brother" is proud of himself, chest swelled etc because he's done a great thing choosing to defend the country...

    the end is saying that its a hopeless cause and we won't stop until everyones either killed in war or destroyed mentally by it.

    its anti-war but absolutely not anti-troops, and if you don't know the difference - stop talking you don't deserve the 1st amendment right those boys protect for you.

    TheLiger - it very well could be a double entendre of the middle east AND the surfing - talented artists do that sometimes. And about the Iowa thing, i'm from NY...
    Flag cwillougon May 14, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:(Dazed & Confused) - "this is my second favorite song by brand new, the first being soco amaretto lime. it so accurately captures the innocence they had b4 the draft"


    ...what? you know there was no draft for this war, right? They wouldn't dare implement a draft. They know better. people wouldn't support it and they'd have to deal with stuff just like they did in the Vietnam era.
    Flag Antonskeyon December 15, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:i at first thought it was an anti-draft song, but now, i think it may be that his brother enlisted.
    but then again, the only reason i think this is because of the whole his brother feeling proud or whatever.
    (then again, he could feel proud because people think he is being so brave after being drafted, dunno.)
    after reading about the surfing/running idea, i do think jesse was trying to put both points across.
    like maybe he's helping his brother run, but they use the surfing as a cover.
    not too sure, but you never can be since i didn't write it, lol.

    and i'm surprised no one has pointed out what the 'but i'll be dead before you put a gun in my brothers hands'.
    he's kind of saying, i'll do what i have to do to keep my brother out of the army, because if i'm gone, they won't take an only son.
    although i'm not sure if that is still in effect.
    Flag sister christenon September 26, 2007   Link

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