Lyrics for The Underdog as interpreted by fgevilmonkey

The Underdog Lyrics
Picture yourself in the living room
your pipe and slippers set out for you
I know you think that it ain't too far

But I hear the call of a lifetime ring
felt the need to get up for it
oh you cut out the middleman
get free from the middleman

You got no time for the messenger,
got no regard for the thing that you don't understand,
you got no fear of the underdog,
that's why you will not survive!

I wanna forget how convention fits
but can I get out from under it?
Can I gut it out of me?
It can't all be wedding cake
It can't all be boiled away
I try but I can't let go of it
Can't let go of it,

Cause you don't talk to the water boy
and there's so much you could learn but you don't want to know,
You will not back up an inch ever,
that's why you will not survive,

The thing that I tell you now
It may not go over well
And it may not be photo-op
in the way that I spell it out

But you won't hear from the messenger,
don't wanna know bout something that you don't understand,
You got no fear of the underdog,
that's why you will not survive! (Hey!)

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  • 28 Comments
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terri kaye
05-21-2007

Rated 0 
It means do NOT think you are indestructible & can never lose........look out for those you think you are superior to & those whom you would step on. What a great song & I am the first poster.

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terri kaye
05-24-2007

Rated 0 
And I am the second poster too.......it could also be more specific, another in a long line of jabs by Spoon to the establishment. Music industry as it is set up, they basically said screw you & your stupid rules, we'll get by on our real talent & real personalities & everyone will love us to death. They were absolutely right.

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kyassassin
07-12-2007

Rated 0 
This song pumps me up! So much that is applicable to life or even to sports. Don't forget about me, the underdog - you might not hear me on the radio but I am one of the best songs (so far) of 2007.

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agent_meg
07-15-2007

Rated 0 
Gosh, I LOVE this song! It's so energizing.

I see it as about big business people. They make loads of money and just think they are the greatest, but a lot of people like this tend to forget about what's important in life, they might miss, "the call of a lifetime ring".

The artist knows that despite financial success, they lose in the real areas of life. "there's so much you could learn but you don't want to know", and that is their loss.

Don't ever forget about the underdog!

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mingle-ah
08-19-2007

Rated 0 
Schweet tune.

I agree that the underdog is about Spoon (the underdog / messenger). Life/career/competition can't just be about making money and living the good life (even though that is appealing), because you need the conviction inside you to have meaningful success.

Spoon knows that their style and content are not record-company friendly (it may not be photo-op) but he is confident in himself, the underdog, and that the short-cut taking message recipient (record co?) will not survive anyway.

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Absynthe_Minded
09-16-2007

Rated 0 
Super song

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wrat
10-14-2007

Rated 0 
A mainstream record industry that eats its own by cheating its artists and suing its customers will not survive!

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wrat
10-14-2007

Rated 0 
forgot to add.. the mainstream is the record industry is the middleman that will be cut out!

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voltafan101
10-16-2007

Rated 0 
Gotta say this is a big F-U to the record industry.

"Cause you don't talk to the water boy". He'd tell you what he wants. As in, just talk to joe schmo and listen.

Second, "you will never back up an inch", I think is referring to the fact that the record industry still deals in this 1970s frame of mind about albums and contracts. Like if the artist doesn't immediately sell a million copies on their debut album they must suck. And that just sucks for us the fans cause we never get to hear any new bands develop and mature.

But it's ok all, the underdog will prevail. Go independant music go!

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bestwombat11
10-18-2007

Rated 0 
go underdogs!

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thehams321
12-27-2007

Rated 0 
If anyone's seen the video it shows the sound engineer working his ass off to help make the song a reality, while a representative from the label is watching over, and eventually the engineer collapses from exhaustion, who I think represents the underdog, without which the music itself would never have been possible. The label rep is the 'middle man' that's so unnecessary.

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keanusmomma
01-05-2008

Rated 0 
Does anyone else think this song sounds *just like* Billy Joel?

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1 Reply
junctionalfunkie
01-14-2008

Rated 0 
Yes, it does sound a lot like Billy Joel, especially his early stuff.
I'm surprised no one has mentioned the gunshot at the end... the vengeance of the "underdog?"

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GodSavethePreen
01-24-2008

Rated 0 
The best anthem for the overlooked and underestimated I've heard, ever. It's definitely addressed to The Man, whether he's the music industry or a corporate giant or some filthy rich entrepreneur.

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bort99
02-25-2008

Rated 0 
Paying attention, Hillary?

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blaaahzaay
03-29-2008

Rated 0 
This song is soooo about the Bush administration.

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nostalgicBadger
04-11-2008

Rated 0 
I one-hundred-percent do not think this song is at all about the Bush administration, though I think the record label interpretation seems valid. More broadly, I see it as a sort of anthem for the people who feel confined in the middle class dream. I think the line "Get free from the middleman" could read more interestingly as "Get free from the middle, man".

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mitsukai_zero
06-12-2008

Rated +1 
This song was in Cloverfield in the party scene. And now that I hear the lyrics, it makes it kinda chilling and foretelling....

"You got no time for the messenger,
got no regard for the thing that you don't understand,
you got no fear of the underdog,
that's why you will not survive!"

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1 Reply
smashingthewine
08-23-2008

Rated 0 
The Billy Joel resemblance is dead on. This is the closest to early billy joel i have heard in a long time and I fell in love with it almost immediately.

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Gang
09-23-2008

Rated 0 
this and I turn my camera on by them are the catchiest songs ever. No debate is needed.

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musicforlife!
10-01-2008

Rated 0 
This song ALWAYS reminds me of the latest Super Bowl. And I'm a Pats fan so that's not cool...

The whole water boy thing is kind of funny too because Tom Brady probably wouldn't talk to the water boy, although maybe he's got time for it now.

I like the song itself, it's catchy, but this album is so good that I don't think it's best song on there.

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dukesup1978
10-27-2008

Rated 0 
this song totally encapsulates the 08 election for me in terms of Obama coming out of nowhere and swiping the presidency from both Hillary and McCain!

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WolfeTone
06-09-2009

Rated 0 
Dukesup mate, once he beat Hillary there was no way in hell McCain was going to win. In that sense he was far more the overlord.

I reckon it's about the person who thinks they can rest on thier laurels, anyone who is satisfied will be beaten by someone who isn't.

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koolgiy
07-09-2009

Rated 0 
From Spoon themselves.

Picture yourself in a living room
Your pipe and slippers set out for you
I know you think that it ain’t too far
But I hear a call of a lifetime ring
Felt the need to get up for it
And cut out the middle man
Get free from the middle man

You got no time for the messenger
Got no regard for the thing that you don’t understand
You got no fear of the underdog
That’s why you will not survive

I wanna forget how convention fits
But can I get out from under it
Can I cut it out of me
It can’t all be wedding cake
It can’t all be boiled away
I try but I can’t let go of it
Can’t let go of it, nuh uh

Cause you don’t talk to the waterboy
And there’s so much you could learn but you don’t want to know
You will not back up an inch ever
That’s why you will not survive
YEAH

The thing that I tell you now
It may not go over well
It may not be photo op
The way that I spell it out

But you won’t hear from the messenger
Don’t wanna know ‘bout some thing that you don’t understand
You got no fear of the underdog
That’s why you will not survive
Right!


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Lizzybear30
08-24-2009

Rated 0 
Speaking of the arrogance of a generation (Americans of course), and the gloating mistaken focus that they have succumbed too. First verse is the picture of a future so many have known, so many expect, and very few appreciate. The second is regarding that person standing up and making thier life mean something. The chorus speaks of a messenger, and how you don't have time to listen, then it gives a picture of your downfall, due to the interladen arrogance that has embraced your thoughts resulting in your actions. The next verse speaks of breaking away from this conformity. Next we have wedding cake that can't be boiled away, no matter what you do in your life, for better or worse, unless you have some sort of amnesia(which might make this life thing easier), it will always be with you. The water boy (representing a peon in your mind) can teach you much, but you don't care... who the hell cares about a water boy. Then he finishes it off with an apology and the chorus agian. I find it humorous how abrasive and crude this song is, and how cheerful its musical delivery goes, but alas, that is spoon. Good luck fighting the underdog, and pretty much everyone has the right to breath, and as soon as you disagree, you better watch out for the david to your goliath.

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