So this has been.my favorite song of OTEP's since it came out in 2004, and I always thought it was a song about a child's narrative of suffering in an abusive Christian home. But now that I am revisiting the lyrics, I am seeing something totally new.
This song could be gospel of John but from the perspective of Jesus.
Jesus was NOT having a good time up to and during the crucifixion. Everyone in the known world at the time looked to him with fear, admiration or disgust and he was constantly being asked questions. He spoke in "verses, prophesies and curses". He had made an enemy of the state, and believed the world was increasingly wicked and fallen from grace, or that he was in the "mouth of madness".
The spine of atlas is the structure that allows the titan to hold the world up. Jesus challenged the state and in doing so became a celebrated resistance figure. It also made him public enemy #1.
All of this happened simply because he was doing his thing, not because of any agenda he had or strategy.
And then he gets scourged (storm of thorns)
There are some plot holes here but I think it's an interesting interpretation.
All my rowdy friends have settled down
And they seem to be more in the laid back songs
Nobody wants to get drunk and get loud.
Everybody just wants to go back home
I myself have seen my wilder days
And I have seen my name at the top of the page
But I need to find a friend just to hang around
But nobody wants to get high on the town
And all my rowdy friends have settled down
Yeah, I think I know what my father meant
When he sang about a lost highway and old George Jones
I'm glad to see he's finally getting straight
And Waylon's staying home and loving Jesse more these days
And nobody wants to get drunk and get loud
And all my rowdy friends have settled down
And the hangovers hurt more then they used to
And cornbread and iced tea took the place of pills and ninety-proof
And none of us seem to do things quite like we used to do
And nobody wants to get high and get loud
And all my rowdy friends have settled down
Yeah, me and my rowdy friends done rowdied on down.
And they seem to be more in the laid back songs
Nobody wants to get drunk and get loud.
Everybody just wants to go back home
I myself have seen my wilder days
And I have seen my name at the top of the page
But I need to find a friend just to hang around
But nobody wants to get high on the town
And all my rowdy friends have settled down
Yeah, I think I know what my father meant
When he sang about a lost highway and old George Jones
I'm glad to see he's finally getting straight
And Waylon's staying home and loving Jesse more these days
And nobody wants to get drunk and get loud
And all my rowdy friends have settled down
And the hangovers hurt more then they used to
And cornbread and iced tea took the place of pills and ninety-proof
And none of us seem to do things quite like we used to do
And nobody wants to get high and get loud
And all my rowdy friends have settled down
Yeah, me and my rowdy friends done rowdied on down.
Lyrics submitted by Deemer, edited by Mellow_Harsher
All My Rowdy Friends Have Settled Down (Hank Williams Jr. cover) song meanings
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I love listening to Elliott singing this on Live at the Largo, it's so nice to hear him laugh. :)
I know, right? What's so great about the Largo recording is that you can really feel the atmosphere of the place. Kinda gives you a scent of how it must've been to be there. :)
Elliott makes a few changes in his version that deviate from the original lyric-wise.. I made sure this version is the way he did it.
I think it's obvious what it's about: getting older and perhaps feeling more responsible (and the benefits of that change), even though the person singing seems to miss being able to let go, to get drunk and hang around.
Definatly a song everyone can relate to I think, even those of us that don't get drunk too often or use drugs can feel his need to unwind like he used to.
And hey, above all things, this is just a really fun song (especially the Live at the Largo recording anyways) what with all the laughing and all.
I love his speaking voice - it's so cute! "Wanna hear a country song?" and "You weren't thrown off by my fuck-up?"
He has the best laugh. This cd makes me very happy. You can tell this must have been a small, intimate show. But did anyone else find the way the cd ended a little eerie? "You weren't thrown off by my fuck up? 'Cause there's more in store..." And then it ends!
Eerie, hmm, I dunno if I'd call it that. All that did is make me wish there were more songs on it, really. Plus.. I mean, yeah it's a bit of an odd thing to hear on the last song of a cd, but at the same time I'm glad it's there. It's a tiny look into his mind to me. Brilliant as he was, he definatly did all he could to tell people the opposite. Silly Elliott.
Live at largo is prolly the best live recordings u will find.. and yeah.. u gotta love the wanna hear a country song?
Make's me SO happy to hear him laugh.
i like the dialogue on 11-4-1998
name 5, never heard it... um, that's prolly cus i've... i've never played it. I played it one time. play it twice um, but I don't remember how to play it sorry no name 4 um no name 3 white lady 245 plainclothes man are you gonna drink that beer? what? are you gonna drink that beer? uh, eventually why? uh, nevermind do you want it? you can have some of it if you want a little thirsty yeah, sure i can't get there... you can have that beer & i'll have... be fine with mr jamesons, i think i'll have it back when you need it it's not a night for alcohol alcohol will kill you laughs it's a fact*