Politicians prattle lies and brace their borrowed might,
Nobble in the nighttime, and bomb in the broad daylight;
I'll be the man to lead the van, we'll fight and we'll change it all
Tonight I'll seek my solace in the ball of alcohol.
I can't get drunk enough,
I can't get drunk enough,
Call for the ball of alcohol,
I can't get drunk enough.
My best mate turned his back on me, and when I turned my own
I found he'd stuck a knife right below my shoulder bone;
I'll bide my time, I'll seek revenge, and then I'll plot his fall,
Or maybe I'll forgive him in the ball of alcohol.
My true love has left me; I suppose the truth to tell,
I drove her out the door and she drove me out as well.
She won't receive my letters, she won't return my call,
I might receive remission in the ball of alcohol.
I can hear the wise men tell me, for better or for worse,
We choose to walk away or we back out in a hearse.
Tonight their wisdom dwindles down til nothing's there at all,
And the words become a whisper in the ball of alcohol.

Overall Meaning

The Prodigals's "Ball of Alcohol" is a song about finding solace in the numbing effect of alcohol. The lyrics touch on different themes of betrayal, revenge, and heartbreak, all experienced through the lens of alcohol. The song starts with a criticism of politicians who talk big but don't follow through, and then moves into personal experiences. The singer's friend has betrayed him, and he plans to seek revenge or forgiveness, but ultimately decides to drown his sorrows in alcohol. The same goes for his failed relationship with his true love, as he hopes to find some relief in the ball of alcohol.

The phrase "ball of alcohol" is a clever use of wordplay, as it could be interpreted both as a physical object, like a ball of yarn, but also refers to the state of being drunk. It's a metaphor for seeking refuge in the consumption of alcohol, and how it can provide temporary relief from life's hardships. The lyrics also touch on the dangers of drinking too much, as the singer admits he can never get drunk enough, and even the wise words of others fade away in the "ball of alcohol."

Overall, "Ball of Alcohol" is a bleak but honest portrayal of how alcohol can be used as a coping mechanism. It's a cautionary tale about the dangers of relying on alcohol to deal with life's problems.

Line by Line Meaning

Politicians prattle lies and brace their borrowed might,
Politicians speak lies and use their borrowed power to support themselves,

Nobble in the nighttime, and bomb in the broad daylight;
They deceive in the shadows and strike violently in broad daylight,

I'll be the man to lead the van, we'll fight and we'll change it all
The singer desires to become a leader and spearhead revolutionary change,

Tonight I'll seek my solace in the ball of alcohol.
The artist intends to find comfort in excessive drinking tonight.

I can't get drunk enough,
The artist wants to consume more alcohol to feel more intoxicated,

Call for the ball of alcohol,
Asking for more alcohol,

My best mate turned his back on me, and when I turned my own
The singer's best friend betrayed them and caused them to turn away as well,

I found he'd stuck a knife right below my shoulder bone;
The friend stabbed the artist in the back,

I'll bide my time, I'll seek revenge, and then I'll plot his fall,
The artist plans to take revenge and plot the downfall of their former friend,

Or maybe I'll forgive him in the ball of alcohol.
The artist might forgive their friend while intoxicated and in a relaxed state,

My true love has left me; I suppose the truth to tell,
The singer's significant other has left them and they admit the truth of the situation,

I drove her out the door and she drove me out as well.
Their actions caused their significant other to leave and resulted in their own expulsion as well,

She won't receive my letters, she won't return my call,
The singer's attempts to reach their former love have gone unanswered,

I might receive remission in the ball of alcohol.
The singer hopes to find relief or forgiveness while intoxicated,

I can hear the wise men tell me, for better or for worse,
The singer can hear the advice of wise individuals, regardless of whether it is good or bad,

We choose to walk away or we back out in a hearse.
People must choose to leave a situation or potentially risk their lives,

Tonight their wisdom dwindles down til nothing's there at all,
The artist believes the words of the wise will lose their importance as they become more intoxicated,

And the words become a whisper in the ball of alcohol.
The singer will barely be able to hear the advice of those around them due to their drunken state.

Contributed by Connor Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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