Machine Gun
A Band of Gypsys Lyrics
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Tearing my body all apart
Machine gun
Tearing my body all apart
Evil man make me kill ya
Evil man make you kill me
Even though we're only families apart
Well I pick up my axe and fight lik a bomber
(you know what I mean)
Hey and your bullets keep knocking me down
Hey I pick up my axe and fight like a bomber now
Yeah but you still blast me down to the ground
The same way you shoot me down baby
You'll be going just the same
Three times the pain
And your own self to blame
Hey machine gun
Oooooooooo
I ain't afraid of your mess no more, babe
I ain't afraid no more
After a while your your cheap talk don't evern cause me pain
So let your bullets fly like rain
'cause I know all the time you're wrong baby
And you'll be goin' just the same
Yeah machine gun
Tearing my family apart
Yeah yeah alright
Tearing my family apart
Don't you shoot him down
He's about to leave here
Don't you shoot him down
He's got to stay here
He ain't going nowhere
He's been shot down to the ground
Oh where he can't survive no no
Yeah that's what we don't wanna hear any more, alright
No bullets
At least here, huh huh
No guns, no bombs
Huh huh
No nothin', just let's all live and live
You know instead of killin'
The lyrics to A Band of Gypsys' "Machine Gun" describe the horrors and senseless violence of war, as well as the divisions it creates even between family members. The opening lines, "Machine gun, tearing my body all apart," immediately set the tone for a song about the physical and emotional destruction that comes with warfare. The chorus's repetition of the line "Tearing my family apart" drives home the idea that war doesn't just harm individuals, but entire communities as well.
The verses are directed towards an "evil man" who is causing the singer to kill and be killed. The repetition of the line "Evil man make me kill ya/Evil man make you kill me" highlights the absurdity of soldiers fighting and dying for a cause they don't truly believe in. The guitar solo, meanwhile, speaks to the chaos and confusion of battle, with its dissonant notes and erratic tempo representing the unpredictable nature of warfare. It is a powerful anti-war song that speaks to the futility and senselessness of conflict.
Line by Line Meaning
Machine gun
Tearing my body all apart
The destructive force of war is causing physical damage to my body.
Evil man make me kill ya
It is the commanding force of those who are invested in war that compel me to take another's life.
Evil man make you kill me
It is the same commanding force that motivates you to take my life.
Even though we're only families apart
Despite us fighting on opposite sides, our familial ties are not forgotten.
Hey I pick up my axe and fight like a bomber now
I am ready to engage in battle now and fight fiercely like a bomber plane.
Yeah but you still blast me down to the ground
Despite my efforts, you still manage to bring me down with bullets and explosives.
The same way you shoot me down baby
You'll be going just the same
You, too, will suffer the same fate as me for your actions in war.
Three times the pain
And your own self to blame
The pain and consequences of war will be threefold for you, as it is your own choices that led you to this result.
I ain't afraid of your mess no more, babe
I ain't afraid no more
I have grown tired of living in fear and am no longer intimidated by the chaos of war.
After a while your your cheap talk don't evern cause me pain
So let your bullets fly like rain
Your empty words no longer affect me, so go ahead and continue to fire shots at me like rain.
'cause I know all the time you're wrong baby
And you'll be goin' just the same
I understand that your actions in war are unjust, and eventually you'll face the same consequences as everyone else.
Tearing my family apart
The effects of war are dividing and hurting my loved ones.
Don't you shoot him down
He's about to leave here
Don't kill the person who is ready to leave or surrender.
He ain't going nowhere
He's been shot down to the ground
Oh where he can't survive no no
The person who was about to leave is now dying on the ground and there's no chance for survival.
At least here, huh huh
No guns, no bombs
Huh huh
No nothin', just let's all live and live
You know instead of killin'
Let's create a world where we can coexist peacefully without any weapons or violence, and prioritize life instead of murder.
Hey machine gun
The destructive force and sound of war represented here by a machine gun.
Oooooooooo
Expressing the agony and pain caused by war.
Yeah yeah alright
Acknowledging the harsh reality and accepting it.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Jimi Hendrix
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind