And then there’s lead singer Bradan Dotson’s voice; a rangy rasp, a breathless, sometimes quivering intonation that’s as much the melody as the accent to Antique Firearms’ instantly recognizable (if genre-inspecific) soundscapes.
Also informing the sound is the close relationship of the band’s members — three brothers and two brothers-from-another-mother. Parker (the youngest Dotson) and Bradan conceived of the band while Parker was finishing out a semester abroad and Bradan was visiting him in the Netherlands. Bradan split with his Raleigh-based project, Whiskey Kills the Butterflies, and moved to Asheville where he and Parker began writing and recording Antique Firearms debut album.
Soon, brother Galen joined the band on keys, followed by Bradan’s best friend Chandler Brewer, who relocated from Charleston to be part of Antique Firearms. Brewer, say the Dotsons, might as well be a brother, and the band’s newest member, drummer Dave Breske, has already earned honorary Dotson sib status — all of which amounts to great musical chemistry. (A testament: A mere eight months after their Asheville debut, Antique Firearms headlined The Orange Peel). They then went on to play "Bele Chere" (the largest festival in the southeast) and Bradan has recently been featured on Soundcloud.com's "Night Bus" podcast.
The bands experimental sound has fans anxious for new recordings. Where they’re headed, sound-wise, will soon be revealed: A sophomore full-length is currently in the works and due this November
Organ Donor
Antique Firearms Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Being alone...
In which they found me
In which they found me
Fighting for my life
From the surgeons knife
It's where they found me
It's where they found me
they gonna lay me down
Down in the ground
Next to you
Next to you
Next to you
Next to you
Feeding from the thombs
Being alone
In which they found me
In which they found me
Fighting for my life
From the surgeons knife
It's where they found me
It's where they found me
And one day soon
They gonna lay me down
Down in the ground
Next to you
Next to you
Next to you
Next to you
Step back I'm about to attack
Strap on your guns tell your men to react
Fend them with swings, and slipp through my teeth
All I'm doing is crashing to the swings you fight me
When the grass grows tall, deep in my mind shadows on the walls
And I'll find you,
If is the last thing I do.
The last thing that I do
Last thing that I do
The lyrics of Antique Firearms's song Organ Donor seem to reflect the feelings of someone who is alone and struggling for their life, possibly during a surgical operation that involves organ donation. The theme of death and mortality is also introduced with the lines "And one day, they gonna lay me down/Down in the ground/Next to you." The repetition of the lines "Feeding from the tombs/Being alone/In which they found me" and "Fighting for my life/From the surgeon's knife/It's where they found me" adds to the haunting and lonely feel of the song.
The final verses introduce a different tone to the song. The mention of "Step back I'm about to attack/Strap on your guns tell your men to react/Fend them with swings, and slip through my teeth" seems like a call to action, potentially to fight for survival. The ambiguity of whether this is a metaphor for fighting against illness or something more literal adds intrigue. The song ends with the repeated phrase "If is the last thing I do/The last thing that I do" which adds a sense of determination or desperation. Overall, the song's lyrics seem to be exploring themes of fear, isolation, and the fight for survival, with a hint of defiance and a desire to not be forgotten after death.
Line by Line Meaning
Feeding from the thombs
Surviving on the remains of the dead
Being alone...
Feeling lonely and isolated
In which they found me
The location where they discovered me
Fighting for my life
Struggling to survive
From the surgeons knife
Resisting an operation or medical intervention
It's where they found me
The specific place where they discovered me
And one day,
they gonna lay me down
Down in the ground
Next to you
Next to you
Next to you
Next to you
Eventually, I will die and be buried beside the person addressed in the song
Feeding from the thombs
Surviving on the remains of the dead
Being alone
Feeling lonely and isolated
In which they found me
The location where they discovered me
Fighting for my life
Struggling to survive
From the surgeons knife
Resisting an operation or medical intervention
It's where they found me
The specific place where they discovered me
And one day soon
They gonna lay me down
Down in the ground
Next to you
Next to you
Next to you
Next to you
In the near future, I will die and be buried beside the person addressed in the song
Step back I'm about to attack
Beware, I am about to strike
Strap on your guns tell your men to react
Prepare yourself and your allies for a confrontation
Fend them with swings, and slipp through my teeth
Use swift and unexpected movements to ward off opposing attacks
All I'm doing is crashing to the swings you fight me
Despite my efforts, you are still able to strike me
When the grass grows tall, deep in my mind shadows on the walls
During moments of introspection, I confront my darkest fears and regrets
And I'll find you,
I will locate you
If is the last thing I do.
No matter the cost, I will find you
Contributed by Victoria Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.