Dillinger Four is a punk rock band formed in 1994 in Minneapolis, Minnesota… Read Full Bio ↴Dillinger Four is a punk rock band formed in 1994 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They have released five full-length studio albums. The current band members are Patrick Costello on bass guitar and vocals, Erik Funk and Bill Morrisette on guitars and vocals, and Lane Pederson on drums. They are signed to Fat Wreck Chords. 2008 saw the release of C I V I L W A R, their first record in 6 years.

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Dillinger Four Lyrics

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Sometimes it's simple things that make it hard
Spoiled baby tee's with credit cards
Overtime always on my mind
Could-have-beens eat away inside now

Praise God and pass the bottle of Beam, 'cause tonight I can't seem to say what I mean
Don't know if I would even if I could, amen
Somehow this seems like borrowed time, pay no mind, everything is fine

But sometimes I'd rather hear laughter while this whole place died

A Johnny Jump-Up is a lovely thing
A pint of cider and some whiskey
I had four dead inside of me
Just to hear this jackass sing

His line about how he used to hang out
Somewhere back in the day
Knowing terms only an asshole would say
So I sat there drinking more, thinking about drinking more

Nelson Algren came to me
He said "Celebrate the ugly things"
The beat-up side of what they call pride
Could be the measure of these days

God save Otis Redding 'cause I know he's never gone
As the cig falls from this mouth, hear me sing it wrong
Is it "Cigarettes and Coffee" now or dreams to be remembered?
I'll leave regrets for dead and sing along

Now I'm reaching for the phone, I don't want to be alone
I've got some friends here tonight

I got a basement full of booze and some blues to lose
I'll ignore the whole world tonight, it'll be alright

Overall Meaning

In this song, Dillinger Four paints a picture of a person who is struggling with being true to themselves as they attempt to navigate through life. They express frustration with the materialistic values of society through the reference to "spoiled baby tee's with credit cards". The individual feels trapped in their work life and is haunted by the "could-have-beens" and missed opportunities. Despite the internal turmoil, they turn to alcohol as a form of escape, seeking solace in the phrase "praise God and pass the bottle of Beam". The lyrics also touch on the idea of nostalgia and longing for simpler times, referencing a Johnny Jump-Up, a type of alcoholic cider. The character in the song turns to friends and alcohol to help them forget their problems for a night.

The song references several cultural icons such as Otis Redding and Nelson Algren, who were both known for celebrating the grittier aspects of life. This gives the song a sense of historical context and shows that the character in the song is not alone in their struggles. The lyrics also highlight the importance of companionship and the comfort of being around friends when life gets tough. Overall, the song speaks to the human condition and the way that people often turn to simple pleasures and vices to cope with life's hardships.

Line by Line Meaning

Sometimes it's simple things that make it hard
Small things can make life difficult.

Spoiled baby tee's with credit cards
Young and entitled people with money.

Overtime always on my mind
Stressful work causing worry.

Could-have-beens eat away inside now
Regrets and missed opportunities causing internal pain.

Praise God and pass the bottle of Beam, 'cause tonight I can't seem to say what I mean
Turn to alcohol when communication is difficult.

Don't know if I would even if I could, amen
Even if able to express oneself, unsure if it's worth it.

Somehow this seems like borrowed time, pay no mind, everything is fine
Life feels fleeting and unimportant, but ignoring it.

But sometimes I'd rather hear laughter while this whole place died
In the face of tragedy, would rather find joy than wallow.

A Johnny Jump-Up is a lovely thing
Enjoying alcoholic drinks.

A pint of cider and some whiskey

I had four dead inside of me
Drinking so much that the alcohol killed feelings in the body.

Just to hear this jackass sing
Still indulging in unhealthy behaviors to distract oneself.

His line about how he used to hang out
Recalling past behavior.

Somewhere back in the day

Knowing terms only an asshole would say
Using language indicative of a negative personality.

So I sat there drinking more, thinking about drinking more
Succumbing to addiction and obsessing over it.

Nelson Algren came to me
Finding solace in art and literature

He said "Celebrate the ugly things"
Finding beauty in the less attractive aspects of life

The beat-up side of what they call pride
Being proud of one's flaws and imperfections

Could be the measure of these days
These imperfections are what define our lives.

God save Otis Redding 'cause I know he's never gone
Finding comfort in music and the memories of musicians who have passed.

As the cig falls from this mouth, hear me sing it wrong
Imperfectly but passionately expressing oneself.

Is it "Cigarettes and Coffee" now or dreams to be remembered?
Confusion over what truly matters in life.

I'll leave regrets for dead and sing along
Refusing to dwell on past mistakes and instead enjoying the moment.

Now I'm reaching for the phone, I don't want to be alone
Craving human connection.

I've got some friends here tonight
Grateful for the company of loved ones.

I got a basement full of booze and some blues to lose
Using alcohol and music to escape problems.

I'll ignore the whole world tonight, it'll be alright
Temporarily ignoring outside stressors and indulging in vices.

Contributed by Leah L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

Volatile

2y↑3

Sometimes it's simple things that make it hard
Spoiled baby T's with credit cards
Overtime always on my mind
Could have been's eat away in side now
Praise God and pass the bottle of Beam
Because tonight I can't seem to say what I mean
Don't know if I would even if I could, Amen
Somehow this seems like borrowed time
Pay it no mind, everything is fine
But sometimes I'd rather hear laughter while this whole place died
A johnny jump-up is a lovely thing
A pint of cider and some whiskey
I had four dead inside of me
Just to hear this jackass sing his line about
How he used to hang out somewhere "back in the day"
Knowing terms only that an asshole would say
So I sat there drinking more
Thinking about drinking more
Nelson Algren came to me
And said clebrate the ugly things
The beat up side of what they call pride
could be the measure of these days
God save Otis Redding because I know he's never gone
As sick falls from this mouth hear me sing it wrong
Is it "cigarettes and coffee" now or Dreams to be Remembered
I'll leave regrets for dead and sing along
So I'm reaching for the phone I don't want to be alone
I want to get some friends here tonight
I got a basement full of booze and some blues to lose
I'll ignore the whole world tonight
It will be alright

(copy and pasted from Plyrics)

All comments from YouTube:

Disconnekted

2y↑7

This song is genius.

brad lewis

52w↑2

This shit is genius.

William Z

9y↑17

It's no secret that Green Day are huge Dillinger Four fans. I saw Green Day in 2001, and in between sets, "This Shit is Genius" is what was playing, it it was no accident