Their first album, Our Fathers Sent Us , was release by TKO Records in 2000. In 2001, the band released A Melody of Retreads and Broken Quills on BYO Records. The next album My Pappy Was A Pistol was released in 2005. In March 2007 Filthy Thieving Bastards released their next album ...I'm A Son of a Gun on BYO Records, featuring an appearance by Spider Stacy of The Pogues . The naming of the last two albums was a nod to American Singer/Songwriter Roger Miller .
The Back of His Hand
Filthy Thieving Bastards Lyrics
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I know this road like the back of my hand
like the back of my hand
like the back of my hand
and I love that girl just as much as I can
just as much as I can
just as much as I can
and the summers are so hot
and the goal of my life
live each day as it's brought(?)
and my memories are few
I've forgotten most of that
rather settle on the now
try not to conjure up the past
She took me in gave me soup for my bread
gave me ear gave me head(?)
gave me love and a bed
I took to her and so soon we were wed
three words (.?.) til the other was shed
And the winters are so cold
and the summers are so hot
and the goal of my life
live each day as it's brought(?)
and my memories are few
I've forgotten most of that
rather settle on the now
try not to conjure up the past
Now I love that girl just as much as I can
that's too much for a man
wasn't quite what I planned
I try to please but my conscience is damned
And I loved her too hard with the back of my hand
In "The Back of His Hand," Filthy Thieving Bastards lead singer Johnny Bonnel tells the story of a man who is reflecting on his life and the woman he loves. The man claims to know his life path very well, comparing it to the back of his hand. He loves his woman very much and he is committed to her as much as he can be, but he also reveals the struggle of his conscience. He admits to being too hard on her at times, using the back of his hand in a physical manner to show his love.
The song starts with the man's reflection on his life, recalling the extreme weather patterns and his goal to live in the now rather than dwelling on the past. He claims to have few memories and prefers not to conjure up the past even though he mentions his wife's kindness in taking him in and giving him love and nourishment. He then confesses to loving his wife dearly but admits that his love is at times too intense to the point where he has been physically violent towards her, using the back of his hand. He expresses remorse and acknowledges that his actions have left him with a guilty conscience.
Overall, the lyrics of "The Back of His Hand" depict a complex and nuanced relationship between a man and a woman, revealing both affection and violence.
Line by Line Meaning
He said
The singer is introducing himself as the singer of this song.
I know this road like the back of my hand
The singer is familiar with the road he is on, and knows it very well.
and I love that girl just as much as I can
The singer loves his girlfriend as much as he possibly can.
And the winters are so cold
The winters are very cold where the artist is from.
and the summers are so hot
The summers are very hot where the artist is from.
and the goal of my life
The singer's goal in life is to live each day as it comes.
live each day as it's brought(?)
The singer plans to live each day as it comes, without worrying too much about the future.
and my memories are few
The artist doesn't have many memories.
I've forgotten most of that
The artist has forgotten most of his past.
rather settle on the now
The artist prefers to focus on the present rather than dwelling on the past.
try not to conjure up the past
The singer tries not to remember things from his past.
She took me in gave me soup for my bread
The artist's girlfriend helped him when he was in need of food.
gave me ear gave me head(?),
The singer's girlfriend listened to him and took care of him.
gave me love and a bed
The singer's girlfriend showed him love and gave him a place to sleep.
I took to her and so soon we were wed
The singer fell in love with his girlfriend and they got married quickly.
three words (.?.) til the other was shed
It's unclear what this line means, but it seems like the artist is referring to something that happened after he got married.
Now I love that girl just as much as I can
The artist still loves his girlfriend as much as he possibly can.
that's too much for a man
The singer feels like his love for his girlfriend is too intense.
wasn't quite what I planned
The singer didn't expect to fall so deeply in love with his girlfriend.
I try to please but my conscience is damned
The artist tries to make his girlfriend happy, but feels guilty about something.
And I loved her too hard with the back of my hand
The artist hit his girlfriend, and is now regretful of his actions.
Contributed by Josiah D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.