Flotsam and Jetsam has released fourteen studio albums in their career, with the latest being 2021's Blood in the Water. Despite not achieving similar levels of commercial success as some of their thrash metal contemporaries, the band emerged as part of the second wave of the genre in the mid-to-late 1980s (along with Sepultura, Testament and Death Angel), and has enjoyed some moderate success in the United States, with two of their albums (1988's No Place for Disgrace and 1990's When the Storm Comes Down) entering the Billboard 200 chart, and their fourth album Cuatro (1992) cracking the top 30 on the Heatseekers chart.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flotsam_and_Jetsam_(band)
Discography
Doomsday for the Deceiver (1986)
No Place for Disgrace (1988)
When the Storm Comes Down (1990)
Cuatro (1992)
Drift (1995)
High (1997)
Unnatural Selection (1999)
My God (2001)
Dreams of Death (2005)
The Cold (2010)
Ugly Noise (2012)
Flotsam and Jetsam (2016)
The End of Chaos (2019)
Blood in the Water (2021)
Toast
Flotsam and Jetsam Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Go ahead and pick a scarecrow clean
One long season mean
Or just letting off steam
Only scratched it twice
Made it bleed real nice
Bloody, body filled with bullet holes
Wrapped around a pole
You have what I stole
Old fashioned cocaine
Standing on my brain
Gone tomorrow, here today
I never saw what hit me
It will all rumble away
I never heard a thing
Gone tomorrow, here today
Cutting into line again
Cutting it close in between
Laughing cause you're funny choking
Laughing cause you're turning blue
Laugh all the way to the bank
One less asshole acts like you
Gone tomorrow, here today
I never saw what hit me
It will all crumble away
I never heard a thing
Gone tomorrow, here today
One less asshole man, ha ha ha
The song Toast by Flotsam and Jetsam is a hard-hitting commentary on the destructive nature of drug addiction and the consequences it can have on both the user and those around them. The first verse describes a drug dealer or "pusher" who is pushing a dream, likely referring to the idea that drugs offer an escape from reality. The second line, "Go ahead and pick a scarecrow clean", suggests that the pusher will take advantage of anyone, even those who are weak or vulnerable. The phrase "one long season mean" could refer to the cyclical nature of addiction, as well as the damaging effects it can have on a person's personality and behavior. The final line, "Only scratched it twice, made it bleed real nice", seems to indicate that the pusher has caused harm to someone, possibly even intentionally.
The second verse takes a darker turn, describing a person with a body riddled with bullet holes and black eyes. This person has something that the singer has stolen, possibly a reference to the desperation that can come with addiction. The line "Old fashioned cocaine standing on my brain" suggests that the singer is struggling with addiction himself. The chorus, "Gone tomorrow, here today", speaks to the transience of life and the fragility of those who are caught up in addiction. The phrase "I never saw what hit me" could refer to how easily addiction can take hold and the user might not realize it until it's too late. The final verse takes on a more aggressive tone, with the singer calling out someone who is "cutting into line" and acting selfishly. The line "laughing cause you're funny choking, laughing cause you're turning blue" could be interpreted as a reference to the physical effects of addiction, but could also refer to someone getting what they deserve.
Line by Line Meaning
Pusher, pushing a dream
A drug dealer is selling a fake reality to his customers
Go ahead and pick a scarecrow clean
Take advantage of anything that appears to have value, even if it is just a scarecrow
One long season mean
A single season of hard work can have a lasting impact
Or just letting off steam
Taking a break to relieve some stress
Only scratched it twice
Caused only minor harm
Made it bleed real nice
Despite the small injury, it bled profusely
Bloody, body filled with bullet holes
A graphic and violent image of someone who has been shot several times
Your eyes are black like coals
This person is filled with hatred and darkness
Wrapped around a pole
This person has been in an accident involving a pole or is tangled up and cannot escape
You have what I stole
Referring to a person who has something that was taken from someone else
Old fashioned cocaine
Referring to a person or object that is outdated or out of touch
Standing on my brain
Feeling overwhelmed or suffocated by stress or emotions
Gone tomorrow, here today
Life is fleeting and temporary
I never saw what hit me
Life can throw unexpected challenges that we are not prepared for
It will all rumble away
All things will eventually crumble and fade into obscurity
I never heard a thing
Sometimes traumatic events can happen so suddenly that we are left in shock
Cutting into line again
Acting selfishly and taking something out of turn
Cutting it close in between
Living on the edge or barely avoiding danger
Laughing cause you're funny choking
Being amused by someone else's suffering
Laughing cause you're turning blue
Enjoying watching someone else suffer and struggle for air
Laugh all the way to the bank
Being able to profit from unethical or immoral behavior
One less asshole acts like you
Referring to a person who is unpleasant and unkind
Gone tomorrow, here today
Life is fleeting and temporary
One less asshole man, ha ha ha
Gloating over the defeat or downfall of another person
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Songtrust Ave
Written by: ED CARLSON, ERIC JASON BRAVERMAN, JASON B. PKA JB WARD WARD, KELLY DAVID SMITH, KNUT KNUTSON, MIKE GILBERT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind