Coming from the same mould of sunshine boy/girl pop of Belle and Sebastian … Read Full Bio ↴Coming from the same mould of sunshine boy/girl pop of Belle and Sebastian and Camera Obscura that the usually dreich and dour Glasgow seems to embrace, French Wives are a young band with heart, talent and promise.

Further details are available at their facebook, http://www.facebook.com/frenchwives

You can buy their releases from their bandcamp, http://frenchwives.bandcamp.com/

Numbers
French Wives Lyrics

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There's a serpent feel to the cowboy's tongue
There's a stench in the air on the streets we run
It's a battlefield, it's a full blown war
There's a smile on your face and a settled score

Does it pick up pick up if you tell them so?
Will you give up give up when the numbers go?
Did you pull some strings? Have you sacrificed?

Did you bite down hard when you named your price?

It's the feel that keeps alive the talk of glory
As the pride comes before another hard love story

Tell everyone you can
Sell me a one night stand
If the number's big
It's the numbers I bring

If your family's blood doesn't count for much
You're a broken leg and a broken crutch
Maybe narcissist, maybe nepotist
Maybe friends in high places will love this twist

And the future's bright, now your path exists
Now you pushed yourself through the parapet
I'll forget your place I'll forget your name
I'll forget myself and you do the same

It's the feel that keeps alive the talk of glory
As the pride comes before another hard love story

Tell everyone you can
Sell me a one night stand
If the number's big
It's the numbers I bring

And praise all your false idols
And pray your words are title
And rise above your rivals
And praise all your false idols

Tell everyone you can
Sell me a one night stand
If the number's big
It's the numbers I bring

If the number's big
It's the numbers I bring

I feel the man in the mirror has lost his mind
And you can't spot these spots when he turns on the light

Yes, the man in the mirror is losing his mind
And the face of the man in the mirror is mine

Overall Meaning

The song "Numbers" by French Wives is a critique on society's obsession with power, money, and success. The lyrics talk about the lengths people go to achieve their goals, even if it means sacrificing their principles and values. The cowboy's tongue represents the deceptive nature of those who will do anything to get ahead, while the stench in the air symbolizes the corruption and dishonesty that permeate through society. The battlefield and the war represent the cutthroat competition and the constant struggle to be at the top.

The chorus of the song focuses on the importance of numbers and how they can determine one's success or failure. The lyrics ask whether people will give up when their numbers go down, or if they will keep fighting to maintain their status. The song also criticizes the idea of nepotism and how having friends in high places can often lead to unfair advantages.

The lines "And praise all your false idols, and pray your words are title, and rise above your rivals" shine a light on the idea of worshipping people who are not worthy of admiration and the desire to come out on top regardless of the consequences. The repetition of the chorus throughout the song emphasizes the importance placed on numbers and how they can dictate one's worth.

Overall, the song "Numbers" encourages the listener to question the values society upholds and to prioritize personal integrity over material success.

Line by Line Meaning

There's a serpent feel to the cowboy's tongue
The singer senses a dishonest or manipulative nature in the person they are referring to.

There's a stench in the air on the streets we run
The environment the singer is in is uncomfortable or unpleasant.

It's a battlefield, it's a full blown war
The situation the singer is in is intense and there is conflict.

There's a smile on your face and a settled score
The person the artist is referring to is happy because they feel like they have achieved something or won a victory.

Does it pick up pick up if you tell them so?
Will people notice a change in the situation if it is brought to their attention?

Will you give up give up when the numbers go?
Will the person the singer is addressing abandon their goals when things become difficult?

Did you pull some strings? Have you sacrificed?
Did the person the singer is referring to use their power or influence to make something happen? Did they give something up to achieve their goals?

Did you bite down hard when you named your price?
Did the person the artist is addressing aggressively negotiate a deal that benefited themselves?

It's the feel that keeps alive the talk of glory
The artist believes that the emotions attached to success are what drive people to seek it.

As the pride comes before another hard love story
The artist warns that pride can lead to negative consequences.

Tell everyone you can
Spread the word as much as possible.

Sell me a one night stand
Offer a temporary or superficial solution.

If the number's big
If the potential reward is significant.

It's the numbers I bring
The singer is emphasizing the importance of the potential reward in their decision-making.

If your family's blood doesn't count for much
If you are not benefiting from your family connections.

You're a broken leg and a broken crutch
You are not strong or stable without the support of your family connections.

Maybe narcissist, maybe nepotist
The person the artist is referring to may be overly self-absorbed or favoring their family connections over others.

Maybe friends in high places will love this twist
Perhaps people in powerful positions will benefit from this situation.

And the future's bright, now your path exists
The singer believes that the person they are referring to has a clear plan for their future.

Now you pushed yourself through the parapet
The person the artist is referring to has overcome a significant obstacle.

I'll forget your place I'll forget your name
The artist will no longer remember or acknowledge the person they are referring to once the situation is resolved.

And rise above your rivals
Become more successful or surpass those who oppose you.

And praise all your false idols
Celebrate things that are only superficially beneficial or not truly valuable.

And pray your words are title
Hope that your words will have a significant impact on others.

I feel the man in the mirror has lost his mind
The singer believes that they themselves are experiencing mental instability or confusion.

And you can't spot these spots when he turns on the light
Even when the singer attempts to correct their own issues, they are still unable to see them clearly.

Yes, the man in the mirror is losing his mind
The singer is reiterating their own state of instability or confusion.

And the face of the man in the mirror is mine
The artist is acknowledging that they are the one experiencing these negative feelings.

Contributed by Hailey S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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