Believers
Granfaloon Bus Lyrics
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The lyrics of Granfaloon Bus's song "Believers" contain a powerful commentary on the struggles faced by average working-class people, particularly in the face of a financial system that seems stacked against them. The first lines of the song talk about being "nickeled and dimed" and "airbrushed", highlighting the ways in which people are constantly being squeezed financially, with every little expense adding up and eroding their wealth over time. The line "my money's on the ticker" suggests a sense of desperate hope that one's financial fortunes might improve, but with the phrase "that ticker's failing fast", it seems clear that this hope is unlikely to be realized.
The next verse mentions the grandparents of the singer, who died before the advent of plastic (credit cards) and likely struggled with their finances throughout their lives. The line "no wood was too good and no man's word was either" suggests a time when people had to rely on the physical material possessions they had, as well as the trust they had in others, in order to survive. Despite all these struggles, however, the refrain of the song emphasizes the deep faith that people had - "believers, they were believers". This faith is not necessarily tied to any particular religion, but the idea of holding onto hope in the face of overwhelming adversity.
The rest of the song paints a bleak picture of the world, with the line "realize there exists no reward for what you do, let alone for what you've done" suggesting a sense of futility and meaninglessness in people's work. The final lines, which mention being "kidnapped and duct-taped no repairs just made-to-break", highlight the sense of being trapped in a system that is rigged against the ordinary person, with the odds stacked in favor of the wealthy elite. Despite all this, however, the song maintains its message of hope and resilience, with the repeated refrain of "they were believers" emphasizing the importance of staying optimistic and pushing forward even in tough times.
Line by Line Meaning
Nickeled and dimed and airbrushed, died broke and alone.
After being treated like an object and being stripped of their worth, they died penniless and lonely.
One stroke, and then the other, my money's on the ticker.
Investing money like playing the lottery.
That ticker's failing fast.
The investment is losing value quickly.
Grandpa the nickel, grandma the dime, both in the ground before plastic could improve their lives and no wood was too good and no man's word was either.
The artist's grandparents have been dead for a long time, unable to benefit from modern conveniences. They were practical and believed in keeping their word.
Though nickel and dimed to death from behind, believers, they were believers.
Despite being exploited and taken advantage of throughout their lives, the artist's grandparents held onto their faith and belief in something greater than themselves.
Wishing working praying plucking then struck dumb.
Despite their efforts and prayers, they were left speechless and powerless.
Realize there exists no reward for what you do, let alone for what you've done.
Acknowledging that there is no guarantee of reward for one's actions, even those in the past.
Kidnapped and duct-taped no repairs just made-to-break, postcards are better than the photos you take.
Looking at life as being fragile and easily destroyed. Memories captured in postcards last longer than the fleeting moments captured in photographs.
Big bank eats little bank, fish outta water apes in a lake sinking while-you-wait to a grave mistake, oh heavens what a mouthful, through all this faithful believers, they were believers...
Referring to the predatory nature of the financial industry, where larger banks will consume smaller banks. Comparing people to fish out of water or apes in a lake - uncomfortable and out of place. Despite all of these things, the thread of faith and belief runs through them.
Contributed by Leah F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.