The end of 2008 saw Grieves enlisting the help of friend and collaborator Budo to co-produce Together/Apart bringing his signature swiss-army knife, multi-instrumental backdrop to Grieves' hauntingly poignant narrative. The album began taking shape in New York as the two built off the success 88 Keys and Counting had generated and paired it with the intensity they developed from their live performances. The recording process began to shadow the theme of the album as it saw tracks recorded in Colorado and Washington in addition to New York, infusing it with a mixture of regional influences while still maintaining a cohesive sound. As the album neared completion the title took on a double meaning for Grieves as he explored new subject matter in the absence of trust, refuge in addiction, acceptance and honesty in self-reflection, and trying to find his place in the world without forgetting his roots.
Prize Fighter
Grieves Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Look at what it took from ya
You're pride's shattered and all you do is deny
Shoulda, Chill
'Cause now your living all alone
In a place meant for two
With a pocket full of stones
And it drags you, down to the bottom of it
Should've saw it coming
'Cause now your wipin' all the pictures off the fridge
Bitin' your bottom lip
So you don't call her a bitch
And its crazy
Where'd you learn to fight like an animal
Every time you have a slight misundertandable
Issue, it kills you to let shit go
So you treat it like its trying to
(????)
When it finds you
Dragging all the bullshit behind you
Fight for the hell of hit
And fuck for the solid truth
This is everything that's ripping you apart
But you act like its just a little scar
[Chorus]
I never back down
Never threw no fight
Never stopped when the bell dinger proved yo right
Never listened when you told me it would loose my life
But, Imma give it just one more round
I never back down
Never threw no towel
Never hesitate to respar with three meters back
Never thought that it would ever tackle me out
But, Imma give it just one more bell
Beat the daylights out of it
Look at what it put you through
Revive what you used to do
You shoulda, chill
'Cause now you're living in a box
With a ghost for a friend
And a (??) full of thoughts
And it beats you down
With the water running
You blind swinging motherfucker
Should've thought of something
'Cause now you're dancing in the middle of the ring
With yo fists tossed up
Yelling I don't feel a thing
And its crazy
You don't want to live like this
If it wasn't for your friends
You would kill by this
Feeling passionate, it actually slows you down
When you don't read between
The lines of those old nine rounds
When its time to
Dragging all that bullshit behind you
Fight for the hell of it or fuck for the solid truth
This is everything that's ripping you apart
But you act like its just a little scar
[Chorus]
I never back down
I never back down
[Chorus]
The song "Prize Fighter" by Grieves talks about a person who is having difficulty dealing with their past actions and their consequences. The lyrics explore themes of regret, denial, and the consequences of holding onto anger and grudges. The song starts with the line "Beat the bloody hell out of it" and talks about how the person has beaten themselves down with their own pride and stubbornness. The lyrics go onto explain how the person is now living alone in a place meant for two, with a pocket full of stones, and how this is dragging them down to the bottom.
The chorus of the song talks about how the person never backs down, never throws a fight, and how they will keep going until the end. The lyrics suggest that this mentality may not always be helpful, and that sometimes it is important to let things go and move on. The song finishes with the line "But, Imma give it just one more bell", indicating that the person is not quite ready to give up the fight.
Overall, the song "Prize Fighter" is a powerful exploration of the human condition, and how refusing to face the consequences of our actions can lead to a cycle of pain, regret, and isolation. The lyrics in the song are powerful and emotive, painting a vivid picture of a person who is struggling to deal with the fallout of their own actions.
Line by Line Meaning
Beat the bloody hell out of it
Give it your all and fight with everything you have
Look at what it took from ya
Reflect on the sacrifices you've made and the toll it has taken on you
You're pride's shattered and all you do is deny
Your pride has been broken and you are in denial about it
Shoulda, Chill
You should have relaxed and taken a step back instead of letting things escalate
'Cause now your living all alone
As a result of your actions, you are now isolated and alone
In a place meant for two
You are living in a space that was intended for a relationship, but now it's just you
With a pocket full of stones
You carry the weight of your actions and regrets with you wherever you go
And it drags you, down to the bottom of it
The weight of your mistakes is causing you to sink deeper into despair
You pig headed mother fucker
You are stubborn and refuse to see reason
Should've saw it coming
You should have been able to predict the outcome of your actions
'Cause now your wipin' all the pictures off the fridge
You are erasing all remnants of your former life as a couple
Bitin' your bottom lip
You are holding back from expressing your true feelings and emotions
So you don't call her a bitch
You are refraining from calling your ex-partner hurtful names
And its crazy
The situation you are in is irrational and senseless
Where'd you learn to fight like an animal
You have an aggressively confrontational approach to conflict resolution
Every time you have a slight misundertandable
Whenever there is a minor disagreement, you take it as a personal attack
Issue, it kills you to let shit go
You find it difficult to let go of grudges and move on from conflict
So you treat it like its trying to
You approach the situation as if it is a physical opponent
(????)
The lyrics are unclear at this point and a meaning cannot be derived
When it finds you
When conflict inevitably arises, it affects you deeply
Dragging all the bullshit behind you
You carry the baggage of your past mistakes with you wherever you go
Fight for the hell of hit
You engage in conflict without thinking it through or considering the consequences
And fuck for the solid truth
You are willing to engage in casual sex without looking for anything meaningful
This is everything that's ripping you apart
Your destructive behavior is taking a toll on your mental and emotional well-being
But you act like its just a little scar
You downplay the severity of your problems and pretend they are insignificant
I never back down
You are stubborn and refuse to give up, even when it would be the smarter choice
Never threw no fight
You have never given up or lost a fight intentionally
Never stopped when the bell dinger proved yo right
You keep fighting even when you have been proven right
Never listened when you told me it would loose my life
You ignore warnings and advice, no matter how potentially harmful the consequences may be
But, Imma give it just one more round
Despite your stubbornness, you are willing to make one final effort to change the situation
Never threw no towel
You have never given up or surrendered voluntarily
Never hesitate to respar with three meters back
You are always ready to engage in confrontation, even from a distance
Never thought that it would ever tackle me out
You did not anticipate that your actions would lead to your downfall
Beat the daylights out of it
Give it your all and fight with everything you have
Revive what you used to do
Rediscover the things that brought you joy and happiness before your current situation
You shoulda, chill
You should have relaxed and taken a step back instead of letting things escalate
'Cause now you're living in a box
As a result of your actions, you are now living in a limited and confined space
With a ghost for a friend
You feel isolated and lonely, with nobody to talk to or confide in
And a (??) full of thoughts
The lyrics are unclear at this point and a meaning cannot be derived
And it beats you down
Your situation is causing you to feel defeated and hopeless
With the water running
You are taking a shower or bath, possibly as a way to drown out your thoughts and feelings
You blind swinging motherfucker
You are blindly lashing out and attacking without thinking things through
Should've thought of something
You should have been able to anticipate the consequences of your actions and plan accordingly
'Cause now you're dancing in the middle of the ring
You are in the center of attention, possibly from confrontation or conflict
With yo fists tossed up
You are ready and prepared to engage in a physical altercation
Yelling I don't feel a thing
You are pretending not to be affected by the situation, or possibly trying to convince yourself of it
You don't want to live like this
You do not want to continue living with the consequences of your actions
If it wasn't for your friends
Your friends are the only support system you have in this difficult time
You would kill by this
Without your friends' support, you would not be able to handle the situation and it would destroy you
Feeling passionate, it actually slows you down
Your strong emotions are hindering your ability to think clearly and logically
When you don't read between
You are not considering all the possible outcomes of your actions and ignoring consequences that are not immediately apparent
The lines of those old nine rounds
You are not learning from past mistakes and continue to repeat them
Dragging all that bullshit behind you
You have not let go of past mistakes and they continue to affect you
Fight for the hell of it or fuck for the solid truth
You are either engaging in conflict for the sake of it or having meaningless sex without considering the underlying issues
This is everything that's ripping you apart
Your destructive behavior is taking a toll on your mental and emotional well-being
But you act like its just a little scar
You downplay the severity of your problems and pretend they are insignificant
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
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