The Big Guns
Jenny Lewis with The Watson Twins Lyrics


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Well, you praise him
Then you thank him
'Til you reach the by-and-by
And I've won hundreds at the track
But I'm not betting on the afterlife

Then you kiss his lips
He forgives you for it
He forgives you for all you've done
But not me
I'm still angry

What have I done?
Why am I always missing
The big guns?

First I'll build a sword
Get some words to explain
It's a plan, brother, at least
And I'll pretend that everybody here wants peace

Have mercy, have mercy
Have mercy on me
'Cause we're tired and lonely
And we're bloody

What have we done?
Why are we still running from our own failing bodies?
The big guns

Sing mercy, sing mercy
Sing mercy on me
Let's pretend that everybody here wants peace

What have we done?




Why are we still chasing our own tails?
The big guns.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of the song “The Big Guns” by Jenny Lewis and Watson Twins are imbued with philosophical and existential themes that relate to religion, mortality, and human nature. The song starts by contrasting the singer's outlook on life with that of a religious believer who is counting on an afterlife to redeem their earthly life. The singer, who has won hundreds of dollars betting on horse racing, is skeptical of the idea of an afterlife and chooses to live in the present moment rather than investing in something that is uncertain.


The second stanza of the song shifts focus to a personal relationship where the partner is continually forgiven for their misdeeds, but the singer is still angry and unforgiving. The singer is self-aware that they are not perfect, but they cannot understand why they are always missing the "big guns," a phrase that likely refers to the essential moments in life where one should seize an opportunity or take decisive action.


The song explores the theme of forgiveness, mercy and the quest for peace in a chaotic world plagued by war, suffering, and loneliness. The last stanza of the song reiterates the message that life is a constant struggle and that people often get caught up in their daily lives that they forget about what truly matters. It is a call for mercy and forgiveness, a way to bring peace to individuals' troubled hearts.


Line by Line Meaning

Well, you praise him
You speak highly of him


Then you thank him
And thank him for his deeds


‘Til you reach the by-and-by
Until you get to the afterlife


And I've won hundreds at the track
You've bet quite a lot


But I'm not betting on the afterlife
But you're not relying on the promise of a better place in the afterlife


Then you kiss his lips
You offer him a kiss


He forgives you for it
And he forgives you for whatever you've done wrong


He forgives you for all you've done
He's willing to overlook your past actions


But not me
But you won't forgive me


I'm still angry
You're still feeling resentful


What have I done?
You're questioning your own actions


Why am I always missing
Why do you always seem to come up short


The big guns?
When it comes to achieving success


First I'll build a sword
You plan to arm yourself


Get some words to explain
Find the right words to describe your intentions


It's a plan, brother, at least
Even if it's not entirely clear, it's still a plan


And I'll pretend that everybody here wants peace
You'll try to believe that everyone shares the same goal of peace


Have mercy, have mercy
Please show compassion


Have mercy on me
And be compassionate towards me


‘Cause we're tired and lonely
Feeling worn out and alone


And we're bloody
And we're hurt and wounded


Sing mercy, sing mercy
Requesting mercy through song


Sing mercy on me
Please show mercy towards me


Let's pretend that everybody here wants peace
Once again, trying to believe that everyone shares the same desire for peace


What have we done?
Questioning the collective actions of everyone involved


Why are we still running from our own failing bodies?
Why are we avoiding the inevitable decay and decline of our bodies?


The big guns
How can we achieve greatness while our bodies slowly deteriorate?


What have we done?
Asking yet again about the collective actions of everyone involved


Why are we still chasing our own tails?
Why do we continue to pursue things that may be unattainable or never bring us true satisfaction?


The big guns.
Will we ever achieve greatness despite our own flawed efforts?




Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS

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