Joe Kirkland began writing music on the piano at the age of 12. Soon after, he began to teach himself guitar, and eventually the drums. At the age of 16, Joe took a loan from his dad, and recorded an 11 song, very rough CD in two days. In three years time, he took every opportunity to play live, paid his dad off and went back into the studio again, and began to establish a fan base in Fort Worth. Now 19, he is making a name for himself through his music at the University of North Texas, and has just come out of the studio with his very first, full length album, "Stuck in a Beautiful Cycle." His positive music that sounds like a mix between Jack's Mannequin and The Rocket Summer definitely sets him apart from other bands, besides being a one-man band. He now resides in a local Dallas band, Artist Vs. Poet. He plays guitar. They are currently signed to Fearless Records. And goint on the 16th annual Warped Tour 2010.
Gives You Hell
Joe Kirkland Lyrics
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With a big smile on my face
And it never feels out of place
And you're still probably working
At a nine-to-five pace
I wonder how bad that tastes
When you see my face
Hope it gives you hell
When you walk my way
Hope it gives you hell
Hope it gives you hell
Now where's your picket fence, love?
And where's that shiny car?
And did it ever get you far?
And you never seemed so tense, love
I've never seen you fall so hard
Do you know where you are?
And truth be told, I miss you (miss you)
And truth be told, I'm lyin'
When you see my face
Hope it gives you hell
Hope it gives you hell
When you walk my way
Hope it gives you hell
Hope it gives you hell
If you find a man that's worth a damn
And treats you well
Then he's a fool, you're just as well
Hope it gives you hell
I hope it gives you hell
Tomorrow you'll be thinking to yourself
Yeah, "Where'd it all go wrong?"
But the list goes on and on
But truth be told, I miss you (miss you)
And truth be told, I'm lyin'
When you see my face
Hope it gives you hell
Hope it gives you hell
When you walk my way
Hope it gives you hell
Hope it gives you hell
If you find a man that's worth a damn
And treats you well
Then he's a fool, you're just as well
I hope it gives you hell
Now you'll never see
What you've done to me
You can take back your memories
They're no good to me
And here's all your lies
You can look me in the eyes
With the sad, sad look
That you wear so well
(When you see my face
Hope it gives you hell
Hope it gives you hell
When you walk my way
Hope it gives you hell
Hope it gives you hell
When you find a man that's worth a damn
And treats you well
Then he's a fool, you're just as well
I hope it gives you hell)
When you see my face
Hope it gives you hell
Hope it gives you hell
(Hope it gives you hell)
When you walk my way
Hope it gives you hell
Hope it gives you hell
(Hope it gives you hell)
When you hear this song and you sing along
But you never tell
(But you never tell)
Then you're a fool, I'm just as well
I hope it gives you hell
(Hope it gives you hell)
When you hear this song
I hope that it will give you hell
(Hope it gives you hell)
You can sing along
I hope that it puts you through hell
The song 'Gives You Hell' by Joe Kirkland is a breakup anthem with lyrics that express a range of emotions from anger and frustration to sadness and longing. The opening lines set the tone for the whole song - the singer wakes up every evening with a big smile on his face, indicating that he has moved on and is living his life happily, while his ex-partner is still stuck in a nine-to-five job. The line "I wonder how bad that tastes" adds a bitter touch, implying that he takes pleasure in the idea that his former love interest isn't experiencing the same freedom and joy that he is.
The chorus, with the repeated phrase "Hope it gives you hell", suggests that the singer is reveling in his ex's pain and wants her to feel the same emotional distress that he may have felt during the relationship. The second verse delves into the notion of material possessions, questioning the value of superficial things like picket fences and shiny cars, and implying that they didn't bring true happiness to the relationship. The bridge of the song takes a more introspective turn, as the singer admits that he still misses his ex and may even be lying about his feelings of resentment.
Line by Line Meaning
I wake up every evening
I am happy and carefree
With a big smile on my face
I am full of joy every day
And it never feels out of place
My joy is genuine and natural
And you're still probably working
You are stuck in a mundane job
At a nine-to-five pace
You work a typical schedule
I wonder how bad that tastes
I imagine your life is unfulfilling and boring
Now where's your picket fence, love?
Where is your perfect life now?
And where's that shiny car?
Where is your fancy car?
And did it ever get you far?
Did your material possessions bring you true happiness?
And you never seemed so tense, love
You used to be more relaxed
I've never seen you fall so hard
You have hit rock bottom
Do you know where you are?
Are you lost and confused?
When you see my face
When you are reminded of me
Hope it gives you hell
I hope you regret losing me
When you walk my way
When you cross paths with me
If you find a man that's worth a damn
If you ever find a good man
And treats you well
Who treats you with kindness
Then he's a fool, you're just as well
He's foolish to be with you, because you don't deserve him
Tomorrow you'll be thinking to yourself
In the future, you will regret losing me
Yeah, "Where'd it all go wrong?"
You will wonder where you went off track
But the list goes on and on
You will realize all the things you did wrong
If you find a man that's worth a damn
If you ever find a good man
And treats you well
Who treats you with kindness
Now you'll never see
You will regret losing me forever
What you've done to me
The damage you caused me
You can take back your memories
You can keep your memories, they mean nothing to me
They're no good to me
They hold no value or importance
And here's all your lies
You were dishonest with me
You can look me in the eyes
You can pretend to be honest with me
With the sad, sad look
Knowing you hurt me with your lies
That you wear so well
You are very skilled at pretending to care
When you hear this song and you sing along
When you listen to this song
But you never tell
You never admit your mistakes
Then you're a fool, I'm just as well
You are a fool not to acknowledge your faults, I don't need you
I hope that it puts you through hell
I hope this song reminds you of the pain you caused me
Contributed by Charlie K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.