The band has released five albums: "3/5" (1997), "The Cat and the Cobra" (1999), "Go Forth" (2001), "Let's Stay Friends" (2007) and "Root for Ruin" (2010). "Inches", a compilation of the non-album singles the band released between 1995 and 2004 was released in April 2004.
The Lowest Bitter
Les Savy Fav Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Does it seem like they're trying to prove
that everything we pursue, we lose?
All you scorned lovers: are you burnt so bad
your lips are covered in black blood and scabs?
We seem to need some way to vanish all these stains.
Take the trigger from the lowest bidder.
Are you covered in scratches from them hacking you with their hatchets?
Are you chasing a trail of crumbs
and you can't recall where they came from?
Take the bargain back again.
They've come to steal your old self and rent back what they stole.
They fatten you up and swallow you whole.
And then they charge you for the pleasure of making you plain.
When you're finally getting something, it's only the blame.
If you let bitterness
get into your home,
get into your chest,
it gets into your bones.
We've been bought and we've been sold,
they try but they can't keep hold.
We burn, but we don't turn to coal.
We're hills all filled with gas and gold.
Take the trigger from the lowest bidder.
Take the bargain back again.
Take it back!
The first verse of Les Savy Fav’s song “The Lowest Bitter” asks the listener a series of questions that appear to be pointing towards the futility of consumerism and the constant craving for more. The line “Are you looking for magic on the back of a pack of matches?” alludes to the idea of seeking something that is not really there, and questioning whether or not the things we are told to pursue always lead to fulfillment. The following lines “Does it seem like they're trying to prove that everything we pursue, we lose?” suggests that perhaps this endless pursuit is a game rigged against us.
The song then takes on a more personal aspect, addressing anyone who has been hurt in love. The line “All you scorned lovers: are you burnt so bad your lips are covered in black blood and scabs?” paints a vivid picture of the pain of heartbreak. The idea of needing to “vanish all these stains” can be interpreted as attempting to forget or move on from the past.
The chorus urges the listener to take control of their lives and reclaim what has been taken from them. The line “Take the trigger from the lowest bidder. Take the bargain back again” can be interpreted as rejecting the idea of cheap, unfulfilling substitutes for what we truly want. The final lines of the song, “We've been bought and we've been sold, they try but they can't keep hold. We burn, but we don't turn to coal. We're hills all filled with gas and gold” suggest that despite the oppressiveness of consumerism, there is still something within us that is valuable and cannot be taken away.
Line by Line Meaning
Are you looking for magic on the back of a pack of matches?
Are you searching for something extraordinary even in the most trivial things?
Does it seem like they're trying to prove that everything we pursue, we lose?
Do you feel like the world is trying to convince you that all your efforts are ultimately futile?
All you scorned lovers: are you burnt so bad your lips are covered in black blood and scabs?
Have you been hurt so badly in love that it feels as if you have indelible marks on your soul?
We seem to need some way to vanish all these stains.
We crave for a means to erase all the painful memories and scars that haunt us.
Take the trigger from the lowest bidder.
Don’t trust the cheapest and shoddiest option available in the market.
Take the bargain back again.
Reclaim the good things in life that you’ve lost in the bargain.
Are you covered in scratches from them hacking you with their hatchets?
Have you been scarred and wounded by the cruel actions of others?
Are you chasing a trail of crumbs and you can't recall where they came from?
Are you aimlessly pursuing something that appears enticing but lacks a clear source, purpose or direction?
They've come to steal your old self and rent back what they stole.
The world often tries to take away your unique identity, only to return to you a sanitized, commercialized and commodified version of the same.
They fatten you up and swallow you whole.
The society lures you with material possessions and comforts, only to consume and assimilate you completely.
When you're finally getting something, it's only the blame.
Even when you think you’re finally winning or achieving something, you end up realizing that you’re being held responsible for something else entirely.
If you let bitterness get into your home, get into your chest, it gets into your bones.
If you allow negative feelings to take over your life, they can become so deeply ingrained that they affect your physical and mental health.
We've been bought and we've been sold, they try but they can't keep hold.
The system may try to subjugate and exploit us, but we refuse to be persistently contained or monopolized.
We burn, but we don't turn to coal.
Despite enduring much adversity, we still manage to retain our distinctive spark and vitality.
We're hills all filled with gas and gold.
We may appear unremarkable and forgettable at first glance, but there are always hidden treasures and potential waiting to be discovered within us.
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: ANDREW REULAND, HARRISON HAYNES, SETH JABOUR, SYD BUTLER, TIM HARRINGTON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Buxtonswhippets
One of the finest albums of the last 3 decades, unreal from start to finish.
Rangda Rangda
I've been a fan since 2003 or so, and this is their best song if you ask me. The lyrics are what makes it, it tells you to find hope in grim situations.
Take the bargain back again
elb
can't stop playing this song
BallzBallz
i love this song so much
Dreadnod Anonymous
Clinging onto aversion
Throw Away
I am glad I am not alone in this understanding
Throw Away
Do you enjoy scratching an itch? Meditation makes me itch initially. Do you scratch or not? When I scratch an itch it feels pleasurable but it breaks my focus, the pleasure is short-lived and the itch comes back. If I scratch too much I cause pain. If I don't scratch I wind up having to use the itch as my point of focus. Sometimes it goes away but sometimes it becomes more then I can bear so I scratch. I don't like scratching itches so much but do so anyway. Self control can be hard.
Jeffrey R.
duality is a biiiiotch hehe ;)