Mustard Gas and Roses (MGR) is an ambient solo project from Los Angeles, Ca… Read Full Bio ↴Mustard Gas and Roses (MGR) is an ambient solo project from Los Angeles, California, United States created by Mike Gallagher around 2005, - the guitarist for American post-metal band Isis, having previously been a member of Cast Iron Hike.

Gallagher incorporated more structure, more distortion, more dark foreboding into his almost-all-guitar aesthetic. "For me, these songs evoke more of a feeling than a concept-making this record was kind of a journey into and out of things making sense. I would always have some core idea to start with and then just keep adding layers onto it until I was finally happy with the outcome. However, often during this process the songs would start to make absolutely no sense to me and I would end up just chasing my own tail until I found a way to bring it all together. I do feel that the music and the titles of the CD and songs are extensions of this feeling, but I don't know if someone would walk away from listening to it with that in mind."

For the first time in Gallagher's solo work, echoes of Isis occasionally ring across the stereo field-which makes sense when you think about it, if only because he wrote Wavering while Isis were working on last year's critically acclaimed In The Absence of Truth. "I've been in that band for almost ten years, if they haven't influenced me, no one has," he points out. "In the past, I made a pretty conscious effort to not have obvious elements of Isis in the music I make outside the band, but with this album I wasn't so uptight about it, and I let some rather Isis-esque moments slip in."

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IV
MGR Lyrics

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I be stressed out when I wake up
Cuz I know the drugs don't save ya
Had to say goodbye see you later
Never got no time for no hater
Or a chaser
Didn't think that was the last time I'd see you again
Didn't think that was the last time we gon' shoot again
Didn't think that was the last time can we do it again?

And I tried so hard cause I could never lose it again
Losing a friend
Saying goodbye had me fucked up
But you in a better place now yeah you lucked up
Shit broke my heart yeah that shit crushed up
Just saying goodbye to my brother

I love Jesus I love God I love family, I love my family. My family has been destroyed by Satan, period, You know we want to pinpoint human beings, but it's time for us to love, it's time for us to hug each other

I be stressed out when I wake up
Cuz I know the drugs don't save ya
Had to say goodbye see you later
Never got no time for no hater
Or a chaser
Didn't think that was the last time I'd see you again
Didn't think that was the last time we gon' shoot again
Didn't think that was the last time can we do it again?
And I tried so hard cause I could never lose it again
Losing a friend
Saying goodbye had me fucked up
But you in a better place now yeah you lucked up

Shit broke my heart yeah that shit crushed up
Just saying goodbye to my brother

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to MGR's song "IV" convey a sense of deep emotional turmoil and loss. The opening lines express the singer's stress upon waking up, recognizing that drugs cannot save them from their troubles. The phrase "Had to say goodbye see you later" indicates that they have recently lost someone close to them, but despite the pain, they don't have time for negativity or those who bring them down. They reflect on not realizing that their last encounter with this person would be their final one and question if they could have done anything differently. The repeated line "Losing a friend, saying goodbye had me fucked up" reveals the intense impact of this loss, further emphasizing the heartbreak and devastation experienced.

The lyrics also incorporate a brief spoken word section towards the end where the artist declares their love for Jesus, God, and their family. They acknowledge that their family has been affected by negative influences, perhaps referring to the destructive power of Satan. The artist calls for love and unity, emphasizing the need to support and embrace one another during difficult times.

Overall, "IV" explores themes of loss, regret, and the struggle to cope with the pain of saying goodbye to a loved one. It delves into the complexities of grief and the longing for a chance to relive precious moments.

Line by Line Meaning

I be stressed out when I wake up
I feel overwhelmed and anxious when I start my day

Cuz I know the drugs don't save ya
Because I am aware that drugs cannot truly save you from your problems

Had to say goodbye see you later
I had to bid farewell and acknowledge that it may not be a permanent separation

Never got no time for no hater
I don't have any time or energy for people who spread negativity

Or a chaser
Or someone who only clings onto what they think is valuable

Didn't think that was the last time I'd see you again
I didn't anticipate that it would be the final occasion I would see you

Didn't think that was the last time we gon' shoot again
It didn't cross my mind that it would be the last time we would engage in a particular activity

Didn't think that was the last time can we do it again?
I didn't realize it would be our final opportunity to repeat that experience

And I tried so hard cause I could never lose it again
I put in tremendous effort because I never wanted to experience that loss again

Losing a friend
The act of losing a friend

Saying goodbye had me fucked up
The act of bidding farewell deeply affected me emotionally

But you in a better place now yeah you lucked up
However, you are now in a better situation, and it can be seen as fortunate

Shit broke my heart yeah that shit crushed up
It caused me immense emotional pain and devastation

Just saying goodbye to my brother
Simply bidding farewell to someone who is like a brother to me

Lyrics © DistroKid
Written by: Ryan Ficklin

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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