Open Hand quickly built a massive buzz in the underground scene. A band’s band from the beginning, Open Hand was offered tours with the likes of Glassjaw, The Juliana Theory and Thursday. Those early tours and two acclaimed EP releases on its own American Propaganda label, Radio Days (1999) and Evolutions (2000), helped spread the buzz. Both EPs quickly sold out and soon the band was the talk of major label A&R reps – though perhaps too soon. After a couple of false starts with the majors, Open Hand opted to sign with the highly regarded indie Trustkill Records in 2002.
The following year, Trustkill issued The Dream, a collection of the band’s long out of print EPs with a couple of new bonus tracks. In spite of the material being a few years old, The Dream quickly became a favorite of fans, artists and critics around the world – topping countless Best Albums of 2003 lists.
In 2005, Trustkill issued the follow-up, You and Me, which met with rave reviews and was rated "album of the month" by Rock Sound in the UK. The stylistic departure from The Dream was huge: with most of the original members departed in favour of other projects, lead singer Justin Isham began working on a sound more akin to the Queens of the Stone Age, among others. The original concept for the album was a military story, traces of which are still evident in songs like Trench Warfare and The Ambush, but was quickly discarded on the advice of Isham's friends and bandmates.
Open Hand's third album, Honey, was released April 20, 2010 on Anodyne Records. The band expanded on the layered, guitar-heavy Queens of the Stone Age sound they forged with You and Me, but Honey also saw the band experimenting with other styles and directions, such as on the hip-hop infused "The Valley" (featuring Christopher "Kid" Reid from Kid n' Play) or the trashy riot grrl number "The Angels." Matt Talbot of Hum and Brodie Rush of Be/Non also contributed vocals for the record.
Son of a Gun
Open Hand Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We had enough to save the world
I don't regret what I said
'Cause the stakes won't get any smaller
There's a look in your eyes saying we've got a chance
Let's flow, let's go
(I know one way or another)
We're gonna get what's coming to us, to us
(Oh, oh, oh)
We're gonna get what's coming to us, to us
(I know one way or another)
We're gonna get what's coming to us, to us
I know you know I need to know it's you
Black and defeated, I traveled the world for you
I'm not quite sure if you know I'm here for you
'Cause I'm the one that is a pissed off son of a gun
We're gonna get what's coming to us, to us
(I know one way or another)
We're gonna get what's coming to us, to us
(Oh, oh, oh, oh)
We're gonna get what's coming to us, to us
(I know one way or another)
We're gonna get what's coming to us, to us
(Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh)
I know my whole life now
I know you feel the same
Open Hand’s “Son of a Gun” is a song filled with raw emotions about a breakup. The first verse speaks about the aftermath of the split: “We had it all before you broke in two/We had enough to save the world”. This indicates that the relationship was strong and had the potential to be beneficial to society. The singer then declares, “I don't regret what I said,” as the breakup forces them to confront the significant stakes of their relationship.
As the chorus plays, the singer’s anger is clear. There is a sense of revenge or justice that needs to be served to the ex-partner. They believe that fairness will prevail and that they will get what is coming to them. After repeating this a few times, the second verse begins with a more introspective line: “I know you know I need to know it's you/Black and defeated, I traveled the world for you”. This line speaks to the idea of needing closure, and that the singer doesn't want to continue living in a place of defeat. The verse ends with the line, “'Cause I'm the one that is a pissed off son of a gun,” which is a straightforward way of describing how they feel.
The chorus then repeats with increasing intensity, as the singer knows that they need to stand up for themselves, and that they will receive what they are owed. The final line of the song, “I know my whole life now/I know you feel the same,” indicates that while the singer is aware of how they feel, they believe that their ex-partner also feels the same way.
Line by Line Meaning
We had it all before you broke in two
We were complete before you caused division and shattered what we had.
We had enough to save the world
Our unity and resources were enough to make a great impact and make the world a better place.
I don't regret what I said
I stand by my words and I'm not sorry for speaking the truth.
'Cause the stakes won't get any smaller
The consequences of our actions are significant and will only continue to escalate.
There's a look in your eyes saying we've got a chance
I can see hope and potential in your expression that we can still make things right.
Let's flow, let's go
Let's act quickly and decisively to make a change for the better.
We're gonna get what's coming to us, to us
The consequences of our actions, good or bad, will inevitably catch up to us.
(I know one way or another)
I'm confident that we will face the outcome of our actions, whichever it may be.
I know you know I need to know it's you
I need you to acknowledge that you are part of the solution or problem, and take responsibility for it.
Black and defeated, I traveled the world for you
I have faced hardships and difficulties, but still persevered and went far to make things right for us.
I'm not quite sure if you know I'm here for you
I'm uncertain if you recognize that I'm doing this for us, for our future and well-being.
'Cause I'm the one that is a pissed off son of a gun
I am frustrated and angry about the situation, and I'm determined to make a change despite the odds.
I know my whole life now
I have a clear perspective and understanding of my past and present, and the impact of my actions.
I know you feel the same
I believe that you share my convictions and commitment towards a better future.
Contributed by Samuel V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.