Gun
Phil Manzanera Lyrics
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The quick try to get quicker
And the creepers get hung
Now it's you that got wasted tonight on the job
One lost his liquor
And the other lost his hand
Ten sticky thumb prints on the door and the sink
Five hundred mugshots and a hundred to one
Four forgotten and the rest just won't come
When you've begun to think like a gun
The rest of the year has already gone
When you've begun to think like a gun
The days of the year have suddenly gone
(Well) blood on the windows and blood on the walls
Blood on the ceiling and down in the halls
And the papers keep downing on everything I burned
And the people getting restless but they'll never learn
I picked up a doctor - he's good with a knife
Says anaesthetic's a waste of his time
Works in a hurry but always worthwhile
Knows they won't be back for a long long time
Top of the staircase was ready to fall
We were still waiting downstairs in the hall
Watch out for big mama, she'll set you on fire
Or go for your neck with the chicken wire
When you've begun to think like a gun
The days of the year have suddenly gone
Once you've begun to think like a gun
The days of the year have already gone
Mother of plenty, mother of none
You've got me cornered and still on the run
I don't care nothing about you anyway
Stuck in this hole I'm on my way
Yeah when you've begun to live like a gun
The days of the year have already gone
When you've begun to think like a gun
The days of the year have suddenly gone
The song "Gun" by Phil Manzanera tells the story of two partners working on the run, committing crimes while trying to stay ahead of the law. The first verse describes how their criminal lifestyle has finally caught up to them, resulting in one partner losing his hand and the other getting wasted on the job. The second verse depicts the aftermath of their crimes - ten sticky thumbprints on the door and the sink and the presence of blood on the walls, ceilings, and halls - and how the police can’t seem to catch them despite having hundreds of mugshots.
The chorus, "When you've begun to think like a gun, the days of the year have suddenly gone" implies that the partners have lost their humanity and identity in their quest to stay alive, having become "guns" themselves. The rest of the song follows their trials and tribulations, including a run-in with "big mama," who would "go for your neck with the chicken wire," and their final realization that they are stuck in a hole and on their way to their demise.
Overall, the lyrics paint a harrowing picture of the consequences of a life of crime and the loss of self that can result from it.
Line by Line Meaning
Me and my partner we work on the run
My partner and I are always on the move for work
The quick try to get quicker
Those who are already fast seek to become faster
And the creepers get hung
The slower ones get caught and punished
Now it's you that got wasted tonight on the job
It is you who failed tonight and faced the consequences
One lost his liquor
One failed due to alcohol consumption
And the other lost his hand
The other lost a physical part due to the job
Ten sticky thumb prints on the door and the sink
Evidence of the perpetrators was left behind
But nothin' saw nothin' - just smell the stink
No one saw anything but they could sense something wrong
Five hundred mugshots and a hundred to one
There were many suspects but only one was truly guilty
Four forgotten and the rest just won't come
Some were forgotten while the others refused to confess
When you've begun to think like a gun
When you start to see everything as a potential threat
The rest of the year has already gone
Time flies and life passes when your mindset is constantly on alert
(Well) blood on the windows and blood on the walls
Proof of violence and chaos is everywhere
Blood on the ceiling and down in the halls
There was no escape from the destruction
And the papers keep downing on everything I burned
The media criticizes everything I am associated with
And the people getting restless but they'll never learn
The public is dissatisfied but still oblivious to the true situation
I picked up a doctor - he's good with a knife
I recruited a skilled helper with a dangerous expertise
Says anaesthetic's a waste of his time
He doesn't believe in pain relief, only in getting the job done quickly
Works in a hurry but always worthwhile
He works fast but the results are satisfactory
Knows they won't be back for a long long time
He assumes his victims will be out of commission for a significant period
Top of the staircase was ready to fall
The environment was unstable and could collapse at any moment
We were still waiting downstairs in the hall
Despite the danger, we had no choice but to wait
Watch out for big mama, she'll set you on fire
Beware of the one in charge, she has the power to harm you
Or go for your neck with the chicken wire
She is capable of using any weapon at her disposal
Mother of plenty, mother of none
She has the ability to provide everything or nothing at all
You've got me cornered and still on the run
Despite being trapped, I am still trying to escape
I don't care nothing about you anyway
I have no emotional attachment to those who are after me
Stuck in this hole I'm on my way
I am in a difficult situation but I am already on the path to escape
Yeah when you've begun to live like a gun
When you live with a constant threat of danger
The days of the year have already gone
The passage of time becomes irrelevant when every moment is a potential danger
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JOHN DAVIES CALE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Michael Macaulay
Surely the most underrated guitarist of his generation - and one of the best. So great to see this interview
Swissted Chef
I could not agree more.
Gilbert Ramos
Phil is the man, coolest of the cool, a very fine human, and an excellent artist. 801 forever!
uapuat
What a fantastic little gem this was! Phil Manzanera is such an interesting and personable man. You could listen to him for hours.
Eugen Beer
These wonderful interviews should be donated to the British Museum or similar archive for posterity. They capture so many tiny and fascinating details that will otherwise be forgotten. It's amazing that it took a pandemic to create the situation where they could happen.
Rozz Grey 801
That was a terrific interview, Phil is a brilliant treasure-trove of great anecdotes, I could listen to him all day! See if you can get Brian Eno?
keef71
A lot of the first wave of punks were glam fans, particularly of Bowie and Roxy Music. The only other red Gibson Firebird VII I've seen belongs to Marco Pirroni (early punk and later on, Adam Ant's right-hand man) and he has it solely in tribute to Mr. Manzanera.
keef71
Forgot to mention, on the track 'Man called Marco' from Adam's 'Friend or Foe' LP, Mr. Pirroni says "Allo, I'm Marco, allow me to introduce.....my Firebird VII"
Gary M
Fabulous episode! Just knowing there's even a flicker of hope for a Roxy 50th Anniversary Tour next year puts a smile on my face (not that they'd play anywhere near me, but ...) Phil has always been one of my favorite guitarists and this interview was an absolute delight.
Kenneth Taylor
Exceptional interview. I could listen to Phil for hours. Roxy, and the Velvets, have influenced more of my favourite bands that anyone else. Still no-one sounds like them, although Magazine came pretty close. Bring on the 50th anniversary tour!