Coming together in 1991, during the No More Tours supposed-retirement tour for Ozzy's No More Tears, the band was originally named Lynyrd Skynhead and included the former White Lion rhythm section of bassist James LoMenzo and drummer Greg D'Angelo alongside Wylde. Although credited solely as 'Zakk Wylde' solo tracks, this line-up actually released two individual recordings; a raucous Southern instrumental entitled "Farm Fiddlin'" on a compilation called Guitars That Rule the World (1991) and a cover of the blues-standard "Baby Please Don't Go" on the first L.A. Blues Authority compilation (1992).
In early 1994 D'Angelo was replaced by Brian Tichy, this was at the same time that the band changed their name to Pride & Glory, and by May released their self-titled debut - and only - album, on Geffen Records. In June of that year, the band performed as a main stage act at the Donington Monsters of Rock Festival in England. In November 1994 LoMenzo left after their tour of Japan, 3 days before the beginning of their US Tour. Zakk managed to find a replacement for James in his long time friend John 'J.D.' DeServio (Drill). The band played their last show on December 10th 1994 in Los Angeles in which Slash, guitarist of popular rock band Guns N' Roses (also signed to Geffen Records) played the songs Voodoo Child and Red House with the band. On January 31, 1998, the original Pride & Glory band reunited for a one-off reunion show at the Whiskey in Hollywood, CA. This momentous occasion was believed to be bootlegged, but no video has turned up anywhere.
Machine Gun Man
Pride & Glory Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
What's he got to live for
Tossed in the shuffle of everyday war
Searchin' for some trouble
Which I'm sure he will find
Spend your whole life fightin' son
Meet your dyin' time
It's a shame
The trigger be his only friend
It's a shame, oh yeh
But it ain't never gonna end
He's a pocketful of hate
That don't give a damn
What fate awaits the machine gun man?
Well, he ain't got no future
And he ain't got no plan
What fate awaits the machine gun man?
I can't see tomorrow
And I don't see today
Trail of confusion done leadin' my way
They say the only thing worth killin' Lord
Be killin' time
I say the only soul worth savin' now Mama
Resavin' mine
It's a shame
It's a shame
The trigger be his only friend
It's a shame, oh yeh
But it ain't never gonna end
He's a pocketful of hate
That don't give a damn
What fate awaits the machine gun man?
Well, he ain't got no future
And he ain't got no plan
What fate awaits the machine gun man?
He keeps shootin' mama like any old fool would do
Lord, the life he be leadin' ain't the one he has to choose
As he walks on out that door
Mama breaks down to cry
As she waves the machien gun man
Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye, goodbye
The lyrics to Pride & Glory's "Machine Gun Man" paint a bleak picture of a young man caught up in the cycle of violence and unrest. The song suggests that this individual has been failed by society and has little to live for, other than the thrill of causing trouble and the connection he feels to his weapon. The opening lines of the song ask, "Tell me what a young man Mama / What's he got to live for / Tossed in the shuffle of everyday war / Searchin' for some trouble / Which I'm sure he will find," highlighting the frustration and disillusionment that many young people may feel with the world around them. The chorus of "It's a shame / The trigger be his only friend / But it ain't never gonna end" suggests that this individual is trapped in a cycle of violence, unable to break free from the hold his weapon has on him.
The second verse of the song further emphasizes the individual's lack of direction or purpose. The line "Well, he ain't got no future / And he ain't got no plan" suggests that the character is adrift, unsure of what he wants or where he is headed. The song also touches on the idea that violence is a self-destructive act, with the line "The only thing worth killin' Lord / Be killin' time" indicating that the young man is wasting his own life in pursuit of something that ultimately won't bring him any satisfaction or fulfillment. The song's closing lines, with the mother waving goodbye to her son as he departs to cause more violence, serve as a stark reminder of the human toll of war and conflict.
Line by Line Meaning
Tell me what a young man Mama
What is there for a young man to live for?
What's he got to live for
What motivates him to keep living?
Tossed in the shuffle of everyday war
Overwhelmed by the daily struggles of existence
Searchin' for some trouble
Looking for conflict or danger
Which I'm sure he will find
It's inevitable that he'll find what he's looking for
Spend your whole life fightin' son
Life is a constant battle
Meet your dyin' time
Death is inescapable
It's a shame
It's unfortunate
The trigger be his only friend
The only thing he can truly rely on is his weapon
But it ain't never gonna end
This cycle of violence will go on indefinitely
He's a pocketful of hate
Filled with anger and resentment
That don't give a damn
He doesn't care about the consequences of his actions
What fate awaits the machine gun man?
What kind of future is there for someone so consumed by violence?
Well, he ain't got no future
There is no positive outcome for him
And he ain't got no plan
He has no direction or purpose in life
I can't see tomorrow
I have no idea what the future holds
And I don't see today
The present is a blur
Trail of confusion done leadin' my way
I'm lost and don't know where to go
They say the only thing worth killin' Lord
Some people believe that time is the only thing worth killing
Be killin' time
Wasting time is a sin
I say the only soul worth savin' now Mama
The only thing worth saving is my own soul
Resavin' mine
I need to focus on saving myself
He keeps shootin' mama like any old fool would do
He continues to act foolishly, causing harm to others
Lord, the life he be leadin' ain't the one he has to choose
He is not trapped by circumstance; he can make a different choice
As he walks on out that door
As he leaves
Mama breaks down to cry
His mother is devastated
As she waves the machien gun man
As she says goodbye to her violent son
Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye, goodbye
Farewell
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ZAKK WYLDE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Paulo Henrique Sá de Almeida
Tell me what a young man Mama
What's he got to live for
Tossed in the shuffle of everyday war
Searchin' for some trouble
Which I'm sure he will find
Spend your whole life fightin' son
Meet your dyin' time
It's a shame
It's a shame
The trigger be his only friend
It's a shame, oh yeh
But it ain't never gonna end
He's a pocketful of hate
That don't give a damn
What fate awaits the machine gun man?
Well, he ain't got no future
And he ain't got no plan
What fate awaits the machine gun man?
I can't see tomorrow
And I don't see today
Trail of confusion done leadin' my way
They say the only thing worth killin' Lord
Be killin' time
I say the only soul worth savin' now Mama
Resavin' mine
It's a shame
It's a shame
The trigger be his only friend
It's a shame, oh yeh
But it…
TheHebephrenic
We need a Pride and Glory tour! I miss the southern Rock zakk!
mangstrum
Ya it was very original shit he was doin back then
SAWBRIAR JACOBS
Me too bro… me too
Mike Basterd
Lynyrd Skynyrd is great , but there ain't no doubt that southern Zack is Sebastian world!!!
Du Galati
And a new album too...
Ozzysm
He have to shave his beard firstly.
Colin Goldfinch
Pride and Glory is one of my top 10 records. Love it.
Heikki Keskitalo
Right on brother! One of my absolute favorites among the 70's skynyrd and Blackfoots Highway Song live album.
BlackSunshine
That pride and glory album is such a hidden gem. Losin your mind and horse called war are killers
john burens
Some of the BEST music by Zakk! I am sure I am not the only one to say we need a P&G reunion.