- The Tennessean
"He howls like a wildcat, shreds guitar and pounds a piano like a veteran of some long-forgotten honky-tonk war and writes songs with such grit you'd swear he is a cantankerous old man."
- The Knoxville Daily Times
When Rick Brantley opens his mouth, it is time to listen. Behind his thunderous voice, pounding piano, and pulsing rock guitar lies a vision, or, as Brantley puts it, a "battle cry." Expect to discover the heart of the human existence: the desperation and disillusionment, cynicism and longing, but also an inexhaustible hope. It’s as if he has developed a true artistic detachment that bleeds authenticity. It is hard to believe that the music and lungs responsible for this authentic 21st century "millennium rock n' roll" originates from such a young Georgia native, but Brantley sees his youth as an asset.
On stage, Brantley's youthful energy collides with his world-weary insight, creating an irresistible friction. Though his fiery music could certainly stand alone, it is the often-wistful lyrics that give Brantley's songs their dimension. He gives rock n' roll a conscience and an overwhelming sense of triumph and couples that with a belief that music must be more than just a soundtrack. In his own words, he views himself and his music as "a mouthpiece for many things: tolerance, freedom, love, hope, justice, peace...war...God's instrument to change this world."
It seems Brantley has created the perfect balancing act. He combines Otis Redding's moan and Joe Cocker's growl with all the heart-pounding intensity of a breathless Bruce Springsteen. Add a horn section, a couple gospel background singers, and an unshakeable purpose, and you find yourself listening to Rick Brantley. It is the flickering human spirit standing up to the grit of reality.
www.rickbrantley.com
Enough Rope
Rick Brantley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Almost forgotten
I don't look like much
These days I know
When I was young I cut quite a figure
Were no wild oats I would not sow
Too many girls with long eyelashes
Might have married two or three
Money talks
Liquor whispers
And I have listened to them both
Love is sweet
Until it's bitter
Life is long
Pay as you go
And I've learned less than I've forgotten
There's still more I wish I didn't know
And a man will hang himself most likely
If you give him enough rope
I never thought it'd all be easy
But I do remember expecting more
I should have died young
I should have died handsome
I won't die rich
I won't die poor
I never did make master sergeant
Was never too good at kissing ass
I guess I could have tried a little bit harder
There's always that
Well
Money talks
Liquor whispers
And I have listened to them both
Chance is slim
Fate is fickle
Life is short
There you go
And I've learned less than I've forgotten
There's still more I wish I didn't know
And a man will hang himself most likely
If you give him enough rope
All is fair
If not forgiven
Redemption waits
Somewhere I hope
And a man will hang himself most likely
If you give him enough rope
Yes, a man will hang most likely
If you give him enough rope
The song "Enough Rope" by Rick Brantley discusses the struggles of life and the lessons learned along the way. The opening verse speaks to the gracelessness of aging, as the singer reflects on his past and how it seems distant to him now. He acknowledges that he cut a handsome figure when he was young and notes that he lived a wild life filled with women and adventure, but that life has caught up with him, and now he's no longer a scintillating figure. The second verse delves much deeper into the singer's personal life and the lessons he's learned along the way. The lyrics reveal that he's made a lot of mistakes in his life, listened to the wrong people, and lost himself in the process. The singer has learned that money talks and liquor whispers, both of which he's listened to over the years, and that love can turn sour very quickly. He's also come to terms with the fact that life is long, and paying as you go is a necessary requirement. These experiences have left him with a great deal of regret, as there's still more he wishes he didn't know, and he's realized that a man will likely hang himself if given enough rope.
The chorus of the song highlights the themes of regret and hanging onto the past that the verses touch upon. It speaks to the fact that life is short and that redemption is hopeful, but not always possible. The repetition of the phrase "a man will hang himself most likely if you give him enough rope" emphasizes the inevitability of self-destruction when given too much freedom, be it in the form of money, liquor, or other vices. The song's closing message is that forgiveness is key even if it's not always granted, and that redemption is something we all hope for.
Line by Line Meaning
I am old
I have gotten old
Almost forgotten
Not many people remember me
I don't look like much
I look unimpressive
These days I know
I understand now
When I was young I cut quite a figure
I was very attractive when I was young
Were no wild oats I would not sow
I was promiscuous
Too many girls with long eyelashes
I was with many attractive women
Might have married two or three
I may have been married multiple times
I couldn't tell you how that happened, honestly
I don't know how I ended up married to multiple people
Money talks
Money has the power to influence
Liquor whispers
Alcohol has the power to influence subtly
And I have listened to them both
I have been influenced by both money and alcohol
Love is sweet
Love is enjoyable
Until it's bitter
Until it turns sour
Life is long
Life is a long journey
Pay as you go
You have to pay the price for your actions along the way
And I've learned less than I've forgotten
I have forgotten more than I have learned
There's still more I wish I didn't know
There are things I regret learning
And a man will hang himself most likely
A person will fail most likely
If you give him enough rope
If you give them enough room for mistakes
I never thought it'd all be easy
I never believed everything would go smoothly
But I do remember expecting more
I thought things would be better than they are
I should have died young
I should have died before aging
I should have died handsome
I should have died when I was still attractive
I won't die rich
I won't die with a lot of money
I won't die poor
I won't die completely broke
I never did make master sergeant
I didn't get promoted despite my best efforts
Was never too good at kissing ass
I didn't suck up to people enough to get ahead
I guess I could have tried a little bit harder
I could have put in a bit more effort
Chance is slim
Opportunities are rare
Fate is fickle
Destiny is unpredictable
Life is short
Life is brief
There you go
That's the harsh reality
All is fair
Everything is open to interpretation
If not forgiven
If people refuse to forgive
Redemption waits
It's possible to redeem oneself
Somewhere I hope
I hope to find redemption
Yes, a man will hang most likely
A person will likely fail
If you give him enough rope
If you give them enough room for mistakes
Contributed by Alexis L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.