After graduating from UCLA in 2002, Bareilles performed at local bars and clubs. She issued two demos of mostly live tracks in 2003: The First One in April and The Summer Sessions in October.
In January 2004, Bareilles released her first studio album, Careful Confessions. She signed a contract with Epic Records' A&R executive Pete Giberga on April 15, 2005. The remainder of the year and early 2006 was spent writing and reworking songs for her upcoming album.
Her debut major-label album Little Voice came out on July 17, 2007.
Machine Gun
Sara Bareilles Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Completely ignore me
Gettin' high off of saying
Why you don't adore me
Baby, please, I'm well-versed
In how I might be cursed
I don't need it articulated
Stand in line wasting
All of your time, just to hate me
Every dime gone to ways
You can find that might bait me
And drag me down, sight set proudly
Bring me to the ground see
You love to be somebody's enemy
Maybe nobody loved you when you were young
Maybe, boy, when you cry, nobody ever comes
Will you try it once?
Give up the machine gun
Machine gun, yeah
Locked and loaded
You're practically floating away now
In your fortress you feel like
You're more or less safe now
But let me say, I don't mean harm
Oh, but, baby, you'd be charming if you'd come undone
Get back where you started from
Maybe nobody loved you when you were young
Maybe, boy, when you cry, nobody ever comes
Will you try it once?
Give up the machine gun
Machine gun
Never mind how you've rationed your time
And the battle is underway
Maybe times are gonna change
Don't just hide in the silence behind
What you've really been trying to say
What a skill, baby, aiming to kill me
With words you don't mean
Maybe nobody loved you when you were young
Maybe, boy, when you cry, nobody ever comes
Will you try it once?
Give up the machine gun
Will you try it once?
Give up the machine gun
Will you try it once?
Give up the machine gun
Machine gun
Yeah
The lyrics to Sara Bareilles's "Machine Gun" deal with the theme of being targeted by a person who is aggressively trying to bring the singer down. The singer acknowledges that this person has given them a lot of pain and that they know that the attacker enjoys being an enemy to someone. The chorus has the lyrics "Maybe nobody loved you when you were young / Maybe, boy, when you cry, nobody ever comes / Will you try it once? / Give up the machine gun," which could be interpreted as the singer asking the attacker to consider what events from their past may have caused them to become so aggressive and hurtful towards others. The singer encourages the attacker to try a different approach and to deal with their issues in a healthier way.
In one line, the singer says "Get back where you started from," emphasizing the idea that the attacker's behavior is both misguided and born of their own pain. Later lyrics in the song stress the importance of communication, as the singer encourages the attacker to speak plainly and avoid causing harm through indirect negative actions. Overall, the song suggests that aggressive behavior is rooted in deeper emotional issues, and that the best way to move forward is to confront that pain and learn how to deal with it in a healthier way.
Line by Line Meaning
Tell me off in a letter
Express your anger towards me through a written correspondence, instead of engaging in face-to-face confrontation
Completely ignore me
Pretend that I don't exist, or that I'm not worth responding to
Gettin' high off of saying
Derive pleasure from verbally expressing negative feelings towards me
Why you don't adore me
Questioning why I don't show affection, admiration or approval towards you
Baby, please, I'm well-versed
I am accustomed to and experienced in dealing with difficult situations
In how I might be cursed
Aware of being the recipient of disdain, condemnation, or negativity
I don't need it articulated
I don't require it to be communicated more clearly or directly
Stand in line wasting
Standing in line to dedicate a considerable amount of time, effort and resources to express hatred or dislike towards me
All of your time, just to hate me
Spending all your time detesting, resenting, or despising me
Every dime gone to ways
All the money you've spent is in hopes of finding something that would hurt or harm me
You can find that might bait me
Looking for ways to provoke, taunt or upset me
And drag me down, sight set proudly
Taking satisfaction in your efforts to demolish and destroy me
Bring me to the ground see
Wishing to bring me to a lower or inferior state
You love to be somebody's enemy
You take pleasure in positioning yourself as my opponent or adversary, and feel a sense of fulfillment in doing so
Maybe nobody loved you when you were young
It is possible that you weren't shown enough love, care or attention during your childhood
Maybe, boy, when you cry, nobody ever comes
You might have felt rejected, ignored, or left alone during moments of vulnerability
Will you try it once?
Would you be willing to attempt a different approach or mindset?
Give up the machine gun
Abandon your habit of belittling me, using weapons of words to hurt or harm me
Locked and loaded
Ready and prepared to attack at any given moment
You're practically floating away now
You're beginning to detach from reality, getting lost in your own thoughts and emotions
In your fortress you feel like
Feeling invincible, but in reality merely isolated and trapped
You're more or less safe now
You might perceive yourself as protected and secure, but in actuality there is still danger and harm present
But let me say, I don't mean harm
My intention is not to hurt or harm you in any way
Oh, but, baby, you'd be charming if you'd come undone
You might be more appealing or attractive if you were more vulnerable, less guarded and less defensive
Get back where you started from
Return to the state or mindset you were in prior to the negativity and hostility towards me
Never mind how you've rationed your time
Disregard how you have segmented or allotted your time to target and disparage me
And the battle is underway
The conflict between us has already begun and is ongoing
Maybe times are gonna change
It's possible that the circumstances could shift, leading to a more positive outcome
Don't just hide in the silence behind
Don't resort to silence or avoidance as a means of expressing yourself, rather communicate clearly and directly
What you've really been trying to say
Speak your truth, express your genuine emotions and feelings
What a skill, baby, aiming to kill me
It takes a considerable amount of effort and energy to target me with such negative and harmful comments and behavior
With words you don't mean
Using words that are insincere, not genuine or untrue can be equally as harmful as words that are meant to hurt
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Sara Beth Bareilles
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind