Spanish Gamble was not always known by that moniker. Formed as Dirty Money … Read Full Bio ↴Spanish Gamble was not always known by that moniker. Formed as Dirty Money in 2007, the band went out and made a name for themselves by playing gritty punk songs in warehouses and basements from their hometown in Gainesville, FL to the rest of the US. They self-released their first EP “Far From Home,” as well as releasing two split 7 inches (one with underground hip-hop artist GDP on Division East Records and the other with the UK’s own OK Pilot on Failsafe Records).

In late 2008, the three-piece added a fourth member and began writing for a full-length. The band and songs had evolved and taken on a new life to a point where a name-change seemed necessary. They decided on Spanish Gamble as their new chosen name and drew a line between their past and the future. Their influences are eclectic, yet their sound is cohesive. While the members are not all Gainesville natives, they fit in nicely with the scene of gruff and catchy music found in the southern punk mecca.

However, it is not to say that they are just another punk band from Gainesville. They have spent a considerable amount of time demoing new songs for their upcoming record with Roger from Less Than Jake and will be venturing out to Oakland, CA to record with Ryan Massey of American Steel in his Sharkbite Studios. The album is to be called “It’s All Coming Down” and much of the lyrical content has to do with finding a sense of purpose in the world. This time around the songs are tighter and more collaborative.

One might be hard-pressed to recognize these young men as the same Dirty Money that slept on your floor just a couple of short years ago. Well they’re not. They are Spanish Gamble, and they’re focused, they’re tight, and these new songs will surely blow you away. The bands ability to at once be catchy and stray away from formulas has created a dynamic combination of excellent sonic qualities. Expect the band to be on the road relentlessly once the album is released and get ready to sing along.

The Art of Settling
Spanish Gamble Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I won't play this charade with you
Your sights are set on the wrong goals
How many times can we watch the same fucking thing?
How many times can we sing the same song until we break?

It's the same bands, the same show
The same song It goes on and on
I think we all know how this night will go

And excuse me but complacency
Just drives me crazy
It's time for something else
I need something new

I don't care what your board post says
Cause I'm alive in reality

I'm reminded everyday
You're not helping the ones in need
Your only focus is pushing your own popularity

It's the same bands, the same show
The same song It goes on and on
I think we all know how this night will go
And excuse me but complacency
Just drives me crazy
It's time for something else
I need something new

I hope I'm not a part of this
I hope I'm not a part of this
I hope we're not a part of this
I hope we're not a part of this

I want to get out
I want to get out
I want to get out
I want fucking out!

It's the same bands, the same show
The same song It goes on and on
I think we all know how this night will go
And excuse me but complacency
Just drives me crazy

It's time for something else
It's time for something new

Overall Meaning

The song "The Art of Settling" by Spanish Gamble is a criticism of the stagnant, repetitiveness of the music scene. The singer expressed dissatisfaction with the lack of creativity in the scene, and how it became a cycle of the same songs played by the same bands. The lyrics "How many times can we watch the same fucking thing?" and "It's time for something new" illustrate this frustration. The singer also called out the hypocrisy of some individuals who are more concerned about their popularity rather than helping those in need. The lyrics "Your only focus is pushing your own popularity" serve as a critique of such behavior.

The repetition of "I hope we're not a part of this" and "I want to get out" suggests that the singer does not want to be part of this cycle and wants to break out of it. The tone of the song is urgent, and the repetition of "I want to get out" reflects the sense of entrapment and the yearning to break free from the confines of the scene.

Line by Line Meaning

I won't play this charade with you
I refuse to participate in this pretense with you.

Your sights are set on the wrong goals
You are pursuing the wrong objectives.

How many times can we watch the same fucking thing?
How often do we need to witness the exact same monotonous event?

How many times can we sing the same song until we break?
When will we reach our limit of repetition before we snap?

It's the same bands, the same show
The performers and their act remain unchanged.

The same song It goes on and on
The music drags on endlessly.

I think we all know how this night will go
We can predict the expected outcome of this evening.

And excuse me but complacency
Pardon me, but passiveness and comfortability

Just drives me crazy
Simply drives me mad.

It's time for something else
A change is necessary.

I need something new
I crave originality and freshness.