The Bear Quartet are Mattias Alkberg on vocals and guitar, Jari Haapalainen on guitar, Peter Nuottaniemi on bass guitar, Jejo Perkovic on drums and Carl Olsson on keyboards. Peter and Mattias write the lyrics, Mattias, Jari and Carl write the music.
The Bear Quartet have spawned many side projects, they can almost be seen as the "hub" of Swedish pop music. Mattias sings and plays in Mattias Alkberg BD, whose debut album Tunaskolan released in 2004 was very well received by the critics and audience. Punk in Swedish. Jari produces lots of other artists, such as Nicolai Dunger, Ed Harcourt, Kristofer Åström, The Concretes and Frida Hyvönen, and plays with Maria from The Concretes in Heikki. Carl has Paddington DC, some kind of noise electro pop.
The name "Bear Quartet" is taken from Klas Östergrens book Gentlemen.
The album titles follow an interesting naming scheme: every title is two words, of which the first ends with a "y".
All albums are released on Skellefteå-based independent label A West Side Fabrication.
Machine Gun
The Bear Quartet Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
your time is gonna come
any day may have a bullet with your name on it
some people are very sick of you
and they know just what to do
about it, yeah
no one is gonna miss you
so sleep now, wake up and look into the deadly end of a machine gun
wrongdoings have been done to some
far too long
here's what I'm thinking about
if everybody has a purpose
then let's just say
you failed in serving yours
no one is gonna miss you
except maybe for those who gonna go the same way
sleep now, wake up and look into the deadly end of a machine gun
no one is gonna miss you
except maybe for those who gonna go the same way
sleep now, wake up and look into the deadly end of a machine gun
look into the deadly end of a machine gun
look into the deadly end of a machine gun
look into the deadly end of a machine gun
a machine gun
The Bear Quartet's song "Machine Gun" presents a bleak and unsettling vision of a world in which violence and conflict seem to be imminent. The singer addresses someone who has grown complacent and self-assured, warning them that their security is illusory and that they may soon fall victim to the retribution of people who are "sick of" them. The song's chorus is particularly chilling, as it describes the inevitable fate of someone so widely disliked and unmissed: to "sleep now, wake up and look into the deadly end of a machine gun."
The song seems to suggest that the senseless violence of war and conflict is the result of individuals failing to fulfill their "purpose," whatever that may be. It's a bleak and cynical view of humanity, one that offers little hope for redemption or meaning.
Overall, "Machine Gun" is a powerful and disturbing work of art, one that forces the listener to confront the uncomfortable truths about violence and aggression in the world around us.
Line by Line Meaning
you shouldn't feel so secure
You think you're immune to danger, but you're not
your time is gonna come
You will face the consequences of your actions eventually
any day may have a bullet with your name on it
No one is safe from the retribution that awaits them
some people are very sick of you
There are those who harbor resentment towards you
and they know just what to do
They have a plan for how to deal with you
about it, yeah
And they're not afraid to execute it
no one is gonna miss you
Your absence will not be mourned by many
except maybe for those who gonna go the same way
Unless they too share your fate
so sleep now, wake up and look into the deadly end of a machine gun
Prepare to face the end that you deserve
wrongdoings have been done to some
You have caused harm to others
far too long
For an extended period of time
here's what I'm thinking about
Here's my plan
if everybody has a purpose
Assuming everyone has a reason for being
then let's just say
In your case specifically,
you failed in serving yours
You have not fulfilled your intended purpose
look into the deadly end of a machine gun
Face the consequences of your actions
a machine gun
An instrument of punishment and retribution
Contributed by Annabelle S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.