The reactivated band released a new EP, a new split with hardcore band Touché Amoré in October 2012, and a new album entitled Real Fear on the No Sleep label in November 2012.
Bill and Axe
The Casket Lottery Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ago,
This summer,
Our lives crossed
Paths,
And ever since,
Then and there,
You've been my past
I'm holding on,
To days when
We couldn't
Sit still.
We laughed our
Asses off
Together,
Half my life.
I know you better than anyone.
Let's sneak out,
Nightswim off the dock,
Get back at sun up,
And then talk.
I bet you five bucks
I can hit that house
With this rock.
"Don't John!"
"Don't wake up the neighbors..."
The Casket Lottery's song "Bill and Axe" is a nostalgic and sentimental ode to a long-standing friendship. The opening lines set the scene of how the two friends met, some years ago, during one summer where their lives first crossed paths. The lyrics then proceed to acknowledge the importance of this friendship in the singer's life, with the person addressed as both a past and brother figure. The lines "I'm holding on, to days when/We couldn't sit still" capture their shared sense of youthful restlessness and energy, while "We laughed our asses off together, half my life" reminisces about the countless moments of pure joy and laughter between them.
The second half of the song paints a vivid picture of the kind of activities they used to engage in, and how they still yearn for those carefree days. The lines "Let's sneak out, nightswim off the dock,/Get back at sun up, and then talk" conjure up an image of two friends sneaking out at night to engage in a mischievous adventure, only to settle down and have a heart-to-heart conversation when the night is over. The line "I bet you five bucks I can hit that house with this rock" adds an element of playful competition, while the final lyrics "Don't John!/Don't wake up the neighbors..." exude a sense of camaraderie and mutual understanding that only deepens the emotional bond between the two friends.
Line by Line Meaning
Some years
The song is talking about events that happened in the past, signifying nostalgia.
Ago,
It was a long while back when it all started.
This summer,
During that particular summer season something memorable happened.
Our lives crossed
The singer and Bill's path met at some point.
Paths,
Their path reminds them of something significant that happened in their past.
And ever since,
From that moment when they crossed paths, things changed and have remained so till this moment.
Then and there,
The encounter with Bill was a significant one that happened spontaneously, almost as if it was fated.
You've been my past
Bill is a person who holds a special place in the singer's memories of the past, and to some extent they are still clinging to that memory of him.
And brother.
The singer considers Bill a brother figure, something that they will always cherish.
I'm holding on,
The singer is still trying to hold on to the past and cherish the memories they shared with Bill, even though time has passed.
To days when
The line is talking about a time in the past when something particular happened and the singer and Bill bonded.
We couldn't
Neither the singer nor Bill could contain their happiness and excitement during that period.
Sit still.
The two were restless and lively, unable to stay calm during that period.
We laughed our
They had a lot of good memories together, which the singer cherishes deeply, although time has passed.
Asses off
They laughed so hard that to this day, the memory still brings a smile to the singer's face whenever he thinks of it.
Together,
This signifies their bond and how close they were to one another in that particular period of time.
Half my life.
They've been together for such an extended period that it's almost half of the singer’s life.
I know you better than anyone.
The singer and Bill had such a deep connection that the singer knew Bill inside and out of him, probably more than anyone else.
Let's sneak out,
The singer wants to relive the old times with Bill and sneak out, just like they used to do.
Nightswim off the dock,
The kinds of things which they used to do together, like sneaking out to swim at night, signify their closeness and the extent of their friendship.
Get back at sun up,
Similar to the past, the singer wants to do something crazy with Bill like sneaking out to swim and then arrive back early in the morning.
And then talk.
After an eventful night together, the two want to talk and share their stories, probably relive the past during a more intimate moment.
I bet you five bucks
The bet is a sign of the comfort and trust between the two
I can hit that house
The singer and Bill had inside jokes and short-lived side games, which were part and parcel of their bond and the memories they shared.
With this rock.
They used to do some not so reasonable things together, but it was all part of the fun.
"Don't John!"
This line is probably just another inside joke that the two share and something that reminds them of the great times they had together.
"Don't wake up the neighbors..."
They were probably pulling a prank similar to what they used to do back in the old days, and the singer doesn't want them to be caught.
Contributed by Ian H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.