The Casket Lottery are an indie-rock/midwest emo band from Kansas City, USA… Read Full Bio ↴The Casket Lottery are an indie-rock/midwest emo band from Kansas City, USA. Coalesce's Nathan Ellis (guitar/vocals) and Stacy Hilt (bass) founded the Casket Lottery in the year 1997 and composed a sound around crashing emo-tailored lyrics and heavy guitar work. They picked up drummer Nathan Richardson just in time for tours with Rainer Maria, Small Brown Bike, Sweep the Leg Johnny, and Waxwing. Several EPs and homemade releases were issued prior to the band's proper debut, Choose Bronze, on Second Nature Recordings in 1999. A year later, Moving Mountains was released, showcasing the Casket Lottery's growing sound. A third record, Survival Is for Cowards, coincided with a Coalesce reunion in spring 2002. A year later, the band collected a handful of oddities and rarities for Possiblies and Maybes, beginning a long hiatus.

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.

What I
The Casket Lottery Lyrics

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(Oh me of little faith...) Offer nothing to believers, but words. whether the hand of God, or the work of the Devil. the burden is upon my shoulders. (All these words whispered in my ears...) Nothing is sacred, for we are all sheep (All these words whispered in the air...). I'm not the sheperd by any means. I'm merely the man with schematics for building the bridge. sacrificed by hands.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to The Casket Lottery's song "What I Built Last Night" seem to express a sense of doubt, perhaps even nihilism, on the part of the singer. The opening line, "Oh me of little faith...", suggests that the singer lacks confidence or trust in their own beliefs or abilities. This is reinforced by the next line, "Offer nothing to believers, but words", which implies that the singer's words are empty or lacking in substance. Despite this, the singer acknowledges the weight of responsibility that comes with believing in something, whether it be God or the Devil.

The next few lines suggest a sense of disillusionment with religion or authority, as the singer proclaims that "nothing is sacred, for we are all sheep". It seems as though the singer is rejecting the idea of blindly following others or adhering to strict doctrine or dogma. However, the following line ("I'm not the shepherd by any means") suggests that the singer feels powerless or insignificant in the grand scheme of things. Instead, they see themselves as "merely the man with schematics for building the bridge", someone who is instrumental in making connections or bridging gaps but ultimately expendable or sacrificial.

Line by Line Meaning

(Oh me of little faith...)
I don't have anything to offer to those who believe in a higher power, whether it's due to divine intervention or demonic forces. Regardless, I bear the weight of this responsibility on my own.

Offer nothing to believers, but words.
I can't provide any tangible proof of my beliefs to those who already have faith. All I have are words to express my own doubts and fears.

whether the hand of God, or the work of the Devil.
I question whether the events in my life are due to divine intervention or if they are the result of evil forces at work.

the burden is upon my shoulders.
Regardless of the cause, the responsibility for what happens in my life falls on me.

(All these words whispered in my ears...)
I hear a lot of talk about faith and religion, but none of it feels sacred or authentic anymore.

Nothing is sacred, for we are all sheep
Because we blindly follow others and conform to societal norms, nothing feels truly special or important in our lives.

(All these words whispered in the air...)
Despite all the talk of religion and faith, I don't feel like anyone is really leading or guiding me.

I'm not the sheperd by any means.
I don't feel like I have the ability to lead or guide others on their paths to faith and enlightenment.

I'm merely the man with schematics for building the bridge.
Instead, I see myself as someone who can provide the tools and knowledge for others to construct their own spiritual paths.

sacrificed by hands.
Despite my doubts and struggles with faith, I am still a part of a larger community whose members have given their lives to their beliefs.

Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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Comments from YouTube:

Ryan Bays

4y↑4

Most underrated band of all time, how do these guys not blow the fuck up? Friggin 🐐

Chad Mulligan

Bout 20 years too late

LyburnumWitsEndLiberationFly

3y↑4

Incredible song, the album is consistently great too!

ridingincircles

Have to appreciate that autofill suggested them after having only typed in "CA". I listened to these guys so much 20 years ago, but haven't been on my radar in a long time. Definitely a treat to hit play and hear the same band I was listening to all those years ago. Just as energetic, just as melodic, and yet possibly even better.