Formed in 1985, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones started playing in Boston clubs in the mid-1980s. After a brief period of inactivity due to the schooling commitments of its members, they reformed and released their album Devil's Night Out on Taang! Records. The Bosstones toured relentlessly throughout the 1990s, playing hundreds of shows a year, releasing albums and spinning off the popular rock radio hit "Someday I Suppose". They were eventually signed to Mercury Records. The band appeared in the movie Clueless. In 1997, the success of their single "The Impression That I Get" and its follow up, "The Rascal King" earned them mainstream recognition. In 2000 they put out their critically acclaimed disk Pay Attention. The Mighty Mighty Bosstones released their last album on Side One Dummy Records. They officially went on hiatus in 2003, citing too much time on the road and desire to branch out and do different things. In 2007, the Bosstones announced that they were reforming. They played their 10th Hometown Throwdown in Boston and released a new album, Medium Rare, which consists of rare B-sides, and 3 new songs, including the single, "Don't Worry Desmond Dekker".
The band announced their split in early 2022.
Like a Shotgun
The Mighty Mighty Bosstones Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I just had a way of living I enjoyed
A selfish way to live but by design
I was so self centered at the time
You were us and I was only me
And you were only waiting patiently
And if I told this to you I'm not sure
That I'm so goddamn insecure
A far more much much greater force
Can knock you back and off of course
Like a shotgun if there ever was one
Looked down the barrel of a loaded gun
And it was not intentional
And I am unconventional
Knocked down with a shotgun blast
I got a feeling that it's gonna last
And if it's happening to me
I'm as happy as someone like me
could be
I'm not so sure but what I said was true
That's no excuse for what I put you through
And it's awful if that's how you feel
I'm awfully sorry for the whole ordeal
The sadness and the sorrow and the pain
I swear to God and promise once again
That I will get around to showing you
So now I'm goddamn going to
A far more much much greater force
Can knock you back and off of course
Like a shotgun if there ever was one
Looked down the barrel of a loaded gun
And it was not intentional
And I am unconventional
Knocked down with a shotgun blast
I got a feeling that it's gonna last
And if it's happening to me
I'm as happy as someone like me
Could be now
Could be now
Like a shotgun if there ever was one
Looked down the barrel of a loaded gun
And it was not intentional
And I am unconventional
Knocked down with a shotgun blast
I got a feeling that it's gonna last
And if it's happening to me
I'm as happy as someone like me
Someone like me could be
Could be now
The lyrics of The Mighty Mighty Bosstones's song "Like a Shotgun" explore themes of self-centeredness, guilt, and pain. The singer recounts a time when they were living selfishly, only thinking of themselves while their partner was patiently waiting for them to realize the importance of their relationship. However, something greater than themselves knocks them off course, like a shotgun blast, and they realize the error of their ways. The singer is filled with remorse and apologizes for the pain they caused, vowing to make things right. Even though they have been knocked down, they are still happy because they see the potential for change and growth.
The metaphor of a shotgun is used throughout the song to represent the unexpected and transformative power of life. It is a force that can knock you down, but it can also help you see things in a new light. The singer acknowledges that their behavior was selfish, but they are also aware of their own insecurity and fear of vulnerability. The line "And if it's happening to me, I'm as happy as someone like me could be" speaks to the idea that even though change can be difficult and painful, it is necessary for growth and happiness.
Overall, the lyrics of "Like a Shotgun" show a person coming to grips with their flaws and mistakes, but also recognizing the potential for positive change. It is a song that encourages self-reflection and growth, even in the face of difficult circumstances.
Line by Line Meaning
There is no argument here to avoid
There's no discussion to be had because this is the way it is
And I just had a way of living I enjoyed
I used to live selfishly and I liked it
A selfish way to live but by design
I made a conscious decision to live selfishly
I was so self centered at the time
I was only thinking about myself back then
You were us and I was only me
You were thinking about us, but I only thought about myself
And you were only waiting patiently
You were waiting for me to change
And if I told this to you I'm not sure
I'm not certain if I ever told you this
That I'm so goddamn insecure
I'm extremely insecure
A far more much much greater force
A much larger and stronger force
Can knock you back and off of course
It can throw you off your path
Like a shotgun if there ever was one
Just like the impact of a shotgun blast
Looked down the barrel of a loaded gun
I faced a dangerous situation
And it was not intentional
It wasn't done on purpose
And I am unconventional
I'm not a typical person
Knocked down with a shotgun blast
I was hit hard by something unexpected
I got a feeling that it's gonna last
I have a sense that this experience will have a lasting impact
And if it's happening to me
If this is happening to me
I'm as happy as someone like me could be
I'm content with my situation, even if it's not ideal
I'm not so sure but what I said was true
I'm not completely certain, but I think what I said was correct
That's no excuse for what I put you through
Even if what I said was true, it doesn't justify my behavior towards you
And it's awful if that's how you feel
It's terrible if that's how you perceive the situation
I'm awfully sorry for the whole ordeal
I'm very sorry for everything that happened
The sadness and the sorrow and the pain
All the negative emotions and experiences
I swear to God and promise once again
I'm making a solemn oath and repeating my promise to you
That I will get around to showing you
I will make an effort to demonstrate my sincerity to you
So now I'm goddamn going to
I'm determined to do it now
Someone like me could be now
Even someone like me could be happy now
Contributed by Kaitlyn K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.