Little is known about the Protomen, other than the band is based in Nashville, Tennessee. Because the band often responds to interviews and questions in-character, their own descriptions of their history are delivered with the dramatic flair of their storyline concept and their comments can not always be taken at face value. Their code-names are largely references to pop culture films, song titles, and fictional characters.
The band is composed mostly of MTSU recording program graduates, and first came to be so they could meet class deadlines and the need to record for [their] grades. They produced their first album over two years in various Murfreesboro studios, using analog rather than digital production. Most of the band had graduated and moved to Nashville by 2005.
Group member Commander has stated that their first album was deliberately designed to sound like "distorted pencil sharpeners about 90% of the time" and "was made specifically to go against everything our recording teachers and fellow students were trying to feed us about making everything sound pristine and 'perfect.'. The tracks were mixed on analog tape.
In a 2009 interview, lead vocalist Panther stated, "We basically gathered up all of our good friends from the local rock bands of Murfreesboro, tied ourselves together, and tried to walk. And somehow it worked. At the time, we noticed a void in rock and roll. A hole that could only really be filled with grown men and women painting up like robots and playing some fierce and furious rock music based on a 1980's video game. We were fairly certain no one else was going to fill that hole. But, by god, it's filled now. You can thank us later."
The band has strong ties to the Murfreesboro and Nashville independent music scene, and some members are integrated into several bands simultaneously.
Give Us The Rope
The Protomen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Human choir:
Give us the doctor!
Give us the rope!
Light was shuffled through the crowd and into an awaiting car.
Give us his feet!
Give us the doctor!
Give us the rope!
The car maneuvered slowly through the sea of people.
Give us a grave!
Give us a shovel!
Give us a marker!
Give us the doctor!
Give us the rope!
Light and his police escort slowly moved south through the streets of the city. The commotion of the crowd finally faded in the distance. With every man, woman and child at the courthouse, the streets they traveled were empty and deserted. Knowing that the crowd would surely be following, they accelerated rapidly towards the old train station. Light's only chance was to get out of town.
The station was oddly quiet. Vacant. In the distance, however, he could hear the crowd advancing. Following. A crushing fear overcame his crippling apathy. He quickly stepped from the platform to the waiting train. It was completely empty. The doors shut and the engine hissed and pulled away from the station. Light looked across the skyline to the tower he'd helped create. His gaze climbed to the top and stopped at the giant screen. Albert's face was screaming at the crowd. Whipping them into a frenzy. This was his city now.
Light was gone.
His name destroyed.
His work stolen.
His love murdered.
But the city...
The city was alive.
The Protomen's song Give Us The Rope is a powerful commentary on the dangers of blindly following a charismatic leader and the ease with which people can be swayed towards violence. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of a mob mentality, with the crowd chanting for the doctor and the rope, suggesting a lynching or public execution. The character of Light is being escorted out of the courthouse by police, implying he has been put on trial for a crime or is in danger because of his association with the doctor. As he is shuffled through the crowd and into a waiting car, the chanting intensifies, with demands for Light's hands, feet, and ultimately his life.
Line by Line Meaning
Give us the doctor!
The people want to punish Light, who they see as responsible for the problems in the city, by hanging him.
Give us the rope!
The people are asking for a noose to hang Light and use him as an example for others who might try to do what he did.
Give us his hands!
The people want to take everything away from Light, they want to symbolically cut his hands off.
Give us his feet!
The people want to take everything away from Light, they want to symbolically cut his feet off.
Give us the doctor!
The people want to physically punish Light, who they view as responsible for their struggles.
Give us the rope!
The people want to hang Light and make sure that he's punished for his crimes.
Give us a grave!
The people want Light dead and buried, so he can't keep causing problems for the city.
Give us a shovel!
The people need a shovel to dig the grave for Light's punishment.
Give us a marker!
The people want to be sure that the grave where Light is buried is marked, so they can remember what happened to him and feel safer.
Give us the doctor!
The people continue to demand Light's punishment, viewing him as responsible for the city's issues.
Give us the rope!
The people want to make sure that Light is hung as punishment for his actions.
Contributed by Molly V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@mittyZX
I'd love a full stage musical but yeah, a movie would be awesome.
@dorkandproudofit
If they had been around in the 80s, we'd have had a movie a long time ago. With David Bowie as Wily.
@snowballthepro2926
If they do a movie today they better get Paul Giamatti as Dr. Willy
@megamario2046
This song is the perfect way to describe every town of salem game I've played.
@Suukisan
yeah.
@MatthewCampbell765
Y'know, Light has some balls to try and save the people who tried to lynch him.
@ImJCyo
At some point I don't think he really did it for them but to avenge Emily's death with Wily's head. But he fails at every corner because the people who are alive and need saving really don't want to be saved. They want a martyr. The idea of a hero, when they won't stand for themselves.
@fokjohnpainkiller
@@ImJCyo This, exactly this. But Megaman's naive and later on finds the truth about Protoman not being murdered and working for Wily. He then leaves humanity to itself and fucks off like Light would if he didn't care about revenge
@UGSchoolboy
never has an angry mob sounded so good
@Sabatuar
Talk about the kind of mob song that never looses it's relevance.