Fighting
The Rifles Lyrics


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She's making phone calls late at night to her best
friend's husband
He's exchanging devious words behind his miss's back
Instead he's a snake dressed up as a man
and he'll take her for all that he can
when his wife finds out there will be, there will be

Fighting down on my street (x4)

Instead his wife is ?--------? she never do the ?---?
She'll do the dishes and the dinner's on the table
when he's back home by 7:30
Instead he's a snake dressed up as a man
and he'll take her for all that he can
when his wife finds out there will be, there will be

Fighting down on my street (x4)

And when the kids come home from school it's half past 3
to find their mother spilling tear drops in her tea
Don't worry (Don't worry)





Fighting down on my street (x4)

Overall Meaning

The Rifles's song "Fighting" explores the theme of infidelity and its consequences. The lyrics depict a woman engaging in late-night phone calls with her best friend's husband, who is portrayed as a deceitful and scheming man disguised as a respectable person. He is essentially a snake in human form, hiding his true intentions behind a facade of civility. The chorus warns of an impending showdown between the spouses, with the lines "when his wife finds out there will be, there will be fighting down on my street" suggesting physical altercation.


The second verse shifts focus to the wife, who is portrayed as a dutiful and submissive partner, always ready to cook dinner and perform household chores. The contrast between her behavior and that of her husband's lover highlights the moral decay and corruption of the latter. The verse further emphasizes the impending confrontation between the two spouses and how the children will be affected. The line "to find their mother spilling tear drops in her tea" is a poignant reminder of the emotional turmoil that such situations cause.


Overall, the song offers a critique of the culture of infidelity and the harm it can inflict on families and individuals. The lyrics vividly depict the consequences of marital disloyalty and suggest that the repercussions are not limited to the parties involved but extend to their children and the wider society.


Line by Line Meaning

She's making phone calls late at night to her best friend's husband
She's cheating on her friend by talking to her husband in secret, late at night.


He's exchanging devious words behind his miss's back
He's talking badly about his partner behind their back, and likely engaging in other unfaithful behaviors.


Instead he's a snake dressed up as a man and he'll take her for all that he can when his wife finds out there will be, there will be
He's not the man he pretends to be, and he plans to exploit the woman he's cheating with for all he can. When his partner inevitably finds out, there will be consequences.


Instead his wife is ?--------? she never do the ?---? She'll do the dishes and the dinner's on the table when he's back home by 7:30
His wife is a good woman who takes care of the home and her family, always cooking and cleaning for her unfaithful partner, who expects her to be waiting for him when he gets home.


And when the kids come home from school it's half past 3 to find their mother spilling tear drops in her tea Don't worry (Don't worry)
The children come home to find their mother upset and crying, likely due to the stress and pain caused by her partner's infidelity. The lyrics offer a brief reassurance that everything will be okay, despite the turmoil.


Fighting down on my street (x4)
The repeated chorus emphasizes the tension and conflict caused by the infidelity, with fighting happening on the street due to the fallout of these relationships.




Contributed by Lauren J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Comments from YouTube:

jaapzio

The Rifles could make a album, just by making use of there b-sides !! One of the greatest bands!!

Paul Third

this is what the rifles are about, the new album is very much like they've just let in to the mainstream indie scene, they sound like the courteeners in places (romeo and julie especially), they just havent been able to recreate the sound of their first album and on b-sides such as this

jjdecaff

if they was going mainstream they would of put the "mainstream sounding stuff" out as a single , wich they havent. so they obviously arent.

jjdecaff

Yeah, they are well mainstream now, because i hear them on radio one all day . . . . . not. Taking mirror pictures of yourself is hilarious though.

trevor kandol

Courteeners have been around since 2006....what about the Rifles? 2004 you numpty

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