Mishra, a straight edger and ex-Marxist, often incorporates political concerns in his songs veiled in terms of personal relationships (as in his only hit). After a troubled working relationship with EMI Records, Mishra was dropped from the label in 1997 and since then has gone back to working with indie labels like Parasol Records. His last album, 2000's Peek & Poke, received moderately enthusiastic reviews but sold pitifully compared to his major label work.
In 2005 White Town contributed the song "The PNAC Cabal" to the charity album "Voyces United for UNHCR" (Voyces United for UNHCR (disc 1)).
In October 2006 White Town released a new album, Don't Mention The War on Mishra's own label, Bzangy Records.
If I Had A Gun
White Town Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I could quickly even up the score
If I had a gun
I'd never make you feel so unsure
But you'd just stare at me
You could never share with me, and
One by one, I would hunt down all my enemies
To the metro station just last week
But you'd just stare at me
You would never care for me
And do you know how it feels
To be less than a boy?
Do you know how it feels
To be less than a girl?
If I had a gun
I could teach the fascists how to cry
If I had a gun i would blow that gun south
And watch them die
But you'd just stare at me
You could never share with me and
One by onе
I would hunt down all their racist kind
Put a gun against their skin and brains
And finally blow their mind
But you'd just starе at me
You could never care for me
And do you know how it feels
To be less than a boy?
Do you know how it feels
To be less than a girl?
To be nothing in this world
I let your love slip away, through my fingers
I've tried the same with my hate
But it still lingers
And every time that I'm up
Well they knock me back down
They'd never dare take the chance If I only
Only if I only had a gun
If I had a gun
The lyrics of White Town's song "If I Had A Gun" depict a fantasy of the singer, who craves the ability to take control of his life through possessing a weapon. The singer reveals that he feels powerless and marginalized, suggesting that the presence of a gun would give him a sense of justice and power. He imagines himself as a vigilante, taking down racists and fascists that he perceives as threatening and cruel. The repetition of the phrase "But you'd just stare at me" suggests that the singer's desire for a gun will never be fulfilled, as the people around him are indifferent to his struggles and emotions. The chorus of the song questions gender norms and stereotypes, suggesting that the singer feels alienated and inadequate in a society that values traditional gender roles.
The song speaks to themes of violence, masculinity, powerlessness, and revenge. It critiques the societal norms that dictate who is allowed to possess a gun and who is not, and portrays the desire for a weapon as a symptom of a larger societal problem. The use of violent language and imagery throughout the song speaks to the frustration and anger that the singer feels towards the world around him, which he sees as hostile and unjust.
Line by Line Meaning
If I had a gun
The singer desires to have a gun in order to achieve their desired outcomes.
I could quickly even up the score
The singer believes that having a gun will allow them to settle personal grievances and achieve retribution faster.
I'd never make you feel so unsure
The singer asserts that having a gun would result in them being more assertive and confident, and not hesitant or unsure.
But you'd just stare at me
The artist acknowledges that their desire for a gun is not understood or shared by others.
You could never share with me, and
The artist recognizes that others do not empathize with them fully, and that their desire for a gun is isolated.
One by one, I would hunt down all my enemies
The singer fantasizes about targeting and punishing those who negatively impact them.
From my playground days
The singer's resentment towards their enemies dates back to their childhood.
To the metro station just last week
The artist's enemies are not limited to a specific place or time.
You would never care for me
The artist believes that their desire for a gun is something that others will not take seriously or care about.
And do you know how it feels
The artist is attempting to convey the depth of their emotions to someone else.
To be less than a boy?
The singer feels emasculated, weak or powerless.
To be less than a girl?
The artist feels vulnerable, oppressed or marginalized.
I could teach the fascists how to cry
The singer desires to use a gun to exert power over those who hold oppressive ideologies.
If I had a gun i would blow that gun south
The singer's desire to acquire a gun is linked to a specific geographic place or people, whom they wish to harm.
And watch them die
The singer wants to witness their enemies suffer or be destroyed.
One by onе
The artist has a specific, targeted approach in mind for punishing their enemies.
I would hunt down all their racist kind
The artist wants to use a gun as a means of punishing those who promote racist ideologies.
Put a gun against their skin and brains
The singer visualizes physically threatening their enemies with a gun to produce a desired outcome.
And finally blow their mind
The singer wants to take strong, drastic action to punish and eliminate their enemies.
To be nothing in this world
The artist feels worthless, invisible, or lacking impact in their life.
I let your love slip away, through my fingers
The artist has experienced loss and regret regarding a specific romantic relationship.
I've tried the same with my hate
The artist has attempted to release or forget their hateful feelings, but has not been successful.
But it still lingers
The singer's hateful feelings continue to influence their behavior and thoughts, and have not dissipated over time.
And every time that I'm up
The artist sees victory or progress at times, but acknowledges that it is not long-lasting.
Well they knock me back down
The singer experiences setbacks and failures that stall their progress or efforts to achieve their desires.
They'd never dare take the chance If I only
The singer believes that their enemies would not cross them if they possessed a gun.
Only if I only had a gun
The singer concludes their thoughts on what the possession of a gun means to them - it represents power, control, and the ability to address past wrongs.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind