King Rat Lyrics
Well!
Well!
Well!
I took all that I desired, even crooks have to pay the rent.
We swam like rats on fire right, right down the reservoir
We took all that we could carry but we tried to carry more.
And you know you know you know it was all wrong.
I took your laugh by the collar and it knew not to swing.
Anytime I tried an honest job well the till had a hole in it ha-ha
We laughed about payin' rent 'cause the county jails they're free.
And you know you know you know it was all wrong.
Senseless denial
I went down like a rag doll heavy with child
Deep water, deep water
Senseless denial
I went down like a rag doll as you would, child
I said it looks like it's time to use my feet again
Well I just spent my last one-hundred dollars
God I'll pay my bail again
Oh, how I just don't care.
Senseless denial
I went down like a rag doll shooken and shy
Deep water, deep water
Senseless denial
I went down like a rag doll rat of a child
I can never be on the fence again
I found out it's all loud
Open like an organ and it
Talk, talk, talk, talk again
He promised me that when I cheated him
But I could open my eye well
Lucky, lucky, lucky, lucky, lucky me again.
This senseless denial
I got fed like a fish, full of open smiles
Blue water, deep water
Oh senseless denial
I got fed like a fish on the cardboard smiles
What do you have to say for yourself?
I said, well well
Well?
I said well, well, well, well!
I hardly knew I should use my feet again
What do you have to say for yourself?
What do you have to say for yourself?
This song would have been the best on the "We Were Dead" album if the assholes at Epic didn't make them cut it. Do you know why that is? Because the assholes at Epic don't like for you to hear a song that's about how it's so crazy that we're imprisoned by our insane obsession to own possessions even though we could live like animals, own nothing, and be perfectly at peace.
I wonder how many other great songs we'll never hear because of those assholes at epic.
im pretty sure i agree with you, but to make it clear, who's EPIC/ what do they do?
im pretty sure i agree with you, but to make it clear, who's EPIC/ what do they do?
Epic Records, their label.
Epic Records, their label.
@bukowski8 Your comment was a pretty good read, but god, who'd wanna be? God, who'd wanna be such an asshole?
@bukowski8 Your comment was a pretty good read, but god, who'd wanna be? God, who'd wanna be such an asshole?
ok, someone took off the wrong lyrics and posted their own set of wrong lyrics. the song goes something like this:
(Heh heh, I love this shit)
Well! Well! Well! Well
We spun like birds on fire right Down towards the residence and I I took all that I desired Even crooks have to pay the rent
We swam like rats on fire right Right down the reservoir We took all that we could carry But we tried to carry more
You know, you know, You know it all went wrong You know, you know, You know it was all wrong
We choked on street tap water Well, I'm gonna have to try the real thing I took your lab by the collar And it knew not to swing
Anytime I tried an honest job Well the till had a hole in ha-ha We laughed about paying rent Cuz the county jails, they're free
You know, you know, You know it was all wrong You know, you know, You know it was all wrong
Deep water, deep water Senseless denial I went down like a rag doll (Heavy?) with child
Well deep water, deep water Senseless denial I went down like a rag doll (Heavy?) with child
Well, oh lucky lucky lucky lucky me again I said it looks like it's time to use my feet again Well, I just spent my last $100 God, I'll pay my bail again
I don't care
I just don't care
Deep water, deep water Senseless denial I went down like a rag doll (Shooken and shy?)
Deep water, deep water Senseless denial I went down like a burned out rat of a child
Well, King Rat has me on his list again I can never be on the fence again Well, I found out it's all loud Open like an organ and it Talk, talk, talk, talk, talk again Well he promised me that when I cheated them That I could open my (heart?), well Lucky, lucky, lucky, lucky, lucky, Lucky, lucky, lucky, lucky, lucky me again
Deep water, deep water Senseless denial I got fed like a fish Full of open smiles
Well blue water, deep water Oh senseless denial I got fed a fist by the (cop fuck's smile?)
Well! Well!
What do you have to say for yourself? I said well well! Well! I said well, well, well, well, well!
Lucky lucky lucky lucky me again I hardly knew I should use my feet again What do you have to say for yourself? What do you have to say for yourself?
obviously i'm still unsure about some of the lyrics. maybe someone else can shed some light on it, but that's the closest i can get.
at about 0:41 shortly after the violin track or something starts, he says something like: "we'll have to find a way out.." or something like that. its very hard to hear, but i listen to stuff very loud and that's what i found. it would be nice if you posted that or something that you heard there.
at about 0:41 shortly after the violin track or something starts, he says something like: "we'll have to find a way out.." or something like that. its very hard to hear, but i listen to stuff very loud and that's what i found. it would be nice if you posted that or something that you heard there.
EDIT: its right before that quiet laugh, (second one)
EDIT: its right before that quiet laugh, (second one)
I went down like a ragdoll rage of a child
I went down like a ragdoll rage of a child
Honest even when I cheated them But I could owe them my heart
Honest even when I cheated them But I could owe them my heart
I got fed a fist of open smiles Well, dew water, deep water Oh senseless denial I got fed a fist by that con fuck "styles"
I got fed a fist of open smiles Well, dew water, deep water Oh senseless denial I got fed a fist by that con fuck "styles"
Ok a lot of you are taking this the wrong way. Watch, read, and listen to Issacs interviews. He's been in jail, an alchoholic, drugs, fights. A dirt life.
Think of a city rat. Always going through what other people cause waste. Causing trouble, and having fun with it.
I think this follows the theme of growing up. Issac was (and still probably is) a rough around the edges guy. The line "county jails are free." was talking about not minding the trouble they were getting in. Everything in the persons life is a mess, and going down hill. In flames. Yet, still lssac laughs and is energetic.
The "lucky lucky me" obviously sarcastic. He knows that it's not amounting to anything and he would have to work his way up from where he is if he wants to reach his own standard of happiness.
Also, please remember this song and most of these songs were written a while ago. You can't look for the meaning of it by lookig at them today
"LewfKrad" you're actually wrong. this song was based on James Clavell's 1962 novel, "King Rat". if everyone wants to know what king rat is all about...wikipedia "james clavell's king rat" james was a p.o.w. in changi. king rat was an american who was the "go to" guy if you needed anything in prison. after you check it out...the lyrics to modest mouses' king rat makes perfect sense.
"LewfKrad" you're actually wrong. this song was based on James Clavell's 1962 novel, "King Rat". if everyone wants to know what king rat is all about...wikipedia "james clavell's king rat" james was a p.o.w. in changi. king rat was an american who was the "go to" guy if you needed anything in prison. after you check it out...the lyrics to modest mouses' king rat makes perfect sense.
i really don't think isaac would right a song about a book..like the author already wrote it, why would he just write about what he read. lewfkrad is right; it's about his life. maybe the novel was some sort of an inspiration, but it goes much deeper than reflections on a book.
i really don't think isaac would right a song about a book..like the author already wrote it, why would he just write about what he read. lewfkrad is right; it's about his life. maybe the novel was some sort of an inspiration, but it goes much deeper than reflections on a book.
Aren't we all just prisoners paying rent?
Aren't we all just prisoners paying rent?
You guys are both right, and I'm not just trying to play moderator. To me this song is very very much about the "revolving door" of our justice system and our society as a whole. In my mind, there is no denying that.
You guys are both right, and I'm not just trying to play moderator. To me this song is very very much about the "revolving door" of our justice system and our society as a whole. In my mind, there is no denying that.
As with many Modest Mouse songs, the title itself is an ironic allusion. In this case it alludes to the James Clavell book from the 60's. Here's where the irony is: King Rat in Clavell's book is king of a prison, and he maintains his power...
As with many Modest Mouse songs, the title itself is an ironic allusion. In this case it alludes to the James Clavell book from the 60's. Here's where the irony is: King Rat in Clavell's book is king of a prison, and he maintains his power by stealing, cheating, and using the system to manipulate. King Rat in the MM song is king of the entire system, the irony being that really all of society is just a prison, and King Rat runs the place by committing the same crimes as those he punishes, stealing, cheating, manipulating. This is actually a predominate theme in the book as well. The narrator of the song, undoubtedly Isaac himself, wishes he could be separate from all the mess of a society that requires him to starve and suffer. The line "We choked on straight tap water/Well, I'm going to have to try the real thing," to me is about wanting to be separate from all the shit, wanting to know what it was like to drink something from the source, not contained and contaminated and pumped in so "they" can charge you money for it. A life outside the system.
On a side note, who cares if it says "straight" or "street." There's too much arguing on this thread about specific little words while the context of the entire song goes unnoticed. This is "songmeanings(dot)net," not "perfectlyrics(dot)net."
These lyrics aren't very accurate. Someone fix them.
"choked on straight tap water"
"heavy with child"
"I'll pay my bail again"
it is i got fed a fish, its i got fed a fist full of open smiles, and i got fed a fist by the con fuck "styles". and they chorus is deep water deep water senseless denial, i went down like rag doll, rage of a child. the last repetition of the chorus is deep water deep water senseless denial, i went down like rag doll kicked by a child, deep water deep water, senseless denial, i went down like a bird dog the chase had made tired. its not i found out its all loud, its i found out the old mans tounge had opened like and organ and it talk talk talk talk talked again. honest even when i cheated them, but i could owe them my heart. im looking at the lyrics sheet
The language of the piece seems almost Dickensian, which indicates the subject would be either gangsters of the mid-1800s to possibly as late as the 1930s, or the almost mercenarily amoral sailors (even those associated with non-privateer navy or trade fleets) of the early end of that period.
Third stanza, the first line, "We choked on street tap water" should prolly be "We choked on straight tap water". It's one of my favorite lines in this song, so I hope it's right.
Haa i was just about to put them up. no comment on meaning yet.
Haa i was just about to put them up. no comment on meaning yet.
I posted lyrics for this but I guess you beat me to it. damn. I think its "well I took your laugh by the carton" instead of "I took your [?] by the car car" and I think at the end its "why do you have to settle for your self". maybe not though good job. I dont understand why this wasnt there single this song doesnt suck its wierd. I dont think johnny marr had anything to do with it.
im pretty sure its: 'i took your lab by the collar'...as in labrador
im pretty sure its: 'i took your lab by the collar'...as in labrador