Fun.: Some Nights Meaning
Song Released: 2012
Some Nights Lyrics
Some nights, I call it a draw
Some nights, I wish that my lips could build a castle
Some nights, I wish they'd just fall off
But I still wake up, I still see your ghost
Oh Lord, I'm still not...
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I think this means that Nate is at war with himself. The song is saying that he feels that he is at war with himself in the past. This being the ghost. When he says 'Try twice as hard and I'm half as liked' i think he is saying that he feels precisely and quite obviously that he tries too hard and isnt liked. The sister and con could be that alongside all his problems, he recognises other people do too. But he sees is nephew as the silver lining.
xxxx -
this song could be interpreted a thousand times over but I'm sure none of us would truly be able to crack what the writer was thinking. The video helps us interpret what they want us to think the song was written about but songs can have multiple meanings.
"Some nights I stay up, cashing in my bad luck", Obviously with this line he's trying to state that he's got a lot of bad luck and is trying to get rid of it but obviously this doesn't always work, "Sometimes I call it a draw."
He doesn't specifically say in the song where this bad luck comes from, maybe what he considers badluck others might not, if it is about his career then he might see the press as bad luck but we cannot be sure what this bad luck is or where it came from.
When he talks about his lips building a castle, he could be referring to speech, singing or kissing.
So maybe he is trying to say something big to tell someone, maybe he wants to sing to someone or maybe he really wants to kiss someone and at times maybe he feels that it is pointless and he wishes he would stop trying so is wanting them to fall off.
When he says "I still wake up, I still see your ghost, Oh lord I'm still not sure what I stand for", When he mentions ghost maybe it's a memory of a loved one or maybe he is referring to the Holy Ghost as he goes on to mention "Oh lord", Possibly referring to a belief but only possibly. He isn't sure what he stands for, what is the point in fighting against society?Maybe that's what the war is, the war against morals, because in all honesty what do we stand for? Do we stand for the right or the wrong? How do we justify what is right or wrong? The only way we can determine this is if a) there is a higher power (such as a God) that has already set the rules B) we make up the rules of what is right and wrong but we all have a sense of morale obligations, how could we possibly decide that shooting someone is right so it is obvious there must be a higher power. The song is asking do we stand for good or bad? Maybe referring to the fact that without a God we don't really stand for anything, I still wake up I still see your Ghost oh lord I'm still not sure what I stand for. He's asking God if he stands for good or evil, maybe on a higher level talking about the common battles of society of what is wrong and what isn't. You see what I mean when I say that this song could be interpreted a thousand times over? -
Many people can hear this song many different ways. I, personally, think this song is about him fighting his own "war". This "war" would be his music career.
"This is it, boys, this is war-what are we waiting for? Why dont we break the rules already?" I think this is Nate talking to Jack and Andrew saying that the the music industry is a "war" and that if they want to become succussful, they need to be different and "break the rules".
"I try twice as hard and I'm half as liked, but here they come again to jack my style" This could mean that they have tried harder and longer than most people to become famous and still so many people are very critical and dont like their music, but still take their style of performing and singing.
"Well, some nights I wish that this all would end, 'cause I could use some friends for a change." Since they all had to leave their friends, families, and homes for this lifestyle, they might regret it some nights and want to quit and have their lifes go back to the way they were before they became musicains.
"And some nights I'm scared you'll forget me again, Some nights I always win." They might be talking about how their previous bands never became very popular and maybe even how their first album, Aim and Ignite, never became very well known. But also how some nights everyone knows who they are and how everyone knows all of their songs.
"But I still wake up, I still see your ghost, oh, Lord, I'm still not sure what I stand for." He still wakes up every morning even if the night before was really bad, and he sees his past life, and doesn't know who he is.
"So this is it. I sold my soul for this? Washed my hands of that for this? I miss my mom and dad for this?" People sometimes refer to joining the music industry as "selling your soul to the devil," so that might be what he means. He also had to leave his mom and dad in Arizona to become a singer.
"No. When I see stars, when I see, when I see stars, that's all they are. When I hear songs, they sound like this one, so come on." He could be saying how being in this lifestyle has made him to where he can't notice the difference/beauty in some things anymore. He could also be saying that he performs the same songs, every night, and that they are starting to sound the same to him.
"Well that is it guys, that is all - five minutes in and I'm bored again. Ten years of this, I'm not sure if anybody understands." Their songs tend to adverage out to about 5 minutes long, so he might get bored after the first song and not want to keep singing them night after night. He has been in the music industry for about 10 years professionally, and over thoes ten years, he has been dropped by different recording agencies, his previous band has broken up, and he thinks that no one can really understand what that has done to him mentally.
"This one is not for the folks at home; Sorry to leave, mom, I had to go" He knew that he couldn't really get famous if he stayed in Arizona, and he feels bad for leaving his mom.
"Who the ____ wants to die alone all dried up in the desert sun." Nate has refered to Arizona as a desert in other songs, and he might be afraid of dying without finding the love of his life, or having a song hit #1 on the charts.
"My heart is breaking for my sister and the con that she called "love". When I look into my nephew's eyes... Man, you wouldn't believe the most amazing things that can come from... Some terrible nights..." Nate's sister might have been in a bad/abusive relationship with some guy. But that relationship also gave her a wonderful son, and he(Nate) sees that something great can come out of some thing horrible.
"The other night you wouldn't believe the dream I just had about you and me, I called you up but we both agreed. It's for the best you didn't listen, It's for the best we get our distance." He may still miss a girl from Arizona and had a dream about her and wanted to tell her about it but they decided it would be best if he didn't. OR he might have had a dream about his old life, and how it would be now if he wasn't famous, but decided that it was for the best that he left, and that he is where he is now.
Like I said, this song can be interprited many differet ways. This is just how I understand it. -
This song is a testimony of past and present, presented with the use of "a war" as a metaphor for the artiste's life - a battle with his personal life and his career.
[Some nights I stay up cashing in my bad luck /Some nights I call it a draw / Some nights I wish that my lips could build a castle/ Some nights I wish they'd just fall off]
Here the artiste is thinking about everything that went wrong in his life which he considers to be "bad luck" but seeing that he has progressed in life to some extent he'll "call it a draw". He wishes
that the things he says/sings could guarantee him security or wealth, but sometimes he wishes not to be able to say anything at all, maybe because he does not believe in what he's saying.
[But I still wake up, I still see your ghost/ Oh, Lord, I'm still not sure what I stand for oh/ What do I stand for? What do I stand for?/ Most nights I don't know anymore...]
However through it all he manages to come out of it, though he is constantly envisioning someone, probably a loved one who he lost as he referred to them as a "ghost", and maybe the relationship they had, how things were in the past with them...with him, is causing him to question what he stands for ..."What do I stand for?" because he really doesn't know anymore, is this the life that he really wants?
[This is it, boys, this is war - what are we waiting for?/ Why don't we break the rules already?/ I was never one to believe the hype/ Save that for the black and white/ I try twice as hard and I'm half as liked,
But here they come again to jack my style]
This verse is potent with battle imagery, "this is it, this is war..." I believe the artiste is talking about the music industry here, where he believes this is his time to make a change... "why don't we break the rules already?" he never believed what was said about the industry "i was never one to believe the hype", he was leaving such predudices for "...the black and white", those people willing to choose sides, he was not about that, he doubles his efforts to produce his kind of music and get across his message, but people still don't like it "...try twice as hard and I'm half as liked" this is in comparison to other music artistes, and [they] in "...here they come again to jack my style" probably meaning the music producers, how they treat him and put him down try to take away his integrity and instill what they want in him.
[That's alright;/ I found a martyr in my bed tonight/ She stops my bones from wondering just who I am, who I am, who I am/ Oh, who am I? Mmm... Mmm...]
Through all of this, there is a woman who he seems to love so much, she distracts him from questioning his life, his purpose, his beliefs... (this is a stretch) but it seems that she's not a constant aspect of his life, as he just happened to have found her in his bed on that night, and maybe she is the ghost that was mentioned before. The word "martyr" is someone who "sacrifices something of great value and especially life itself for the sake of principle" (this is another stretch) maybe this woman "the ghost" ended their relationship because she did not believe in the life he was about to go into(the music industry) which would also tie into him not believing the hype, and this is why she constantly haunts him because she might have warned him against it before.
[Well, some nights I wish that this all would end/ 'Cause I could use some friends for a change./ And some nights I'm scared you'll forget me again/ Some nights I always win, I always win...]
He has his doubts, and sometimes he realizes it isn't worth it and would like to leave it, because he misses having genuine people in his life who actually cares, and sometimes he is scared that "the woman" will forget him, and the person that she knew him to be, and sometimes life seems to be just great, as he "...always wins" (it is possible this could be references awards of some kind)
[So this is it. I sold my soul for this?/ Washed my hands of that for this?/ I miss my mom and dad for this?]
This again is laden with war imagery, it appears the artiste has given up his whole life for something that is pointless, he "sold his soul" (putting aside his beliefs, his character - as expected when going into battle) to go into this war, washed his hands "of that" maybe this is refering to the relationship he had to go into this war, also leaving his mom and dad to go to this war... this "war" is a metaphor for his pursuit to be a successful musician. It is evident that he wishes to go back to his life before.
[Well, that is it guys, that is all - five minutes in and I'm bored again/ Ten years of this, I'm not sure if anybody understands/ This one is not for the folks at home;/Sorry to leave, mom, I had to go
Who the fuck wants to die alone all dried up in the desert sun?]
He's tired of doing the same thing he's "bored again", after doing it for ten years, nobody would understand because they would think "that's the life!", he isn't talking about those he left behind, because they would understand that they're more important things in life, he's apologising to his mom for having to leave but after all of this still thinks he had to go, because no one "...wants to die alone all dried up in the desert sun." This may not necessarily mean literally dying alone - having no one around him, but dying without being famous, not accomplishing anything - in his homeland (which is Arizona).
[My heart is breaking for my sister and the con that she call "love"/When I look into my nephew's eyes.../ Man, you wouldn't believe the most amazing things that can come from.../Some terrible nights...]
This could be taking in two ways, he feels for his sister because she really believes in love and he himself would state that love does not get you far... or he feels for his sister because she has been hurt by love...she may have been in a relationship, where she has born a son but the father has left her, and it gives the impression that her relationship was not a pleasant one, maybe she was abused or cheated on, but through out all of it one good thing has come from it, the nephew... which he considers "the most amazing thing". The last line could serve dual meanings, that though the sister has been abused some nights, or cheated on some nights, her nights of pain seems worth it because she has a beautiful son, or... his pain (the artiste), being away from home, missing his mom and dad, having to leave the one he loved, struggling with the music industry, in the end he is able to produce an amazing song like this. -
when you have been to war any thing is belivable been there done that.
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The song is about ptsd
Its obviously a soldier out in the war, the guy says that its war and "why dont we break the rules already?" Implying they are going to have to act violently and kill people to survive, which is a crime in a civilized society
He says "i sold my soul for this" which means he gave up his innocence to go fight
When he asks "who the fuck wants to die alone all dried up in the desert sun" he is referring to afghanistan and how men r fighting and dying there everyday
Lastly, he says "when i see stars thats all they are" implying he isnt able to enjoy life anymore because hes depressed from his war experiences -
"I'm sorry mom but I had to go. Who the fuck wants to die alone all dried up in the desert sun."
He's apologizing to his mom because he left his home in Arizona to go chase his music career. -
What term will we use to describe the process of humanity evolving from faith-based societies toward reason-based societies? The Great Awakening? The Glorious Enlightenment? The Triumph of Love?
Anyway, I don't think Fun. intended this at all, but the song totally works as an Atheist Anthem. Dig it. -
Some nights is about a lot of different things. 1. He sometimes wonders "what do I Stand for" meaning he wonders why he is doing this and what he means to other people. " but I still wake up an i still see your ghost", ghost referring to what he used to be and who he was before the fame and fans and money.
2. About war " die alone all dried up in the desert sun." Meaning getting shot or stabbed then just getting left their in the desert sun. Also, his sisters husband must have died in the war going on at that time referring to " my heart is breaking for my sister" -
I check back here once in awhile to see if anyone has gotten it right. The song is about Fame - for a song writer or musician some nights are bad luck and some nights we build castles. Also, I think that he is singing about leaving his family for "this" meaning fame...and was it/is it worth it? Like "sold my soul for this...miss my mom and dad for this" - clearly the wrestling with the long years toward fame. Also the song mentions "when I see stars that's all they are...when I hear a song it sounds like a swan(song sic)" - I also think that when he says he says he isn't going to dry up in the desert sun I think he is referencing Arizona, where is from. And the whole thing about something wonderful coming from a terrible lie....that is a metaphor of fame, coming from lips that sometimes could simply fall off. The song is about fame. Not war or ill reputed love. I know because I am fun.
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Well what I thought the song meant was that: He sold his soul to a demon and now regrets this. I thought that once he got what he wanted his parents totally disagreed with him and he left disappointing the both them. When he "sold his soul for this" (for this as in music industry) "washed his hands of God for this" again he is regretting the fact he turned away from God. "10 more years of this" Maybe his deal is up in 10 more years... And then lastly "wants to die alone in the dessert sun" I took it as who wants to die alone in hell. But also everything with the war in iraq and what not is very valid as well. I'm not saying this is what it means but thats how I interpreted it.
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I like the part "I try twice as hard but I'm half as liked...here they come again to jack my style."
Obviously, this probably means that he's kissing ass but it could also be from the perspective of someone who doesn't really care if he's liked or not by anyone, though those who watch him have no idea what he goes through yet they observe his trials and tribulations and use it for profitable gain. Like a movie.
Personally, the bit about the war and the 10yrs makes perfect sense. Thanks. -
I think the words/song itself is about the war in Iraq. I think if the video showed it being the Iraq war, it would be too heavy/political, so showing the civil war allows it to distract enough from this, but still get the idea across. It affords the audience to be wider and more open to seeing it often, where as if they show soldiers in Iraq instead, it might receive backlash.
I'm sure it hit's home for those who have fought over in Iraq. Glad they did this song for them. -
A song written from the point of view of a soldier of the Iraq war specifically. At night his conscience bothers him as to why he's really fighting there. He knows he (and America) were conned via lies about the threat of weapons of mass destruction. It was the honor of fighting to protect his beloved country and the values he believed America stood for and now that that is all put into question, he doesn't know what it is he's truly fighting for. He had thought the war was 'good vs. evil', but he realizes it's not as black and white as that and questions then who he is and what it is he's sacrificing so much for. Facing the lord in his quiet moments, he worries if he is right in taking part in it, and what that might mean.
As his nephew is a beautiful positive that came from a terrible lie of love that she had committed to, he hopes that there could be something amazing that will come out of the lie that was given to him that led him to commit to the war efforts. He had believed he would be a hero defending honorable values, but once he realized that he was conned, he fears what his involvement in the war means he is.
"Some nights, I stay up cashing in my bad luck"(Bad luck in that he feels his luck in life has been bad...that has led him to be where he is)
"Some nights, I call it a draw" (going back and forth whether he's done the right or wrong things in life. Is it chance, luck, or fate that has gotten him there. He sometimes is able to put his worries aside for the night.)
"Some nights, I wish that my lips could build a castle"(Castle: protection, power, strength, and achievement, and that just words (and dogma?) and belief could create this goal for him. In the next line, his talking and convincing himself that these things are possible, just reminds him how far he is from achieving this and he wants to give up trying to talk himself up and doesn't want to keep lying to himself. In his quiet moments the dogma he finds even himself speaking, sickens him.)
"Some nights, I wish they'd just fall off"
"But I still wake up, I still see your ghost"(Despite the dogma he tries to convince himself is true, his conscience is causing him to question if fighting in the war is right or wrong for him to be doing)
"Oh Lord, I'm still not sure what I stand for oh "(Asking God what does this war really stand for, do I now believe in it, and what is it "I'm" risking my life for? His asking the Lord means he's turning to the higher power and his inner-voice/beliefs /conscience despite the army discouraging the questioning by soldiers of individual questioning of missions etc to avoid mutany. When soldiers question their Army and Government, there is usually a sense of a large gap between conscience and what is the right thing for humanity, with the mission.)
"What do I stand for? What do I stand for?"(what are the human values that are worth killing others and risking ones own life? If there is a loss of knowing what they are fighting for, there would be great psychological distress and personal reassessing.
"Most nights, I don't know anymore..." (doubting the mission and his being there to fight. Scary to face doubt when in the midst of fighting a war...even civilians back here find it hard to question why we are truly there for.) We committed with such a loud angry voice, it's painful to face the possibility of being wrong and regretting when we sacrificed our global monatary power, and of course so many valuble lives)
"Oh woah, oh woah, oh woah oh oh
Oh woah, oh woah, oh woah oh oh"
"This is it, boys, this is war - what are we waiting for? " America was livid at the middle east about 9/11 and wanted to fight to 'do something' about it...revenge)
"Why don't we break the rules already?" ( As we now know, lies were made about this 'proof' of there being weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. The UN did not agree that there was enough proof of reason (weapons of mass destruction) to attack Iraq. Also, torture is against the international agreement of the rules of war, and we know these rules were broken consciously by the Gov. People were emotional about it all and torture was sold as being alright to do as the enemy was hated so much. Other countries did not condone the war in Iraq, which were then hated by America - i.e.:France)
"I was never one to believe the hype - save that for the black and white" (Didn't believe in the hype that surrounded the need for the war. Black and white meaning: the press, and/or Bush speaking in black and white terms to push ahead with the war saying that "you are either with us or against us". Countries were hated for not joining the war.)
"I try twice as hard and I'm half as liked, but here they come again to jack my style" (America believed the war to be just and has put more than blood sweat and tears into it, and despite this, America is liked much less by the world from it's hasty vengeance and the "with us or against us" philosophy that was vocalized in the early days of the war...until weapons were not found of course. As much as America isn't liked in the world, American culture (style etc) is so much enjoyed and used by the world. It's a love/hate relationship that is confusing to navigate outside of the country)
"And that's alright; I found a martyr in my bed tonight" (America martyred itself going to war, financially, with lives etc. Soldiers especially grapple with it all, as it convinces oneself that they are sacrificing themselves for the greater good and glory. He found himself believing he was a martyr.)
"She stops my bones from wondering just who I am, who I am, who I am" ("she" is Martyrdom. Believing one is a martyr for a cause, protects one from doubting oneself. He is a soldier in the Iraq war, which was sold to be 'good against evil', hence soldiers being martyrs for the cause. The war though is not as black and white as it was sold to be, so if he is not a martyr as he wants to believe, he would question who he is instead).
"Oh, who am I? Oh, who am I? mmm... mmm..."
"Well, Some nights, I wish that this all would end" (the war)
"Cause I could use some friends for a change" (could be both the individual having friends (that aren't soldiers) and normalcy, and/or Americans having good relations with the other nations and being being better received in the world in other countries as they used to be.)
"And some nights, I'm scared you'll forget me again" (feeling separated from God and lonely and/or he'll be forgotten by his country and loved ones- as many who return feel)
"Some nights, I always win, I always win..." (sometimes feel good about being there and being a soldier)
"But I still wake up, I still see your ghost
Oh Lord, I'm still not sure what I stand for, oh"(still wakes up with conscience bothering him about what he's really there for, and therefore who he is, if not a soldier who is in the right)
"What do I stand for? What do I stand for?" (what does a soldier in the Iraq war stand for?)
"Most nights, I don't know..."(Doubt in the mission and why he's willing to die for it.)
"So this is it? I sold my soul for this?" (Not the righteous mission that he thought he was dedicating/risking his life to)
Washed my hands of that for this? (left a good life to fight for the life of a soldier in Iraq)
"I miss my mom and dad for this?" (leaving love for something he doesn't know if he belives in anymore)
"No. When I see stars, when I see stars, that's all they are"("star-spangled banner"/flag does not have the glorious meaning that it used to. Beauty and idealism have lost their shine to cold reality.)
"When I hear songs, they sound like a swan, so come on"(Swans are beautiful and glorious looking, but sound surprisingly horrible. Songs are supposed to inspire and uplift, but they fall flat for him now.)
"Oh, come on. Oh, come on, OH COME ON!"
"That is it, guys, that is all - five minutes in and I'm bored again" (Everyone was eager for the war to start - couldn't start soon enough - but it quickly turned out to be very tedious, and little to do generally.)
"Ten years of this, I'm not sure if anybody understands" (Over a decade now of the war, and it's such a complex problem that it's not clear what has been going on or what to do to fix it all....from Governments to the Army. Civilians also couldn't understand how it has been over there for soldiers)
This is not one for the folks at home; I'm sorry to leave, mom, I had to go (War is a horrific experience. Family and American civilians would be shaken up to know what really goes on over there and what it is like. So many joined the army believing it was the right thing to do and they "had to go" to be involved in something that was believed to be for the greater good. Of course they then must follow commands to keep going back, or risk being a deserter.)
Who the fuck wants to die alone all dried up in the desert sun? (self-explanatory! Sadly the fate of so many young soldiers)
"My heart is breaking for my sister and the con that she called "love" "(An analogy in his life, that shows how she was deceived as he was. They were both conned into committing to something life changing. Hers was to commit to a man via marriage and/or pregnancy convinced it was mutual love, and he committed to the war, believing it was just and to honestly protect his beloved country.)
"But when I look into my nephew's eyes..." (birth of a new generation and the possibility of the amazing and goodness that lies with next generation's future)
"Man, you wouldn't believe the most amazing things that can come from...
Some terrible lies"(some sites say it's "nights" and others say 'lies', but either way it points to there being much good that can come out of terrible things, be it the lies and being conned about the war, or the pain of a night that his sister was conned into thinking that she was loved by a man (sex that impregnated her). He is hoping that something good can come out of the horrible situation that he got into after he was lied to about why he had to go into Iraq, as his sister now has a lovely boy as a result of her being used and lied to. Night bring our regrets to light...or the nights that we regret. Even if it doesn't correct the negative, humans thankfully find a way to make good happen from negative in the long run. This line is one of the most profound in the song for sure.)
"Oh woah, oh woah, oh woah, oh oh
Oh woah, oh woah, oh woah, oh oh
The other night, you wouldn't believe the dream I just had about you and me
I called you up, but we'd both agree
It's for the best you didn't listen" (best we (as civilians and citizens of the USA) that we don't know the truth of the war and it's realities - for our own sense of self/love of country and sanity)
"It's for the best we get our distance... oh... "(best we as individuals and for society that don't actually get involved, both geographically and that we separate ourselves from the reality of the mission not being just or in our best interest)
It's for the best you didn't listen (if we all knew the truth of the reality of what is going on there, we would be quite upset and doubt what we stand for too.)
"It's for the best we get our distance... oh..."(We committed to the war with such a loud angry voice, it's painful to face the possibility of being wrong and regretting it, when we sacrificed our global monetary power, and of course so many valuable lives. It's humbling....and I know we don't do 'humble' all that well. It's a thought provoking song no matter how one interprets it though. Thanks for listening to my interpretation.) -
I'm pretty sure that it is about Nate fighting in a war. while Nate Is in the war, his sister and her lover break up or divorce. he obviously cares about his sister a lot because he sees her ghost at night. however he is at war so he cannot help and support her. the part about his nephew is saying that even though the father was terrible, the kid still turned out wonderful. but the divorced husband of nates sister kills the sister. and that's why he is seeing the ghost of her. and he sees "the most amazing things" in his nephews eyes because the nephew looks like his sister. and Nate is wishing that he could have been there for his sister.
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