OK, seriously folks...

[KontanKarite]

Let's discuss "Arms Of Cicero" and its lyrics. What the hell do they mean?

I thought they were some strange reference to Cicero, but the more I research it, the more I'm inclined to believe it's not.

So far, I've deduced that it's possibly about being in love with a whore in a brothel.

Am I off my mark?

[Albert Mond]

Seems to have more of a symbolic meaning to me. Either of defeat or surrender.

[KontanKarite]

I thought the same thing at first. But the idea of the brothel makes sense when you think of a brothel and a bouncer at the door says, "give us your guns and we'll give you nirvana."

I'm gunning for her money in the arms of my cicero.

Read the first two lines of the lyrics and then think of how the nirvana lyric makes sense if a bouncer or security guy is saying it. Maybe even a pimp.

[Albert Mond]

Makes sense.

[Cicero]

If Arms of Cicero ever had a concrete meaning it would be ruined for me.

Most of what I read into it is entirely personal, which is part of what makes it such a brilliant song. Anyway, on the surface I certainly don't see a modern story in it, nor so I see prostitution. 'Give us your guns and we'll give you Nirvana', to me, translates more to 'Surrender your weapons and we'll set your free'. That with all the reference to guns and poison and racketeers brings old-world piracy to mind, which in turn makes me think of the affair between Anne Bonny and Calico Jack.

I don't expect anyone to agree with that though, since it's all based on my own interests and what I want it to be about. Again, that's exactly what makes it such an awesome song. It's wide open to interpretation.

[KontanKarite]

That's interesting. You see, I have no idea who Calico Jack or Anne Bonny are, but you have a good point as to the abstractness of the lyrics. In fact, many SGC songs have abstract lyrics with really no coherent flow or even an honest idea presented.

The same can also be said I think of Barbarossa. Fathers, Brothers organize on masterbation. Which tells me Andi's personal feelings on possibly religion's or even most organizations' goals as if they can plan and organize all they want, but in the end, it's all masterbation because nothing really changes. Let loose Barbarossa strikes me as a lyric indicating that despite the machinations that these people may impose, you should really focus on what liberates you personally and not people as a whole. Let loose, barbarossa!

Sorry, I just find Sex Gang Children lyrics to be highly engaging and interesting.

[Cicero]

Calico Jack was a rather notorious pirate in the 18th century Caribbean, and he had an affair with a woman called Anne Bonny, who left her husband, dressed as a man and joined him on his ship. In a nutshell there was a lot of sex and debauchery on that ship, involving jealously, dueling, and men turning out to be women, and it all ends with a wonderfully tragic hanging. I'm surprised they haven't already made a movie about it.

Barbarossa also strikes me as a pirate reference to the 16th century corsairs (the Barbarossa brothers), and with them being so feared by Christian Europe back in those days it fits nicely with the idea of rebellion against organisation for one's own purposes.

And no need to apologise, Andi Sexgang really has written some of the most intriguing lyrics in existence, haha.

[KontanKarite]

Oh, well then it seems that I was right about Barbarossa, save for the fact that I missed the history reference.

[Lolly PopMuzik]

Really, I do try to understand the lyrics but damn if Andi's voice doesn't make it difficult.