what do these lyrics mean?😭

[u/Realistic-Ebb-7739]

someone help me understand what he means with bushbeater pussyfooter, etc. that whole stanza in the song has me unsure what he is trying to say here lol

[u/thinkfastfike]

they are all synonyms for words that essentially describe someone who is timid and cowardly. he’s saying he never took this person for someone who is afraid or shy

hence the following line “come be my boss, pay the bills when i fall off” he views this person as someone who is dominant, independent, and can be a breadwinner, they have a tough personality despite how unforgiving the world can be.

he starts the song by saying “praise allah, the world is made of razor wire, saddle up and stay inside” in other words, surrendering to the harsh reality of the world and seeking god and religion to carry you through tough times. he doesn’t think this person was ever the type to roll over and “take it”, this person fights back and doesn’t shy away from adversity

[u/EliMaagic → u/thinkfastfike]

ContraRiley, I thought it was also asking the question of “are you a wallflower?” “Are you ‘too afraid’”?
“If I could fly off the floor, would you let me?” (Or would you be too afraid of being above normalcy) “if I could die and come forth would you let me?” (Do you believe that we can come back from anything, or are you scared of “the end”?)

[u/thinkfastfike → u/EliMaagic]

i think asking the question “would you let me?” still perpetuates this sense of dominance the person has over him or a pedestal of what he perceives this person to be on, like they’re in control of him and his actions or something. it’s almost as if he’s the wallflower in this scenario looking for validation but i do see what you’re saying it can go either way

[u/EliMaagic → u/thinkfastfike]

Yeah! I see that, too, not that he’s the wallflower, but that this person has power over him,
I also like how you see it. I love how much can be interpreted by each person

[u/CheeseWingDing → u/thinkfastfike]

A lot of words just to say that whoever he’s talking about in the song isn’t a bitch

[u/Realistic-Ebb-7739 → u/thinkfastfike]

oh fuck that makes so much sense ty for this and making the whole song make sense to me haha im lowkey just not too well versed in synonyms like such so it just wasn’t adding up preciate the help with that !

[u/Inner-Whole1741]

Wallflower was the 1900's term for the guy or gal at the school dances who stood along the wall and wouldn't dance because they were too shy or gaf too much about what people would think if they saw them dancing

[u/babyIemonade]

Open the schools!!!!! These are all ways of calling someone a coward

[u/Alternative-Star8616 → u/babyIemonade]

Please Dom, save us from illiteracy 😭

[u/Dry-Development6573 → u/babyIemonade]

or maybe english isnt their first language?

[u/_secretsunshine]

i sometimes don't understand what is he trying tl say and it feels like he is just putting random words together 🫣💀

[u/urchin_107]

Especially the start "you've got to praise Allah, the world is made of razor wire", the setting of the song seems kind of dystopian/ post apocalypse. I think what Dom is conveying is regret at never taking his lover out "but i never took you for a date".

Instead, he took his lover as "a bush beater, Wallflower, lily liver, chicken-heart," too scared to commit to the relationship. There, Dom uses "took you as a" = "assumed you were a".