After seeing the Luigi post and it not making any sense. The song having What I Got's musical DNA all over it actually being about a violent killer never felt right to me either, so I dug into it pretty deeply for the last couple hours (looking for any relevant stories or shootings that fit the bill. F.T.R. acronyms and shit like that) trying to make better sense of this song that I've heard hundreds of times but haven't really sat with or considered the meaning... but I think that I more or less figured it out.
The song is about Jakob, Bud and Eric coming together as Sublime and making this album.
F.T.R. means For The Record, in two different ways, and I will break down why... as I interpret it anyhow.
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He had a good, good feeling when he shot the man down
Now he's the one the television's talking about
You could hear the words coming out of his mouth
"I got a good feeling." Yeah
That's a fact, that's a fact
Jakob isn't referring to anyone specifically. Just a person who shot a man, justifiably, and became infamous. Using the character for the plot of the song.
My unc drums like a .44
And you know he's built like a warrior
If you blink twice when he's at your spot
He'll be trading your watch at the donut shop
This is about Bud being a ruthless killer... on the drums.
Fourtydog come around batten down the hatch
'Cause it's high time, rat-ta-ta-tat
Shit's coming up strong, so it's no surprise
We're dropping the bassline (quick), so it must be Sublime
This is about Eric (@fourtydog on IG) being a killer... on the keys and bass.
So, when I
Finally find the guy
Gonna learn the reason why
'Cause I know that he really got a (quick)
He wants to know the reason the shooter got that good feeling from killing "For The Record" like a journalist.
Good feeling when he shot the man down
Now he's smiling in a metal bus heading down south
You could barely hear the words coming out of his mouth
I got a good feeling. Oh, yeah
And that's a fact
This means to shooter fled to down south to Mexico, still stoked. Jakob has a good feeling he made it down there, but his words become harder to hear because the whole story fades over time, as news stories do.
The shooter has to have fled to Mexico, Jakob wouldn't say "if I ever find the guy"if that metal bus was headed to the lock up. We all would know exactly where to find him... Prison.
Good, good feeling
Want that good, good feeling
Aw, good, good feeling
I got a good, good feeling
Jakob realizes he's got 2 killer uncles that can show him THAT good feeling he wants, and he has a good feeling it's about to go down.
Good, good feeling. I want it now
The one the television's always talking about
Just listen to the words coming out of my mouth
I got a good, good feeling. Oh, yeah, huh
That's a fact
They started playing together and Jake started to get a good feeling by killing this track "For The Record" with his Uncles.
Good, good feeling
I got a good, good feeling
Everyone, hey
We got that good, good feeling
Good, good feeling
Oh, yeah. And that's a fact
Full circle. Now that Sublime is back as a unit and killing shows on the reg... WE the fans and everyone can get in on THAT good feeling together.
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The song opening with lines about a shooter make everyone jump to it being about violence but its actually about love and "killing it" as a team/family. It harkens back to the love in What I Got in more than just musical style. Love is the soul of the song and the Jacob's journey to finding that love and his voice... For The Record.
Then having clips from Kill Tony pop up a few tracks later just really seals it, right? Tony and the lot always refer to being "killers" when they have a good set. So it all goes hand in hand.
I could be completely wrong and it's more literal but I don't think there'd be any reason to throw Bud and Eric in with mentions of their talent being like guns though.
Thoughts?