meaning of "nobody wins" lyrics

I heard nobody wins a couple days ago and automatically assumed it was about the AGAINST ME! singer.   i'm not insinuating that brian wrote a love song about tom gabel     it seems more to me like its a song about coming to terms with the fact that Tom Gabel (Tommy Gun) doesn't exist anymore.  laura jane grace might be very similar to what was once tom gabel,   but im pretty sure anyone who drastically changes their physical appearance because they don't identify with their body.   Is going to have some resentment and shame about the person they used to be. especially if its something you've been aware of since you were a child and kept it to yourself
"I lost most of myself pleasing everyone,
I had to learn to begin again, its alright move on"

the opening line is literally "skin and bones, you never did come home"

there is a reference to the Against Me! album New wave in it  
"You must of ended up somebody's amgel, i remember you loving the radio, New Waves, Old Stones"

It is entirely possible that i am completely wrong about this, but i am pretty sure its ultimately a song about wanting to have a beer with a mate.       and realising you never will

I'm not saying you're wrong because I have no idea what the song is about for sure unless Brian says it, but this feels like a reach. Did LJG ever go by the nickname Tommy Gun when she was known as Tom? And if he is talking about a friend and naming them specifically (as opposed to calling them a Tommy Gun) it would be unnecessarily confusing considering he does have a friend who goes by Tommy Gunn. And from what I've heard it doesn't seem like Brian has a long enough or deep enough history with Laura to likely write a song like this about her? Although I can't be sure of that.

Also the line you quoted about losing yourself. I believe he's talking about himself there since he's talked about that in interviews regarding his own experience.

Anyway, that's just my two cents.

You know women can drink beer too right? 😉

cowgirlwiththeblues wrote:

You know women can drink beer too right? 😉

I don't drink beer but I love your comment!

Knowing what we know about Brian's writing from Molly and the Zombie and Get Hurt, It'd be pretty fair to assume it about not being with someone you had been with (more specifically divorce).

"I lost most of myself pleasing everyone,
I had to learn to begin again, its alright move on"

Did everything you could to make someone happen and lost yourself in the process. No that's it's over you have to rediscover who you are as a person.

"skin and bones, you never did come home"

She left, and now it's over.

You must of ended up somebody's amgel, i remember you loving the radio, New Waves, Old Stones"

She was free to find new love and probably would. He clearly references listening to music, on the radio. Obviously old Rolling Stones music. But New Wave was a genre of music "New wave music is a musical genre of pop/rock created in the late 1970s to mid-1980s with ties to 1970s punk rock.". That's not to say it's not Against Me!'s album per say, but considering "her" age, I'd guess it's the style of music.

Just my thoughts. I know Brian had commented publicly how people just need to accept people differences in terms of Laura/Tom going through gender transition and Dustin Kensrue of Thrice being openly religious.Great song either way. I could be wrong too.

"I lost most of myself pleasing everyone,
I had to learn to begin again, its alright move on"

Maybe this means something to different to Brian but it really stood out to me when I heard the song. I'd personally just been through an experience where I did everything I could to make other people happy at the expense of my own happiness and well being. Eventually despite all of my efforts and sacrifices I lost everything I was trying to hold on to and had to start over again. Coming to terms with the fact I failed despite my best efforts was difficult but eventually I came to the realization "it's alright, move on". In my case this wasn't a romantic situation but I could see it also applying to that where you make sacrifices to save a relationship and despite everything it still fails and maybe that's the perspective he was coming from.

Same ^^^
I think this is just one of those little songs every one can relate to.

Heartbreak. That's what the song is about. In my opinion of course.

I wouldn't really say heartbreak, I'd say it's more about feeling jaded (not sure if it is the good word) . Like when you're trying to have something with someone (whether it's a love thing, or friendship, family or professional etc) and it just won't work because even if you give your best the other person doesn't really care. Then at some point you're just like "meh, whatever" and decide to move on.

Can anyone tell for sure if he is saying "I hope I never see you again" or "if I never see you again"? The "ohhhhh" before those lines makes it a little hard to hear. I think most of them are if's and then the last one is I hope. Cant tell. Anyone make it out?

turnitin2004 wrote:

Can anyone tell for sure if he is saying "I hope I never see you again" or "if I never see you again"? The "ohhhhh" before those lines makes it a little hard to hear.  I think most of them are if's and then the last one is I hope.  Cant tell.  Anyone make it out?

The last one is "if i never see you again". Thats what i'm hearing, played it back a couple times.