One of the few metal bands from the 90s that were able to cut through the grunge scene that had taken over. They were able to bring a new and heavier sound than their contemporaries to the market.
They were received with much fanfare and critical acclaim and to date are constant headliners at bigger festivals. This is because they have honed their craft and also been the face of mainstream metal for two decades now.
What Does The Title Mean?
Corey Taylor, the frontman of the band has always combined deeper themes with heavy instrumentation and constantly reflects on the actions of human society. This is also the case for “Custer”. As the name suggests the song is about the anger of the Native Indian soldier when he goes into battle with General Custer.
The Battle of Little Bighorn is said to be one of the most brutal defeats in American history. General Custer led 650 soldiers to their deaths against 2500 native Indian soldiers. Custer lyrics meaning helps us understand the battle from the POV of the native army.
With the sudden death of the bassist Paul Gray and also Joey Jordison leaving the band, many people doubted whether Slipknot will be able to continue or not. But with the release of “.5: The Gray Chapter, they proved that they are still going to continue belting out some great tunes.
Custer is the 11th song on the 2014 release and is a testament to the fact that Slipknot will go on no matter what happens to them. They are a force to be reckoned with even after 2 decades and have the same energy in their album too.
This was also the first album with Jay Weinberg, the new drummer of slipknot. Everyone was thinking about how the band will make up for the loss of their drummer extraordinaire.
Skit And Intro – What Does It Mean?
“Clown” Crahan –
“How ’bout this one?
De-da-dat, de-da-dat, de-da-dat-dat-dat
De-da-dat, de-da-dat, de-da-dat-dat-dat
Yeah
Yeah
Rise
Half-alive and stark-raving free and maligned
For encroaching on the purpose of this commercial-free interruption
Due to the prolific nature of this statement
Listener aggression is advised”
The song starts off with a skit that segway into the Intro of the song. Corey Taylor along with the other members set the mood for a battle that is coming. Custer lyrics meaning deal with heavy topics like war and death in a very well put but harsh way. He is speaking from the viewpoint of the revolutionaries that is taking a stand against the oppressor (In this case Custer).
Verse 1 – What Does It Mean?
“It’s strange, whenever I see a gun, I think about just how petty you are
And it blows my fucking mind, yeah it blows my fucking mind
These days, I never seem to get enough, I’m tired of this shit, I wanna go home
Don’t waste my fucking time, don’t waste my fucking time
Because anything exceptional gets crushed by common people
With jealousy and ignorance and all their common evils”
This planet isn’t special, collections made of clay
I’m waiting for the punishment, I know it’s on my way”
The verse tells the story of how the battle has taken a toll on the Native Indian soldier. He is still perplexed by the oppressor that shows him his gun and he is beyond disgusted at how petty the army is.
He never seems to get enough of the hatred that the oppressor has and is perplexed by his actions. The warrior is tired and has had enough. He doesn’t want people to waste his time and explain to them the wonders of the world.
Anything great is just destroyed by the pettiness of the world and jealousy will lead to the downfall of humanity. Not only that there is a punishment coming for all and the Native Indians have made peace with this fact.
As the warrior waits for his punishment he says that the earth is not made up of something special, it is just clay all over the world. But we are the ones that give it meaning and the oppressor has come to spread commerce all over the land. For this to happen he will have to take the lives of the Native Indians that are standing their ground against them. The genocide committed by America on the Native Americans is one of the most understated genocides in the world.
What Does The Chorus Mean?
“Cut, cut, cut me up and fuck, fuck, fuck me up
Cut, cut, cut me up and fuck, fuck, fuck me up
Cut, cut, cut me up and fuck, fuck, fuck me up
Cut, cut, cut me up and fuck, fuck, fuck me up
Cut, cut, cut me up and fuck, fuck, fuck me up
Cut, cut, cut me up and fuck, fuck, fuck me up”
The chorus is the realization of the fact that there is no other option than death. When one comes to this realization the people accept anything that comes at them. Whether it be a slash of a blade or a bullet they have made peace with the fact that they might not make it out alive and are embracing themselves for death.
The repeated intensity of the chorus makes sure that the message is conveyed clearly to the listener. As a hail mary, the person waits for the pain that is going to be inflicted upon him. Custer lyrics meaning implores us the see the rage the people must have felt.
Post Chorus – What Does It Mean?
“Irreverence is my disease
It’s second hand, but you know me
The son of a bitch is on his knees
The last man standing gets no pity”
As the narrative progresses the warrior is no longer able to fight this fight. He is tired and can no longer continue. The survivor gets no pity and the last man standing is the true victor.
Historically, General Custer lost the battle and the lives of everyone there. He rushed in on the Native Indian army without taking into account their numbers and skill. To date, it is said to be one of the brashest acts taken by an army officer.
Verse 2 – What Does It Mean?
“Somewhere on a toilet wall, I read the words
“You form a line to formalize the former lies,” and I finally saw the truth
Something so profound, and it was sitting there surrounded by
The garbage and the stains, another victim of the refuse
Now I’ve been saying this for years, but you don’t comprehend it
I fight hell and I fight fear because I understand it
Androgyny and insults, you try so hard to be difficult
You wanna win the war? Know what you’re fighting for”
Moving onwards with the narrative, Corey Taylor talks about wisdom being everywhere, and here at the wall of the toilet. Profound messages can be found everywhere, it is just us that will have to go through the filth and scum to filter it out.
The war that we are fighting is never-ending, whether it be with an outside enemy or the demons within ourselves. For one to emerge victoriously they will have to fight on till their death. The only way to win the war is to know exactly what you are fighting for.
But in war, the truth is the first casualty and the leaders are the ones to be blamed for this. The 20-year-old that followed Custer into battle did not know any better. And since he did not know what he was fighting for he was not the victor in that war.
What Does The Bridge Mean?
“Irreverence is my disease
It’s second hand, but you know me
The son of a bitch is on his knees
The last man standing gets no pity
With angel eyes and demon seeds
You’re missing what you really need
When all is said and done, you see
The last man standing gets no pity
No pity, no pity, no pity, no pity, no pity”
The bridge brings light to the fact that even though the last man standing is the victor, the punishment coming for everyone will not spare him. He has won but at what cost. The victor does not see what lies ahead.
Standing in a pool of blood that is not his, the war hero will still get no pity and will also suffer.
The meaningful recitation of a historic battle through edgy and spell-binding lyrics is one of the main reasons why Slipknot has been influential over generations. They do not hold back their angst about the world and that is why people connect with them too. “Custer lyrics meaning” is simple yet effective and tells how there are no real winners in a war.
