Ain't No Rest For The Wicked

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wBgp5aDH23g

This song, "Ain't No Rest For The Wicked" by Cage The Elephant can display a variety of different meanings. The song speaks about people doing some bad things, and all for mainly the same purpose, money. In the chorus, ain't no rest for the wicked, wicked being referred to the "bad people" never seem to get a break from the struggles in life; they have it worse off in comparison to others when it comes to paying bills and supporting a family. Everyone needs money in order to survive in this world, and there are many people that strain over the simple daily needs that the people that are better off do not have to be concerned about. These people are obligated to end up stealing from others out of desperation to make it through life. A good example of this from the song is, in the second verse,

"He put a gun up to my head

He made it clear he wasn't lookin' for a fight

He said give me all you got

I want your money not your life

But if you try to make a move I won't think twice

I told him you can have my cash

But first you know I gotta ask you

What made you want to live this kind of life"

The lyrics further describe how someone can't slow down and hold back even though there is a great desire to get away from this life style. They are born into this and struggle through life attempting to find a way out. Towards the end of the song, the artist talks about a preacher who stole from the church.The reasoning behind this seems like they want people to realize, that not everyone is what they first give and impression of, and that not all bad people appear to be bad on the outside. Some of these people can just be normal people walking down the street and you are unable to tell the difference between them. The line “But even still I can’t say much, because I know were all the same, oh yes we all seek out to satisfy those thrills”, resembles how, in general, people are striving for some of the same goals in life, and some people have to pursue a different route in order to accomplish those goals.