So this has been.my favorite song of OTEP's since it came out in 2004, and I always thought it was a song about a child's narrative of suffering in an abusive Christian home. But now that I am revisiting the lyrics, I am seeing something totally new.
This song could be gospel of John but from the perspective of Jesus.
Jesus was NOT having a good time up to and during the crucifixion. Everyone in the known world at the time looked to him with fear, admiration or disgust and he was constantly being asked questions. He spoke in "verses, prophesies and curses". He had made an enemy of the state, and believed the world was increasingly wicked and fallen from grace, or that he was in the "mouth of madness".
The spine of atlas is the structure that allows the titan to hold the world up. Jesus challenged the state and in doing so became a celebrated resistance figure. It also made him public enemy #1.
All of this happened simply because he was doing his thing, not because of any agenda he had or strategy.
And then he gets scourged (storm of thorns)
There are some plot holes here but I think it's an interesting interpretation.
Diamonds, and dust
Poor man last, rich man first
Lamborghinis, caviar
Dry martini, Shangi-La
I've got a burnin' feelin'
Deep inside of me
It's yearnin'
But I'm gonna set it free
I'm goin' in
To Sin City
I'm gonna win
In Sin City
Where the lights are bright
Do the town tonight
I'm gonna win
In Sin City
Oh, let me roll you baby!
Ladders and snakes
Ladders give, snakes take
Rich man poor man
Beggar man, thief
Ain't got a hope in hell
That's my belief
Fingers Freddie, Diamond Jim
They're gettin' ready
Look out! I'm comin' in!
So spin that wheel, cut that pack
And roll those loaded dice
Bring on the dancing girls
And put the champagne on ice
I'm goin' in
To Sin City
I'm gonna win
In Sin City
Where the lights are bright
Do the town tonight
I'm goin' in
To Sin City
Poor man last, rich man first
Lamborghinis, caviar
Dry martini, Shangi-La
I've got a burnin' feelin'
Deep inside of me
It's yearnin'
But I'm gonna set it free
I'm goin' in
To Sin City
I'm gonna win
In Sin City
Where the lights are bright
Do the town tonight
I'm gonna win
In Sin City
Oh, let me roll you baby!
Ladders and snakes
Ladders give, snakes take
Rich man poor man
Beggar man, thief
Ain't got a hope in hell
That's my belief
Fingers Freddie, Diamond Jim
They're gettin' ready
Look out! I'm comin' in!
So spin that wheel, cut that pack
And roll those loaded dice
Bring on the dancing girls
And put the champagne on ice
I'm goin' in
To Sin City
I'm gonna win
In Sin City
Where the lights are bright
Do the town tonight
I'm goin' in
To Sin City
Lyrics submitted by Demau Senae
Sin City Lyrics as written by Malcolm Young Angus Young
Lyrics © Downtown Music Publishing
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Ave Grave
Thee More Shallows
Thee More Shallows
Siberian Kiss
Glassjaw
Glassjaw
its amazing how far music can come.. 24 years after it released and its one of the most heartfelt songs ive heard
Corpse I Fell In Love With
Gadjits, The
Gadjits, The
He reuses the verse melody from the previous album's "Dirty Little Religion", the topics of the verses are all over the place, and he packs too many words into one line (goes to show...) and too few in another (it's pretty hard to find), and rhymes "Henley Regatta" with "Persona non grata", but gets away with it all as only he could.
Step
Ministry
Ministry
Both as a standalone and as part of the DSOTS album, you can take this lyric as read. As a matter of public record, Jourgensen's drug intake was legendary even in the 1980s. By the late 90s, in his own words, he was grappling with massive addiction issues and had lost almost everything: friends, spouse, money and had nearly died more than once. "Dark Side of the Spoon" is a both funny & sad title for an album made by a musical genius who was losing the plot; and this song is a message to his fans & friends saying he knows it. It's painful to listen to so I'm glad the "Keith Richards of industrial metals" wised up and cleaned up. Well done sir.
Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
Silent Planet
I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
James Buchanan Brady (12 August 1856–13 April 1917), also known as Diamond Jim Brady, was an American businessman, financier, and philanthropist of the Gilded Age.
Born in New York City to a modest household, Brady worked his way up from bellboy and messenger. After gaining employment in the New York Central Railroad system, he became the chief assistant to the general manager by the age of 21. At 23, Brady parlayed his knowledge of the railroad industry and its officials to become a highly successful salesman for Manning, Maxwell and Moore, a railroad supply company.
Known for his penchant for jewels, especially diamonds, he collected precious stones and jewelry in excess of US$ 2 million (adjusted for 2005 dollars, approx. $50 million).
The song is about Bon partying in Las Vegas.
I thought it was about the rich wasting their cash while poor people aint got a hope to ever be like them
I actually heard that it's about Sun City, the South African Vegas. If so it might even have a political touch, considering apartheid...
Okay, how come there are fucking 800 people posting for a shit band like Fall Out Boy, yet there are only 3 fucking posts for Sin City, an AC/DC classic. AC/DC are the fucking GODS OF METAL, and nobody posts for them? Oh my God, what has music come to? Listen, this song is awesome, along with basically any AC/DC song. Also, go to Fall Out Boy's Sugar We're Going Down page, go to the last or second to last comment page, and read the comment I posted about Fall Out Boy. It's priceless!!
come on guys
AC/DC has said in interviews that they detest being called a metal band. they're a blues rock band. there's no doubt that they influenced and probably gave rise to Metal in the 80's, but they're not a metal band
AC/DC have always classified their music and ROCK n' ROLL. Their early stuff is bluesy, yes, but there's no doubt that they had a huge part, along with led zeppelin created metal.
Yeah, AC/DC is about as metal as Elvis. Even the Tommy-era Who are more metal than them, with the insane distortion, noise levels, screaching vocals by Roger and classic death-metal growl by John. Boy, I love the Who.
Anyway, yeah, as said, AC/DC never has claimed to be metal, quite the opposite actually. They're a got the hard rock riffwork of the Kinks with the bluesier lead stuff like anyone who was in the Yardbirds. Great band.
Also, RIP Rock n Roll 1951-80. '51 because that's the first time the phrase "rock n roll" was used to describe a musical genre, and '80 since that's when Bon Scott died.
ACDC are blues metal or maybe hard rock, but not classic rock 'n roll. Great song from Powerage album!
Nothing mysterious at all. It's just a song about Las Vegas. People have referred to Vegas as "sin city" for as long as Vegas has existed. It has another nickname - "Lost Wages" - but that wouldn't make a cool song title.
I agree TommyCap. This is a metal classic, a perfect representation of the Las Vegas atmosphere. Yet today, it is not as widely known as some fucking crackhead faggot queer emo shit. People used to think of rock as Sabbath, AC/DC, etc. Now all it is is some queer teen with a high pitched voice singing about slitting his wrists. RIP Rock and Roll 1950-2006.