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.
Ok, it's like, it's bitchin', fussin', cussin'
I used to love her but I had to kill her
I used to love her, oh yeah, but I had to kill her
I had to put her six feet under
And I can still hear her complain
I used to love her, oh yeah, but I had to kill her
I used to love her, ooh yeah, but I had to kill her
I knew I'd miss her so I had to keep her
She's buried right in my backyard
Oh yeah
Ooh yeah
Whoa-oh, yeah
I used to love her, but I had to kill her
I used to love her, ooh yeah, but I had to kill her
She bitched so much, she drove me nuts
And now I'm happier this way
Whoa-oh, yeah
Take it for what it is
(Sir)
I used to love her, but I had to kill her
I used to love her, ooh yeah, but I had to kill her
I had to put her six, ooh, feet under
And I can still hear her complain
I used to love her but I had to kill her
I used to love her, oh yeah, but I had to kill her
I had to put her six feet under
And I can still hear her complain
I used to love her, oh yeah, but I had to kill her
I used to love her, ooh yeah, but I had to kill her
I knew I'd miss her so I had to keep her
She's buried right in my backyard
Oh yeah
Ooh yeah
Whoa-oh, yeah
I used to love her, but I had to kill her
I used to love her, ooh yeah, but I had to kill her
She bitched so much, she drove me nuts
And now I'm happier this way
Whoa-oh, yeah
Take it for what it is
(Sir)
I used to love her, but I had to kill her
I used to love her, ooh yeah, but I had to kill her
I had to put her six, ooh, feet under
And I can still hear her complain
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!
WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU MEAN, bugmenot? It wasn't a female dog. Haven't you ever heard Used to love her of the live Era cd? In the beginning, Axl says that this song was written 'cause sometimes you think you're boyfriend or girlfriend is a pain in the ass and you wish you could cut his fuckin' head off and bury him ou her in the backyard. I sometimes feel this way 'bout my passions.
Used to love her is a song about Slash's female dog (or Axl's dog or Duff's dog, I don't remember exactly), he loved her, but had to kill her and "buried right in my backyard". Truth.
bugmenot : You are absolutely correct! This song is actually written about Axl's dog, from back in the day. It's sort of funny how many ways this song's meaning can be interpreted. However, in an interview shortly after the album release, from an '88 interview, Axl clearly promotes the idea behind the song as being nothing more than a joke about his dog. Good job remembering that! :)
Yeah, i can tell.
Its about a dog, but obviously written intentionally to sound like a girlfriend simply for the controversy. Hey Billion, the line: "She bitched so much"= A dog that is very sick or injured and needs to be put to sleep.
Songwriters write songs this way intentionally to get a rise out of people. Just like how Sting wrote "Every Breath You Take" very carefully to almost make it sound romantic, and people dance to it at their weddings...but Sting laughs because the song is really about a STALKER! But I digress...
The first thing that came to my mind when I'we heard this song that it's about an ex-girlfriend.
"I used to love her, but I had to kill her I had to put her Six feet under
...
So I had to keep her She's buried right in my back yard"
He loved her, but then they broke up so he had to "bury" her deep in his memories. But even then he did not want to forget her.
This song for some reason makes me laugh ;) A lot of people feel this way about there ex's....
I love the live version and how Axl says it was written out of a kind of fantasy. Listen to the live version on Live Era 1987-1993
Kizy, don't have a fit...he (or she) can interpret it like that.
I don't think I't s about a dog :))
I agree It talks about how you sometimes get sick of your girlfriend or boyfriend bitchin all the time..
This isnt about a dead dog, its a song about a girl some guy loved and then she started being a bitch, so he killed her and buried her in his backyard. Its a joke, not serious.
why do struggle about this. its completely explicit. ecwnet is right. i like this song even more than patience. its best of "g.n.r lies" the solo is realy bring me insane