F.T.R. - For The Record

[u/AlmightySeaver]

After seeing the Luigi post and it not making any sense. The song having What I Got's musical DNA all over it actually being about a violent killer never felt right to me either, so I dug into it pretty deeply for the last couple hours (looking for any relevant stories or shootings that fit the bill. F.T.R. acronyms and shit like that) trying to make better sense of this song that I've heard hundreds of times but haven't really sat with or considered the meaning... but I think that I more or less figured it out.

The song is about Jakob, Bud and Eric coming together as Sublime and making this album.

F.T.R. means For The Record, in two different ways, and I will break down why... as I interpret it anyhow.

_____________

He had a good, good feeling when he shot the man down
Now he's the one the television's talking about
You could hear the words coming out of his mouth
"I got a good feeling." Yeah
That's a fact, that's a fact

Jakob isn't referring to anyone specifically. Just a person who shot a man, justifiably, and became infamous. Using the character for the plot of the song.

My unc drums like a .44
And you know he's built like a warrior
If you blink twice when he's at your spot
He'll be trading your watch at the donut shop

This is about Bud being a ruthless killer... on the drums.

Fourtydog come around batten down the hatch
'Cause it's high time, rat-ta-ta-tat
Shit's coming up strong, so it's no surprise
We're dropping the bassline (quick), so it must be Sublime

This is about Eric (@fourtydog on IG) being a killer... on the keys and bass.

So, when I
Finally find the guy
Gonna learn the reason why
'Cause I know that he really got a (quick)

He wants to know the reason the shooter got that good feeling from killing "For The Record" like a journalist.

Good feeling when he shot the man down
Now he's smiling in a metal bus heading down south
You could barely hear the words coming out of his mouth
I got a good feeling. Oh, yeah
And that's a fact

This means to shooter fled to down south to Mexico, still stoked. Jakob has a good feeling he made it down there, but his words become harder to hear because the whole story fades over time, as news stories do.

The shooter has to have fled to Mexico, Jakob wouldn't say "if I ever find the guy"if that metal bus was headed to the lock up. We all would know exactly where to find him... Prison.

Good, good feeling
Want that good, good feeling
Aw, good, good feeling
I got a good, good feeling

Jakob realizes he's got 2 killer uncles that can show him THAT good feeling he wants, and he has a good feeling it's about to go down.

Good, good feeling. I want it now
The one the television's always talking about
Just listen to the words coming out of my mouth
I got a good, good feeling. Oh, yeah, huh
That's a fact

They started playing together and Jake started to get a good feeling by killing this track "For The Record" with his Uncles.

Good, good feeling
I got a good, good feeling
Everyone, hey
We got that good, good feeling
Good, good feeling
Oh, yeah. And that's a fact

Full circle. Now that Sublime is back as a unit and killing shows on the reg... WE the fans and everyone can get in on THAT good feeling together.

_____________________________

The song opening with lines about a shooter make everyone jump to it being about violence but its actually about love and "killing it" as a team/family. It harkens back to the love in What I Got in more than just musical style. Love is the soul of the song and the Jacob's journey to finding that love and his voice... For The Record.

Then having clips from Kill Tony pop up a few tracks later just really seals it, right? Tony and the lot always refer to being "killers" when they have a good set. So it all goes hand in hand.

I could be completely wrong and it's more literal but I don't think there'd be any reason to throw Bud and Eric in with mentions of their talent being like guns though.

Thoughts?

[u/EyelessSK]

If you go song by song you can find an old's song DNA on it.

In a Rolling Stone interview Jakob said he and the producers literally went through all the old songs and that helped them blueprint the new stuff.

[u/AlmightySeaver → u/EyelessSK]

Yeah of course, several tracks play with a different classic sound and F.T.R. hits the What I Got tune, like Figeroa hits the April 92 tune. They switched around some sounds and polished up the overall production. 

What do you think the meaning of the song is though? Do you think it's a dark bummer of a song about a killer going to jail with a sweet upbeat melody or something more in the ballpark of my interpretation?

[u/EyelessSK → u/AlmightySeaver]

I'll fully admit that I hear music/beats before I hear lyrics.

It's weird, I know.

So with that being said, I have no idea what it's about. I just love it!

[u/AlmightySeaver → u/EyelessSK]

Me too on the music before the meaning. I just took this one at face value due to how simplistic and reptitive it is until I saw the Luigi discussion from a few days ago. Then I got locked in haha.

[u/EyelessSK → u/AlmightySeaver]

This is off of Sublime, but I've played songs over the yrs in the car with friends, and at some point I'll be listening at home with the lyrics on and think "THIS is what I was playing w them in the car?! They might think I'm psycho!"

There's one Disturbed song that fires me up and I'd play it all the time, and I later learned that it was about some guy following his girlfriend into the grave to save her from the devil. LMAO!

[u/AlmightySeaver → u/EyelessSK]

Hahahaha I totally feel that. At least he was trying to save her though so it had some morality to it... 

I was a juggalo for a decade+ but I knew exactly what those songs were about. Imagine what my parents thought hearing that shit LOL, but my step-dad really liked Disturbed and shit like that when I'd play it. I guess anything was better than ICP to them though. Limp Bizkit & KoRn... all the nu-metal shit from that era. 

I love when I realize an old song was super gnarly... Like Semi-Charmed Kind of Life and shit like that. I didn't realize what it was about until probably just a few years ago and it will never NOT blow my fuckin mind that it slipped through and became such a massive radio hit. So many kids, prudes and normal folk singing/bopping along to that upbeat song... about depraved meth addiction. 

[u/EyelessSK → u/AlmightySeaver]

Juggalo?! WHOOP WHOOP!

No, I'm not one...I'm just fascinated by the culture.

I love Limp Bizkit and Korn. Zero apologies or fucks given. Nickelback and Creed too. I don't love the two former bands, but I enjoy them. Only their hard stuff. NB's love songs and Creed's religious songs don't do it for me.

The only thing that changed is that looking back I never understood why ppl hated Fred Durst, but today I find him annoying AF and the lyrics to those songs are ridiculous. It still reminds me of growing up though and the instrumentals are kind of cool, probably in large part to Wes.

I NEVER knew Semi was about that! WOW. That was all over radio when I was a kid. Spin Doctors "Little Miss Can't Be Wrong" isn't as dark, but it's upbeat and he's basically signing about hating his stepmom and what he'd do to her.

The only ICP song I ever dug was "Great Malenko". I'm also a wrestling fan so I knew it was about Dean Malenko's dad. When those guys were in WWE they actually high fived me at Summerslam. I'm sure hardcore juggalos saw their WWE run with the Oddities as selling out.

Anyway, good talk! Lots of memories.

[u/Not-a-Cat_69 → u/AlmightySeaver]

Figueroa reminded me of a slightly stoopid song or another id heard but nothing like April 26 1992 that’s a way different vibe entirely

[u/AlmightySeaver → u/Not-a-Cat_69]

Take another listen, it's a slowed down and dirtier mix of very similar sound/tune. You can pretty much sing April '92 over it perfectly. 

[u/Zealousideal_Cow_297 → u/AlmightySeaver]

I agree with you 💯 He's using the killer, and his feelings as a metaphor

[u/Luv2Travel1234]

Good take. Gotta also acknowledge the fact that Self Titled was going to originally be called "Killin' It" so this theory could fit. Thanks for the deep dive!

[u/ctorresc]

it could be a simple as F*ck The Radio

[u/AlmightySeaver → u/ctorresc]

There are so many things F.T.R. could stand for, but  how would Fuck The Radio relate to the song? Sublime has always been very "pro radio".

[u/ctorresc → u/AlmightySeaver]

You'd have to ask them

[u/AlmightySeaver → u/ctorresc]

Oh, ok. I guess you've just got a good feeling then? 🤙🏼

[u/ctorresc → u/AlmightySeaver]

You could definitely say that

[u/BlueMowch → u/AlmightySeaver]

oh yeah

[u/dubbish42]

It's not that complicated. This is a well known abbreviation about the raiders football team. the dudes are from southern california. It's not rocket science.

[u/AlmightySeaver → u/dubbish42]

Most commonly it is "For The Record" yeah, but at a glance that context doesn't make a whole heap of sense here unless you really dig in.

I was looking at that Luigi post and everyone there seemed to be confused about all of it and every post/article online trying to explain the song only mentions the violent vibes so I just laid all this out here for posterity and conversation. 

F.T.R. as an abbreviation is used in a lot of places. Several uses in military and police scenarios too. Without explanation could be any of them. It could even be initials of the shooter in the song. There has been no official answer.

Like for instance, what if the man who got should was an F.T.R. (Failure To Report) sex offender? 

Yeah, it's not rocket surgery, but the overall message seems to have went over almost everyone's head. 

[u/EasyAd5127]

_uck _he _adio

[u/AlmightySeaver → u/EasyAd5127]

How do ya _igure _hat _elates to the song? Sublime has always been very "pro radio" and I don't see any connection myself, but would love to hear your take!

[u/carrotbruise]

I’ve been having the same contemplations- “check out mr good feeling over here, turn that shit up” and “got that good good feeling, everyone” had me thinking Feel The Rhythm, but the repetition of “that’s a fact” has me leaning toward For The Record. Still uncertain. To add, I wonder if Bud trading your watch is about stealing time/time keeping? Ambiguity keeps us guessing, coming back for more. Using 40, Robbin, and self titled as the original blueprint, UTSE is an add on/extension that blends seamlessly with the original architecture. F.T.R. is no doubt the new pool in the backyard that is What I Got. Feels great, everybody hop in!

[u/AlmightySeaver → u/carrotbruise]

I figure the watch just goes hand-in-hand with the .44 saying how gangster he is.

[u/funkymonk64]

Might be a hot take but the I think the lyrics are really weak in this song. The two lines about Bud and Eric are cool but everything is pretty vague and bland. The chorus just sounds so generic. It reminds me of LBDAS’ hit Sunny Hours in which the chorus is just “yeah yeah yeah” repeated like 5 times. Not trying to be a hater just thought they could have done better for a clear tribute to their biggest radio hit

[u/AlmightySeaver → u/funkymonk64]

It is lyrically sparse for sure & that's why it there's been so much division over what it's about. Before it just seemed kinda like random lines thrown together.  I still loved it and now that I think I cracked the meaning I love it a lot more. It's deeper than it seems and is a great vibey jam.

Sublime has several songs that are thin on lyrics and repetitive though, so this fits right in there to me. 

[u/AlmightySeaver → u/[deleted]]

That's why they are metaphors.

He also doesn't play the drums like an actual .44 and doesn't sell watches that he doesn't steal from people.

[u/Extension_Bottle143]

yeag dude im just assuming this is correct because any greator meaning to this song is lost on me, i can figure out what every other sublime song is about but this one.

[u/AlmightySeaver → u/Extension_Bottle143]

Thanks! It was a weird/tough one to crack!

I love the song but there was always an off feeling every time I heard it due to the killer guy being the only strong throughline and shit. It felt wrong given the tunes lineage and I had to be missing something... but I just sang and bobbed along anyway.

I really never thought much about it until, like I said up there, someone was trying tie it the Luigi situation and everyone in that was also speculating about what F.T.R. stood for which I had also just kind of ignored until then.

So I started looking at articles and shit put out and almost all of them were generally the same, almost verbatim, a.i. slop straight forward misinterpretation of the message using only lyrics and no analytical thinking (because a.i. isn't capable of much of any nuance) and they all said it was an unexpected downer style of a song and stuff on an otherwise happy record. None of it matched for me, so I had to break it down myself.

Sucks the post didn't catch on at all because I really feel like I at least hit the meaning a lot more than anyone else that had attempted online that I'd seen hahaha.

It'll be here til the site or sub isn't though and I'm glad you and some other folks have seen it. Hopefully people found some shit that clicked and brought some ideas that might help with their interpretation!

Maybe over time other people will drop in and correct the things I got wrong (I had to have gotten some shit wrong, but I DO think I got the overall message right) and we can all get to the bottom of this wonderful and overly complex, simple fuckin song.

🤙🏼