The song addresses the disingenuous, performative nature of some people (or bands) commodifying pain and the ills of society.
The song makes reference to Situationist concept of “the spectacle”, which describes society as ruled by markets that run on appearance and commodity fetishism
They used you to clean up tears after a Thrice show
Fucking belt buckles everywhere
Never digesting anything is a hell of a diet plan
Here come the suit-bitches
I watched them hollow out horses
Run
They gored me once with a diverse portfolio
Put a dollar in the box
It's across for show (It's across for show, and it's down to go)
And it's down to go (It's across for show, and it's down to go)
It's across for show (It's across for show, and it's down to go )
And the spectacle (It's across for show, and it's down to go )
I'm going to throw gristle at my guts
It's like the sink of finding a lump
I've got your black plague right here
How long before the pain-junkies storm the gates?
God
God
God
God
It danced on us
Like black lung
Before our hearts gave out
Put a dollar in the box
It grew on us
It grew up like a sister
While every time
Celebrating your neck
It's across for show (It's across for show)
And it's down to go (It's across for show, and it's down to go)
It's across for show (And it's down to go)
And it's down to go (It's a cross for show, and it's down to go)
Pray it's malignant, prey it's malignant
Pray it's malignant, prey it's malignant
Pray it's malignant, praey it's malignant
Pray it's malignant, pray it's malignant
.
Gristle was written by Jon Parkin.
Gristle was produced by Nick Zampiello.