Brothers Grim [The Falling Wallendas featuring Todd Sucherman]

Brothers Grim
Written by Allen Keller and Scott Bennett

Five brothers sitting in front of the fire
Waiting for one of the weak to retire
An old crocheted pillow held over a face
One brother disappears without a trace

Four brothers sitting all neat in a row
Listening to their favorite radio show
One eats some fruit from the family tree
At next morning's breakfast there only are three

The brothers grim

The youngest one takes out his insulin
There's no need to notify the next of kin
Cain slew Abel as brothers will do
Three brothers magically turn into two

Accidents happen so often at home
Look at the forests of handmade headstones
But if a tree falls and it isn't alone
Is there a reason for one to atone

The brothers grim

Mamma died and left her boys all alone
To fight for the seat to the empty throne
An old brambled crown and a seal of scrawl
A kingdom consisting of nothing at all

At four o'clock rings the dinner bell
Be it ever so humble there's no place like hell
Blood is much thicker than water you know
That's why it pours so awfully slow

The brothers grim
The brothers grim
The brothers grim

Interpretation

In contrast to the Brothers Grimm, who passed along folklore in the form of timeless "fairy tales," these brothers are waiting for the others to die so they can be the last and inherit the kingdom. The first is smothered by his pillow while sleeping. The second eats poisoned fruit while they listen to the radio. Another dies of either withheld insulin (if diabetic) or insulin poisoning (if injected with another's insulin).  "Accidents" take them out one by one, although it is more like how Cain slew Abel.  In the end, when the mother dies, they are left nothing.