Knuckles
From Theholdsteady
Knuckles is the sixth track from Almost Killed Me. It is 3:46.
Lyrics
i've been trying to get people to call me freddy knuckles. people keep calling me right said fred. it's hard to keep trying when half your friends are dying. it's hard to hold steady when half your friends are dead already. taxmen coming around the back with the kevlar vests. militia men cooking up a batch of crystal meth. there's a war going down in the middle west. there's a war going down in the middle western states. the kevlar vests against the crystal flakes.
i've been trying to get people to call me freddy mercury. people keep calling me drop dead fred. it's hard to take it easy when half your friends are way too easy. it's hard to get ahead when half your friends are dead. taxmen coming around the back with the kevlar vests. militia men cooking up a batch of crystal meth. there's a war going down in the middle west. there's a war going down in the middle western states. the kevlar vests against the crystal flakes.
his elbow was a spiderweb. with five spiders trapped inside. he said: the last guy didn't have to die. but the first four looked so nice. i wanted five. i've been trying to get people to call me sunny d. i've got the good stuff kids go for. people keep calling me five alive. because the last guy didn't really die. i just lied. and the first four didn't really die. i just lied. too many kids are getting stabbed. getting tangled up in [crabs].
i've been trying to get people to call me johnny rotten. people keep calling me freddy fresh. it's hard to take it easy when half your friends are looking way too easy. it's hard to stay in bed when half your friends are dead. taxmen coming around the back with the kevlar vests. militia men cooking up a batch of crystal meth. there's a war going down in the middle west. there's a war going down in the middle western states. white crosses and wooden stakes.
Analysis
"This one was inspired by two things: 1. This kid I knew that asked everyone to call him Diamond Dave. It didn't work. 2. Some good friends of mine thought I was named Fred for some reason before we met. I used to see them around in the hardcore scene in the late '80s and when we finally met, they said, "I thought your name was Fred." That's some of the inspiration for this song. Meanwhile, Damon Locks from Trenchmouth and the Eternals gave me the line, "I've been trying to get people to call me Sunny D. 'cause I got the good stuff that kids go for." I added "People keep calling me Five Alive." I think Damon thought it was a terrible line. I think it's so bad it's great. He told me that one years ago and I kept it with me."[1]
-Craig Finn, The Hold Steady
