Faithless, the Wonderboy Lyrics
And now they're ripped and now they're torn
And all my friends have skateboards
I want a knife and a gun and things
But mom and dad will not give in
Can't put the needle in
I can't put the needle in
No I can't put the needle in
Can't put the needle in
Can't put the needle in
It's called disease and it's got my head
It always runs where I hide
Too scared to know the reasons why
And all my friends say bye bye
Can't put the needle in
Can't put the needle in
No I can't put the needle in
Can't put the needle in
Can't put the needle in
Can't put the needle in
Can't put the needle in
No I can't put the needle in
Can't put the needle in
Can't put the needle in
Maybe its about a boy that was raised in an overprotective fashion. Other boys can play with skateboards and fall and do other crazy stuff. In this way other kids can rip their jeans; while at the same time develop a healthy thick skin: the "jeans" that you are born with. This kid has not been allowed to play and take risks and now it's too late: he's too weak to sew himself a decent pair of jeans, because he cant put the needle in.
I think this song is about a kid/teen-boy who tries to fit in with the crowd but he "can't put the needle in"
i agree that drugs are a theme, but i think that radiohead use the image of not putting 'the needle in' as a metaphor for not fitting in. what an amazing song whichever way you read it
IMHO, this is about disease of some sort, hence the jeans/genes reference. They're ripped and torn = diseased. All his friends have skateboards but he's too sick to play. He wants to die but his parents won't give him the means. Too scared to talk = too scared to talk! All his friends say bye-bye because it's a terminal disease. Anyway, that's my $.02.
@songmeanings135 it's a bit of a stretch but tghe inetrpretaion is valid.
@songmeanings135 it's a bit of a stretch but tghe inetrpretaion is valid.
Okay, songmeanings135 has got it, I believe. He/she made me take another look at the jeans reference. Clever double-meaning. The disease would make so much since. Hey, do you think the chorus is about him hesitating to end his own life? The way I see it, that needle would either help him or hurt him, so it would only make sense to me if he were trying to end it all. The second stanza, I think, is him complaining. He wants to have what others have (but he can't cuz he's too sick) and then he wants a knife and a gun so he can vent out his frustrations (probably on himself) and, like the above user said, his parents would not allow or supply that method. This song is crazy deep.
I believe this song to be about a boy trying to fit in the crowd as a teen, and then becomes a drug addict.
Best song on Itch EP. It definitely seems to be about drugs although according to Green Plastic it is about revenge. I don't believe that of course.
I really like this song. I like how he sings "I want a knife and a gun and things" in such an innocent way. But yeah, I do agree it definately seems to be about drugs...
Philstratz has got it right.
This is probably wrong, but I think it's about a girl who wants to be a boy.
I think jeans is like genes meaning genetically she's a girl. but theyre ripped and torn meaning theyre bad and shed rather ride skateboards like a boy.
I think i cant put the needle in is a reference to injecting testosterone.
then she realizes its a disease that she has the wrong body, and theres no where to hide and shes scared.