9 Meanings
Add Yours
Follow
Share
Q&A
Metal Detektor Lyrics
metal detektor ringing as I'm walking through the door
with every chance I take I can feel it start to break
to start to break some more
it's going down some more
I'm going to break the bank of texas and walk out
it's a lie no more
all through with playing the wall
I'm going to break the bank of dakota and walk right back out
it's going down some more
not going to fake it no more
just going to break the bank of texas and walk right out and
make the sound of getting kicked when you're down
I'm going to break the heart of chicago and walk right back out
metal detektor ringing as I walk on through the door
metal detektor ringing as I'm walking through the door
with every chance I take I can feel it start to break
to start to break some more
it's going down some more
I'm going to break the bank of texas and walk out
it's a lie no more
all through with playing the wall
I'm going to break the bank of dakota and walk right back out
it's going down some more
not going to fake it no more
just going to break the bank of texas and walk right out and
make the sound of getting kicked when you're down
I'm going to break the heart of chicago and walk right back out
metal detektor ringing as I walk on through the door
metal detektor ringing as I'm walking through the door
Add your song meanings, interpretations, facts, memories & more to the community.
the best song Spoon has ever and will ever record, bar fucking none.
@Shoey920 Couldn't agree more. Amazing song.
@Shoey920 Couldn't agree more. Amazing song.
This is one of the best songs in the world.
Not nearly enough people know about this band, this song is glorious.
Agree
Agree
This song represents that sort of "end-of-the-line" desperation of a person who has hit rock bottom. His last resort is this foolish scheme to "break the bank of texas." But right as he walks out, that metal detektor (sic) rings and it represents all of his dreams dying in that one moment. It makes the "sound of getting kicked when you're down." Musically it has a wonderfully repetitive guitar hook and Britt sounds especially melancholic. One of my favorites off A Series of Sneaks.
i think this is the best Spoon song ever as well... but, to be fair, i really preferred their earlier stuff, and stopped listening at some point.
as couldBanyone said, "This song represents that sort of "end-of-the-line" desperation of a person who has hit rock bottom"... i agree. but, for me, it also has this really great feeling to it, this perfect sense of freedom.
There are two ways I can see this song going:
1) Its about the struggle of poverty and a (of course) botched attempt to carry out the plan. It's about how the people who are pushed to desperate measures are the ones who can't actually carry out those best-laid plans in the first place. It's a sadly funny image: the guy who plans the solve his problems by holding up a bank, but can't even get through the front door without setting off an alarm.
2) Desperation in a kid who dreams of robbing banks, but all he can do is shoplift petty shit. I like this interpretation better. There are so many banks mentioned, it sounds like a 13-year-old's big fantastic dreams: "I'm gonna do this, this, and this! Just you watch!" And that too makes it sad.
Either way, I think it's the best song on my favorite album of theirs. I like the newer stuff, but this is one of those moderately rare times when BD was writing amazing lyrics to go with his regularly awesome music.
Yes, this album is phenomenal. As good as they became later, they never equalled this.
Yes, this album is phenomenal. As good as they became later, they never equalled this.
Robbin a bank
I don't get 'desperation' out of this song but the sense of lightness when you're walking out of a horrible situation. Maybe it's about a relationship ending?
Whenever I travel to a new place, I always set off the metal detektor. Even going in.