I've been trying to get people to call me Freddy Knuckles
People keep calling me Right Said Fred
And it's hard to keep trying when half your friends are dying
And it's hard to hold it steady when half your friends are dead already

We got taxmen coming around the back in their Kevlar vests
Militia men cooking up a batch of the crystal meth
We got wars going down in the middle west
We got wars going down in the middle western states
Kevlar vests against the crystal flakes

I've been trying to get people to call me Freddie Mercury
But 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

We got taxmen coming around the back in their Kevlar vests
We got militia men cooking up a batch of the crystal meth
And we got wars going down in the middle west
We got wars going down in the middle western states
Kevlar vests against the crystal flakes

And his elbow was a spiderweb
With five spiders trapped inside and he said
"You know, the last guy, I guess he didn't even have to die
But the first four looked so nice, I wanted five"
"The first four looked so nice"

I've been trying to get people to call me Sunny D
'Cause I got the good stuff the kids go for
People keep calling me Five Alive

'Cause the last guy didn't really die, I just lied
And the first four didn't really die, I just lied
Too many people getting stabbed
Getting tangled up in crabs

And I've been trying to get people to call me Johnny Rotten
But people keep calling me Freddy Fresh
And it's hard to take it easy when half your friends are looking way too easy
And it's hard to stay in bed when half your friends are dead

Taxmen coming around the back in their Kevlar vests
Militia men cooking up a batch of the crystal meth
We got wars going down in the middle west
We got wars going down in the middle western states
White crosses and wooden stakes


Lyrics submitted by leonperkin

Knuckles Lyrics as written by Craig Finn

Lyrics © Reservoir Media Management, Inc.

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

Knuckles song meanings
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6 Comments

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  • +1
    General Comment

    this is what craig finn (the lead singer of the hold steady) said about this song:

    "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."

    somelyricson February 11, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    i think it's about being a drug dealer?

    Colosimoon January 07, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Rock and roll is back.

    Moses19on December 15, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    His wit absolutely kills me. I love it. This song is spectacular.

    Lightbluenesson January 12, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I've been trying to get people to call me Sunny D. Cuz I've got the good stuff kids go for."

    Frikken hillarious! I'm Sunny D on the hold steady fourms on their website lol!

    HoldSteadyYborCityon July 06, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    best song everrr.

    I think it's in part about the "war on drugs". . .the havok drugs wreak on people everywhere, and the ineffective (and overly harsh?) ways the government tries to deal with it. I like the like "there are wars going down in the middle west. . .wars going down in the middle western states". I think it implies that the "war" on drugs is more fucked up and destructive in our own country than the other war we're focused on.

    but of course, that's just one part in this layered song.

    tigris010on January 07, 2008   Link

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