The wife forgave the mistress
For she only entertained
The pain was gone the instant
She cleared her throat to speak her name
Said, Both of us must suffer
From this same unending ache?

The world was not of interest
Though her days were never dull
Her bed beneath a crucifix
On guests performing miracles
With the Son of God just hanging like a common criminal
"When I do wrong, I am with God," she thought
"When I feel lost, I am not at all"

So give me black light
(Give, give me)
So give me hot knives
(Deep clean sleep)
On a dance floor no one tells time
(There is no time)

Oh, I've made love, yeah, I've been fucked, so what?
I'm a cartoon, you're a full moon, let's stay up

She went to see a mystic
Who made medicine from rain
And gave up her existence
To feel everything, dream other's dreams
Bid farewell to her family
With one ecstatic wave
(Please take care, I love you all)
Out the window as the car rolled away
She just vanished into a thick mist of change

So let us rejoice
(Let's rejoice!)
In all this pink noise
(Our pink noise!)
An oscillation that we can pinpoint
(We're right here!)


Lyrics submitted by light_pollution

Hot Knives Lyrics as written by Conor Oberst

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

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Hot Knives song meanings
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79 Comments

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  • +1
    General Comment"Hot Knives is a song.. uhm, sort of about a woman that kind of discovers that her life is a sham and can't really exist in her reality any longer and has to transform completely into a new, uh, species. It sounds crazy, but it's not that crazy. It could happen to you, too"
    -Conor on the NME Track-by-Track
    lovenothing__on April 04, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General Comment"An oscillation that we can pinpoint"
    this band are so underrated
    dellvkhon April 20, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment"Oh, I’ve made love, yeah, I’ve been fucked, so what?
    I’m a cartoon, you’re a full moon, let’s stay up"

    this is the best song off the new album by far. i don't know how i feel about Cassadaga i was so excited for it now i feel kind of like its a little let down. i think i just need to listen to it more.
    ihaveyourkidon March 29, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Commentsomething about this song just makes me want to cry
    mixedtapeon March 29, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General CommentI don't know how anyone could say this is a let down, right now it's neck and neck with IWAIM for my favorite Bright Eyes album.
    tjwellson March 30, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General CommentI'm loving the electric guitar at the end...
    Silon March 30, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General CommentI've gone into every Bright Eye's album since Fevers and Mirrors expecting to expect the unexpected. And I'm always pleasantly surprised.
    tiki_12on March 31, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Commentthis song is seriously amazing.
    theriverwepton April 04, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Commenti'm not sure if i get this one. it seems to be about some kind of magdalen/saint mary of egypt type of figure?
    dorareeveron April 04, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Commentwell it's not that different from what i said then, except for the...err...species thing.
    dorareeveron April 05, 2007   Link

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