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Turnin' On The Screw Lyrics
You got a question? Please don't ask it.
It puts the lotion in the basket.
You say bigger's better but bigger's only bigger.
White boy dressed up like a figure
Drawn inside a toilet on the wall.
The world is round, my square peg don't fit at all.
They say those who can't just instruct others
And act like victims or jilted lovers
You can't lose it if you never had it
Disappear man, do some magic
Want a reason, how's about "because"?
You ain't a has been if you never was
[Guitar Solo]
Scared to say what is your passion,
So slag it all, bitter's in fashion
Fear of failure's all you've started
The jury's in, VERDICT: Retarded
I'm so tired and I'm wired too
I'm a mess I guess, I'm turnin' on the screw.
It puts the lotion in the basket.
You say bigger's better but bigger's only bigger.
White boy dressed up like a figure
The world is round, my square peg don't fit at all.
And act like victims or jilted lovers
You can't lose it if you never had it
Disappear man, do some magic
You ain't a has been if you never was
So slag it all, bitter's in fashion
Fear of failure's all you've started
The jury's in, VERDICT: Retarded
I'm a mess I guess, I'm turnin' on the screw.
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The song sets the tone for the rest of the album, which is full of Josh's observations on the state of the youth. Era Vulgaris is certainly the most insightful, if not outright political, Queens album to date.
Josh seems to believe young people have conformity shoved down their throats from a young age ("got a question, please don't ask it") and how he uses the cliche of "square peg in a round hole" to represent himself as an outsider, someone who doesn't fit the prescribed norm.
The song, like several others on the album, deals with apathy in young people. I love the second verse for this reason; it is a bitter condemnation of mental stagnation. He implies that those who never tried to follow their dreams act "like jilted lovers" but like a cheated lover, have only themselves to blame for their indifference.
It's better to be a has-been than to never have actually accomplished anything; "I'm not good enough" is not a valid excuse for not trying.
I gotta cut this off, but here's my interpretation of the title: a screw is a tool driven by something larger and more useful than itself. If you don't try to make yourself something, you are simply sitting on top of the screw as it turns and is driven into the static throes of apathy. The message is that you should be the drill and not the screw.
This is the best song on the album. I bought it yesterday, and I'v listened to this song at least 22 times.
I think it's about feeling awkward/not fitting in compared to the rest of society. Especially because of the Silence of the Lambs reference, and lines such as "The world is round, My square don’t fit at all" (My favorite line of the song). "Turning on the Screw" could mean going against what fits and what makes sense in society. The screw is conformity, and turning on it is rebellion.
The title reminds on of "Taming of the Shrew." Anyone else think of this?
The world is round, My square don’t fit at all
The title may refer to the ghost story "The turn of the Screw" by Henry James. I think that at least part of this song refers the development of an unstable mind and the silence of the lambs quote on line 2 can only further describe it. Just the various sounds of this song hint at something slowly growing, like maybe one's insanity. He has rejected all chance of reason or sense because of inconsistency or even complete absence and instead he is satisfying his mind in another way.
does anyone else think those cool guitar parts that pan left to right and left again after the first chorus (and they do it repeatedly at the end of the song when the drums start changing) sound sort of like an electric screw driver or some sort of drill? homme said in an interview that the album sounds electrical, like a construction worker and the title along with those guitar parts were the first connection i made.
also, anyone know what he means by 'white boy dressed up like a figure drawn inside a toilet on the wall'?
Here's my thoughts on that line, based on his love for playing music that he likes, even if it's not chart topping and also my interpretation of the song. The white boy dressed up like a figure would mean the Boybands, Justin Biebers and other corporate record company singers who are just puppets, who have to wear and act a certain way. Drawn inside a toilet would just mean that he thinks they're worthless
Here's my thoughts on that line, based on his love for playing music that he likes, even if it's not chart topping and also my interpretation of the song. The white boy dressed up like a figure would mean the Boybands, Justin Biebers and other corporate record company singers who are just puppets, who have to wear and act a certain way. Drawn inside a toilet would just mean that he thinks they're worthless
Maybe it's graffiti on a bathroom stall.
Maybe it's graffiti on a bathroom stall.
you guys are all missing the true greatness of this song it is at the very begining when he is like drum solo, "WHOA!" lol makes me laugh everytime
its "Turning on the Screw" not "Turning On A Screw"
It's actually "Turnin' on the Screw", not "Turning On A Screw" or "Turning on the Screw".
Ha. I had my fun, but I'm really liking this song. They had a video preview of this song, which made me excited for it. It really is a good song, along side "Suture Up Your Future".
Turning on the Screw? Screws are the guys who run jails... I suppose that's Homme talking about turning on authority figures, but it's also surely a reference to the idiom: turning the screws. (Using coercion to force people to do what you want.)
Perhaps the sight change in the phrase is meant to reference the idiom, while also implying the aformentioned rebellion. It's a brilliant twist of phrase. You're turning on the screws --so I'll turn on the screw. (i.e. you jerks)
I think ibanezfender is right. This song is filled with comments about society, judgements, being different, and ambition.
If have questions don't ask them, you won't be a loser if you never are anything, and if you have no talent just tell other people what to do. Society doesn't want you to think or try because they're jealous or small minded.
The last paragraph is really telling. You pursue your passion because everyone's bitter and cynical.
The jury line may either be Hommes simply commenting on society, (they're retarded) or society judging you/the different/the creative as retarded.
This is such a great and quietly cocky song. With hints of 'screw what everyone thinks'. It makes sense if you think about Josh Homme in general and some of the verses in 'Misfit Love' (His favourite song of the album) such as 'I'm born to win, i'm so sick baby it's a sin' and 'Sidewalks feel me strut so good'.
The first two verses are about not being bothered by what others say and just be proud of who you are - 'Got a question?' don't bother asking, not interested in what you think. Just be obedient and put the lotion in the basket (obvious Silence of the Lambs reference- you're beneath me). Then 'a square don't fit at all' - considers himself to be different to the crowd. The 2nd verse: People telling him how he should sing, write songs, behave etc. (He's always been conscious of not fitting with the rest of music - watch the rolling stone interview about being a 'People person'). His response to them - Well, 'disappear man, do some magic', 'You aint a has been, if you never was'! (Nice!)
The final verse is also about people's opinions: people being scared of trying to achieve something in life, so they just slag everyone else off. Which he thinks is retarded.
Fantastic, underrated song. The beauty of Queens are that so many of their songs have different interpretations, that's what makes them so great.
It's definitely about how sexculture has changed for the bad. I mean: TURNING on the SCREW. Turning is changing, and screw is of course screwing someone, so sex.
It puts the lotion in the basket: So if you ask how you're supposed to have sex, you ruin the chemistry and the lotion goes in the basket, so no sex.
You say bigger's better but bigger's bigger: Obviously about penis size
White boy cast out like a figure: The white boy pretends to be something he's not.
The world is round my square don't fit at all: His penis doesn't fit, but probably in a sarcastic way, because penises not fitting in the hole is bullshit.
You can't lose it if you never had it: Virginity
And then the most important one, Fear of failure is all you've started: People are afraid to fail at being good at sex etc etc etc
I think you can fill the rest in for yourselves.