Chevelle – Under the Knife

Are you drunk or has your ego grown and
Swallowed you whole
No wonder I would rather be under the knife
Commandeer most accused
Just want to be tossed aside to
Know when to fight

Who has the knife to settle this
When you're the last to know
I started 1976
And that wasn't fast enough

I planned a journey 'round your psycho fury
Go ahead call me a nervous
Life just owes ya something

Give me the knife

Who has the life to spend on this
When you're the last to know
I started 1976
And that wasn't fast enough

It's in the back of the mind
It's in the back of the mind
It's in the back of the mind
It's in the back of the mind

Well who has the knife to settle this
When you're the last to know
I started 1976
And that wasn't fast enough

Well
Who has the life to spend on this
When you're the last to know
I started 1976
And that wasn't fast enough

It's in the back of the mind
The back of the mind
It's in the back of the mind
In the back of the mind


Lyrics submitted by GoldyCash

"Under the Knife" as written by Samuel Loeffler Peter Loeffler

Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

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Under the Knife song meanings
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4 Comments

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  • +2
    General CommentI'm fairly certain that this song is about Pete's struggle with his brother Joe. Pete and Sam never wanted to address the issue as they were expecting him to leave the band on his own. But Pete played the "Commandeer." Pete didn't want to have to kick his brother out hence why he says he would rather have been under the knife.

    Joe was known for being a selfish problem child with a temper on tour and it was affecting Sam and Pete.

    "I planned a journey 'round your psycho fury
    Go ahead call me nervous
    Life just owes ya something"

    I'd assume that forcefully kicking Joe out of the band was always in "the back of his (Pete) mind." Notice how when he says "Give me the knife" in the middle of the song the song gets darker and Pete's voice gets lower? I think it symbolizes his frustration with the situation and that's when he took control and kicked out Joe.

    As for the starting 1976...That's the year Pete was born. I have no idea what significance it plays in the song.
    andrew1376on April 23, 2014   Link
    • 2 Replies
  • +1
    General CommentJust like they say Fleetwood Mac made classics because of the love/hate relationship between Stevie Nicks and Lindsay Buckingham, so has the hate/hate relationship with brother Joe.
    This is another of those classics. Humanoid, Well Enough Alone, I Get It, to name a few.
    adam108634on July 29, 2014   Link
  • 0
    General CommentWhy 1976, I wonder...
    MusicStuff0405on April 08, 2014   Link
  • 0
    General CommentMystery solved: 1976 is Pete's birth date.
    MusicStuff0405on April 08, 2014   Link

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