The band gained recognition in the United Kingdom and United States during 2006 and 2007 due to the success of their single "Young Folks", whilst staying virtually unknown in their homeland, Sweden.
Rusty Nail
Peter Bjorn and John Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Now it's nothing but a, a hard knot
I keep thinking of it
I can't stop and now it's all my life
I knew something but it's all wrong
I had answers but they're all gone
But I keep working on it
I can't stop and now it's all my life
I keep getting that rusty nail again all the time
I had dreams I had dreams where I wanna be
All my life
I never knew how much it meant to me
All the time
I had dreams I had dreams where I wanna be
All my life
I keep getting that rusty nail again all my life
A self taught, soft spot
Now I know I tried it full stop
Didn't know about it but I know I like it all my life
I'm tangled up now I know it's never just black or white
I can't stop now, its gonna be all my life
I keep getting that rusty nail again all the time
I had dreams I had dreams where I wanna be
All my life
I never knew how much it meant to me
All the time
I had dreams I had dreams where I wanna be
All my life
I keep getting that rusty nail again all the time
I keep getting that rusty nail again all my life
I keep getting that rusty nail again all the time
I keep getting that rusty nail again all my life
"Rusty Nail" by Peter Bjorn and John appears to be a song about the persistent and unrelenting nature of certain thoughts or experiences in one's life. The repetitive phrase "I can't stop" suggests a feeling of being stuck or unable to move on from something, symbolized by a "rusty nail." The "rusty nail" can be interpreted as a metaphor for a lingering problem or emotional pain that keeps resurfacing, causing discomfort and hindering personal growth.
The lyrics express a sense of frustration and confusion, with the singer admitting to forgetting something important and feeling lost without the answers they once had. However, they continue to work on it, indicating a determination to find a resolution or understanding. The repetition of the line "all my life" emphasizes the enduring nature of the struggle, suggesting that this issue has consumed a significant portion of the singer's existence.
The song also touches on the paradoxical nature of life, as the singer acknowledges that things are not simply black or white. They have discovered a "soft spot" or vulnerability within themselves, recognizing that life is full of complexities and shades of gray. Despite the challenges, they express a willingness to continue grappling with the issue, suggesting a resilience and acceptance of the fact that some things may never be fully resolved.
Overall, "Rusty Nail" conveys a sense of introspection, perseverance, and the recognition that certain struggles and experiences can have a lasting impact on one's life.
Line by Line Meaning
I can't stop, forgot
I am unable to cease, I have disregarded
Now it's nothing but a, a hard knot
Now it is simply a challenging problem
I keep thinking of it
I continuously ponder about it
I can't stop and now it's all my life
I am unable to cease and now it consumes my entire existence
I knew something but it's all wrong
I possessed knowledge, but it turned out to be incorrect
I had answers but they're all gone
I had solutions, but they have disappeared
But I keep working on it
Nevertheless, I persist in my efforts
I can't stop and now it's all my life
I am unable to cease and now it engulfs my entire existence
I keep getting that rusty nail again all the time
I repeatedly encounter that troublesome issue consistently
I had dreams I had dreams where I wanna be
I possessed aspirations, aspirations of where I desired to be
All my life
Throughout my entire existence
I never knew how much it meant to me
I was unaware of the significance it held for me
All the time
Continuously
I had dreams I had dreams where I wanna be
I possessed aspirations, aspirations of where I desired to be
All my life
Throughout my entire existence
I keep getting that rusty nail again all the time
I repeatedly encounter that troublesome issue consistently
A self taught, soft spot
An area of vulnerability that I learned on my own
Now I know I tried it full stop
Now I understand that I gave it my all
Didn't know about it but I know I like it all my life
Was unaware of its existence, but now I recognize my fondness for it throughout my entire existence
I'm tangled up now I know it's never just black or white
I am entangled now I realize it is never simply two options
I can't stop now, its gonna be all my life
I am unable to cease now, it is going to be a part of my entire existence
I keep getting that rusty nail again all the time
I repeatedly encounter that troublesome issue consistently
I keep getting that rusty nail again all my life
I continually confront that troublesome issue for the duration of my existence
I keep getting that rusty nail again all the time
I repeatedly encounter that troublesome issue consistently
I keep getting that rusty nail again all my life
I continually confront that troublesome issue for the duration of my existence
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Bjorn Yttling, John Eriksson, Peter Moren
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind