"That's Not My Name" rose to the top of the U.K. charts in May 2008, the same month that the duo's debut album, We Started Nothing, appeared. The Ting Tings spent the rest of 2008 and a large part of 2009 touring in support of the album, which eventually sold over two million copies worldwide, won the 2009 Ivor Novello Award for Best Album, and earned the group a Best New Artist Grammy nomination that December. Early in 2010, De Martino and White moved to Berlin to work on songs for their second album. Inspired by the city's atmosphere and the cold weather, they went in a darker, more electronic direction with their new songs. In August 2010, the Ting Tings offered a taste of their new material, premiering the single "Hands" -- which was mixed by Calvin Harris -- on BBC Radio 1 and officially releasing it that October. After extensive touring and over eight months recording in Germany and Spain, in March 2012 the Ting Tings offered their sophomore album, Sounds from Nowheresville, a collection of songs inspired by the exuberant freedom of the Beastie Boys' classic Paul's Boutique. Two years later, third album Super Critical surfaced. Its October release date was preceded by the April release of first single "Wrong Club."
Hands
The Ting Tings Lyrics
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I wanna play the piano with two hands
Shoulda learned
To ask of many its the way of the world
Boy who you wanna here to me
You gave me a piano with all 88 keys
But two hands
Whats it gonna do
With two hands
To make the money like the richest of man
Whats a guy to do
With two hands
I can make you be so good to me
Give me all the time with my sexuality
So clap your hands if your working to hard
Clap your hands if your working to hard
Clap your hands if your working to hard
Clap your hands if your working to hard
And the beats so hard, your workin workin
Two hands
What your supposed to do with two hands
To get the life of the richest of man
Where you supposed to go with two hands
I can not but something in between
When im breaking my back and im on my knees
So clap your hands if your working to hard
Clap your hands if your working to hard
Clap your hands if your working to hard
Clap your hands if your working to hard
And the beats so hard, your workin workin
And I cant escape from the work in LA
And I cant sleep in my bed and your gay (not sure on the word "gay" here)
And clap your hands if your workin to hard
Clap your hands if your working to hard
You see life and its falling awayayay
Your slow down and the rest makes you payayay
I see you lookin up
You want to think about it
Clap your hands if your working to hard
Clap your hands if your working to hard
Clap your hands if your working to hard
And the beats so hard, your workin workin
And I cant escape from the work in LA
And I cant sleep in my bed and your gay
And clap your hands if your workin to hard
Clap your hands if your workin to hard
The Ting Tings's song "Hands" is about the pressure and stress of working hard to attain a certain lifestyle and financial success, which can ultimately take a toll on one's mental, emotional, and physical well-being. The lyrics convey the frustration and exhaustion of feeling stuck in a lifestyle that requires constant work and hustle. The lead singer expresses a desire to learn how to play the piano with both hands, which can symbolize a need for balance and harmony in life, rather than just focusing on one's work.
The chorus of the song, "Clap your hands if you're working too hard," is a call to action, inviting listeners to acknowledge the pressures of the modern world and to take a moment to release some of that stress. The mention of Los Angeles in the lyrics may allude to the entertainment industry and the pressure to make it big in Hollywood. The use of the word "gay" is unclear but may refer to an emotional state, such as feeling drained or unhappy.
Overall, "Hands" highlights the importance of finding a balance between work and play and recognizing the impact that a life driven solely by financial success can have on one's overall well-being.
Line by Line Meaning
Two hands
The singer has two hands and is contemplating what to do with them.
I wanna play the piano with two hands
The singer wants to play the piano using both hands.
Shoulda learned
The singer regrets not learning something in the past.
To ask of many its the way of the world
Asking for help or support from many people is common in the world.
Boy who you wanna here to me
The singer is asking someone who they want to listen to.
You gave me a piano with all 88 keys
Somebody gave the singer a piano with all its keys intact.
But two hands
The singer only has two hands to play the piano with.
Whats it gonna do
The singer wonders what two hands can accomplish.
To make the money like the richest of man
The singer desires to make a lot of money like the wealthiest people.
Whats a guy to do
The singer is questioning what a man should do in this situation.
I can make you be so good to me
The singer feels that they can convince someone to treat them well.
Give me all the time with my sexuality
The singer wants to have more time to explore their sexual identity.
So clap your hands if your working to hard
The singer is encouraging others to clap their hands if they are working too hard.
And the beats so hard, your workin workin
The beat of the song is intense and implies that the person is working hard.
What your supposed to do with two hands
The singer is still questioning what to do with their two hands.
To get the life of the richest of man
The singer wants to live a life like the wealthiest people.
Where you supposed to go with two hands
The singer is wondering where they can go with just two hands.
I can not but something in between
The singer cannot put something in between their two hands.
When im breaking my back and im on my knees
The singer is working really hard and struggling.
And I cant escape from the work in LA
The singer is having trouble getting away from work in Los Angeles.
And I cant sleep in my bed and your gay
This line is unclear and could be interpreted in different ways.
You see life and its falling awayayay
The singer is observing life falling apart or slipping away.
Your slow down and the rest makes you payayay
If you slow down or stop working, you will suffer consequences.
I see you lookin up
The singer notices someone looking up.
You want to think about it
The singer thinks that the person wants to contemplate something.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JULIAN DE MARTINO, KATIE REBECCA WHITE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind