Johannes has significantly contributed to albums by Chris Cornell, Queens of the Stone Age, Eagles of Death Metal, Desert Sessions and the Mark Lanegan Band as well as mixing, recording and producing a number of other records. He also frequently tours with other bands and artists, most notably the hard rock band Queens of the Stone Age throughout 2005 and 2006 (Natasha Shneider also joined him on this tour).
Most recently Johannes recorded new material with Brody Dalle and Eleven bandmate Jack Irons as part of Spinnerette. They released their first EP 'Ghetto Love' in 2008, though Johannes isn't joining them on tour. Johannes is releasing his first solo record, Spark, on Oct. 5th, 2010. He continues to perform live solo, and tour with Them Crooked Vultures.
Centipede
Alain Johannes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Goodbye to all those little crimes
Screaming inside
It ain't enough to turn the tide
Just so
I let them go
In the hopes they'll come alive
Alive
Foolish, I know
The bread crumbs all were all devoured
After charades
I love the way you wear your face
Just so
I let them go
Unpinning butterflies
In the hopes they'll come alive
I let them go
Unpinning butterflies
In the hopes they'll come alive
Climb the same old wall
To the top and fall
Again
Can you hear me call
In the hopes they'll all
Come alive
First sign of a locust swarm
A worried mind; a thunderstorm
Wrapped in heaven's knowing view
The eye of a needle few get through
I saw you sitting in your room
Weaving plans in sorrow's loom
Solace chatter deal in vain
No core no poets to feings the rain
Of hopeless, dreaming, time disturbed
Friends and family, needling curb
Away in your imagined box
The chains on chains and locks on locks
Take hold of the arms of centipede
A hundred hearts and all you need
A marble Venus works in song
As short in love as life is long
Take hold of the arms of centipede
A hundred hearts and all you need
A Venus marble works in song
As short in love as life is long
The song "Centipede" by Alain Johannes is a melancholic yet empowering piece that speaks of letting go of past mistakes and moving forward. The opening lines "This is goodbye, goodbye to all those little crimes" suggest a feeling of liberation from a weighty burden. The singer acknowledges their past wrongdoings, but instead of dwelling on them, they choose to release these negative thoughts like unpinning butterflies hoping they will come alive. The lines "Screaming inside, it ain't enough to turn the tide" show that despite the internal struggle and pain, one person alone cannot change the world.
The next lines "Foolish, I know, the bread crumbs all were all devoured, after charades, I love the way you wear your face" speak of deception and love. It suggests the idea of someone not realizing that they are being deceived until it is too late. The line "I love the way you wear your face" conveys the idea that the singer still loves this person despite their deception. The chorus "Just so, I let them go, unpinning butterflies, in the hopes they'll come alive" repeats the act of liberating oneself from the negative emotions and situations.
The final verse of "Centipede" takes a detour from the melancholic tone of the song to a brighter, more hopeful one. The centipede symbolizes moving forward, taking hold of a hundred hearts, and all you need. The lines "A marble Venus works in song, as short in love as life is long" speak of love that is ephemeral, but it is still worth it. The song ends with "Take hold of the arms of centipede, a hundred hearts and all you need, a Venus marble works in song, as short in love as life is long" reiterating the message of the song, which is to let go of the past and move forward towards better opportunities.
Line by Line Meaning
This is goodbye
The singer is bidding farewell, possibly to a person or situation.
Goodbye to all those little crimes
The singer is leaving behind all the small, immoral acts they may have committed in the past.
Screaming inside
The singer is experiencing an intense emotional turmoil within.
It ain't enough to turn the tide
Despite the inner turmoil, the negative emotions are not strong enough to bring about any significant change in the situation.
I let them go
The singer is actively choosing to release their negative emotions, possibly to move on from a situation.
Unpinning butterflies
The act of releasing negative emotions is like freeing a butterfly from a pinned position, giving it the chance to fly again.
In the hopes they'll come alive
The singer is optimistic that releasing emotions will bring them back to life or allow them to feel free again.
Foolish, I know
The singer acknowledges that their optimism may be naive, yet they still choose to hope for the best.
The bread crumbs all were all devoured
The singer is referencing the Hansel and Gretel fairytale, where the breadcrumb trail they left was eaten by birds, leaving them lost.
After charades
The events that transpired were like a game of deception.
I love the way you wear your face
The singer admires the other person, specifically their facial expressions or demeanor.
Climb the same old wall
The singer is repeating the same actions and getting stuck.
To the top and fall
Despite the effort, they are unable to succeed and end up failing.
Can you hear me call
The singer is reaching out for help or guidance.
In the hopes they'll all
Similar to earlier, the singer has hope that their actions will bring a positive change.
Come alive
Referring to the idea of freedom and a renewal of life or hope.
First sign of a locust swarm
This line has a metaphorical meaning, where the locust swarm represents an overwhelming situation that is about to happen.
A worried mind; a thunderstorm
The person experiencing the situation is anxious and the situation itself is very intense like a thunderstorm.
Wrapped in heaven's knowing view
The singer is talking about a higher power (Heaven) that is aware of the situation happening.
The eye of a needle few get through
Like passing through the eye of a needle, very few people can overcome this difficult situation.
I saw you sitting in your room
The singer is either recollecting a past memory or watching someone in present time, just observing them.
Weaving plans in sorrow's loom
The person in question is making plans to fix their situation, but it is still a sorrowful process.
Solace chatter deal in vain
The person is attempting to find comfort or consolation, but their efforts are in vain as it is difficult to fix their situation.
No core no poets to feings the rain
The line has a metaphorical meaning, where the bad situation is like rain and there is no one skilled enough to express the pain and negativity that it brings.
Of hopeless, dreaming, time disturbed
The overall sense of the situation is that of despair and hopes that are interrupted by the disorder happening.
Friends and family, needling curb
The singer's friends and family are trying to help them, but in some ways, the close proximity of loved ones can actually limit their freedom to act or think for themselves.
Away in your imagined box
The person is trapped within their own imagination or idea of how things should be, but are unable to face the reality of the situation.
The chains on chains and locks on locks
The situation is complicated and difficult, with many obstacles that make it hard to progress or overcome.
Take hold of the arms of centipede
The centipede represents a symbol of progress, as it has many arms, indicating that many steps must be taken to overcome the situation.
A hundred hearts and all you need
The many arms represent many hearts, and together, they hold the power that is needed to overcome the situation.
A marble Venus works in song
Venus, the Roman goddess of love, is depicted as a statue made of marble, suggesting that the power of love can help overcome the situation.
As short in love as life is long
The time spent loving or being in love is short in comparison to the length of life itself.
A Venus marble works in song
Reiterating the importance of love and how it can help people overcome their obstacles.
As short in love as life is long
Same meaning as the earlier line, emphasizing how love can bring a temporary yet powerful sense of hope and joy.
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, MCDMAN MUSIC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: CHRISTOPHER ALLEN GOSS, DAVID GROHL, JOSH HOMME, ALAIN JOHANNES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind