Red Right Hand
Arctic Monkeys Lyrics
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Go across the tracks
Where the viaduct looms, like a bird of doom
As it shifts and cracks
Where secrets lie in the border fires
In the humming wires, for you know you're never coming back
Past the square, past the bridge
On a gathering storm comes a tall handsome man
In a dusty black coat with a red right hand
He'll wrap you in his arms
He'll tell you that you've been a good boy
He'll rekindle all those dreams
It took you a lifetime to destroy
He'll reach deep into the hole
Heal your shrinking soul
And there wont be a single thing
That you can do
He's a god, he's a man
He's a ghost, he's a guru
They're whispering his name through this disappearing land
But hidden in his coat is a red right hand
You don't have no money?
He'll get you some
You haven't got no car?
He'll get you one
You've got no self-respect, you feel like an insect
Well don't you worry, buddy 'cause here he comes
Through the ghettos and the barrio
And the bowery and the slums
A shadow is cast wherever he stands
Stacks of green paper in his red right hand
You'll see him in your nightmares
You'll see him in your dreams
He'll appear out of nowhere
But he's not what he seems
You'll see him in your head and on the TV screen
Hey, buddy, I'm warning you to turn it off
He's a ghost, he's a god
He's a man, he's a guru
You're one microscopic cog in his catastrophic plan
Designed and directed by his red right hand
The Arctic Monkeys’ song “Red Right Hand” tells a dark story through vivid and evocative lyrics. The song is about a mysterious figure described as a “tall handsome man” with a “dusty black coat” and a “red right hand”. The character is depicted as a god, a man, a ghost, and a guru, and is whispered about through a “disappearing land”. He appears in various parts of the town (ghettos, barrios, and slums) and offers help to those who have nothing (money, car, and self-respect). The lyrics suggest that this character has an ominous presence, and that his intentions might not be entirely pure. He is both a source of comfort and a cause of fear.
The song is crafted in a way that raises questions and leaves much to the listener’s interpretation. However, there are some hints in the lyrics that suggest the “red right hand” could be a symbol of power, control, or even evil. For example, when the character offers to “rekindle all those dreams it took you a lifetime to destroy”, or when it is said that “he’ll reach deep into the hole” to heal a “shrinking soul”, it could be interpreted as a metaphor for selling one’s soul to the devil. The song also makes references to “stacks of green paper”, which could represent wealth, or greed, or corruption.
Line by Line Meaning
Take a little walk to the edge of town
Start walking towards the outskirts of the city
Go across the tracks
Cross the railway tracks marking the boundary of the city
Where the viaduct looms, like a bird of doom
Find the viaduct that looks ominous and threatening
As it shifts and cracks
As it trembles and makes cracking sounds
Where secrets lie in the border fires
The border fires are a symbol for the hidden secrets in dangerous places
In the humming wires, for you know you're never coming back
The humming wires represent a sense of foreboding and inevitability of not being able to return
Past the square, past the bridge
Move beyond the main square and bridge
Past the mills, past the stacks
Traverse past the industrial areas
On a gathering storm comes a tall handsome man
Amidst the approaching storm, a striking man appears
In a dusty black coat with a red right hand
Wearing a dusty black coat and having a sinister red right hand
He'll wrap you in his arms
He will show you affection
He'll tell you that you've been a good boy
He'll praise you and give you a sense of accomplishment
He'll rekindle all those dreams
He'll revive all the aspirations you had forgotten
It took you a lifetime to destroy
Which you had managed to ruin over the course of your life
He'll reach deep into the hole
He'll dig deep into the abyss of your despair
Heal your shrinking soul
Heal the fragmenting essence of your being
And there wont be a single thing
And there will be nothing
That you can do
That you are capable of doing
He's a god, he's a man
He is both divine and human
He's a ghost, he's a guru
He is a spirit and a spiritual teacher
They're whispering his name through this disappearing land
His name is whispered in this vanishing world
But hidden in his coat is a red right hand
However, concealed within his coat is a dangerous red right hand
You don't have no money?
Don't you have any money?
He'll get you some
He'll provide you with some
You haven't got no car?
You don't have a car, do you?
He'll get you one
He'll arrange for you to get one
You've got no self-respect, you feel like an insect
You lack self-respect and feel insignificant
Well don't you worry, buddy 'cause here he comes
But don't worry, because he's here to help
Through the ghettos and the barrio
Through the slums and impoverished areas
And the bowery and the slums
And the rundown or poor neighborhoods
A shadow is cast wherever he stands
Wherever he stands, a shadow is created
Stacks of green paper in his red right hand
In his dangerous red right hand, he holds wads of money
You'll see him in your nightmares
You'll perceive him in your horror-filled dreams
You'll see him in your dreams
He'll reveal himself to you in any dream
He'll appear out of nowhere
He'll manifest out of nowhere
But he's not what he seems
However, he's not truly what he appears to be
You'll see him in your head and on the TV screen
You'll envision him in your mind and on the TV
Hey, buddy, I'm warning you to turn it off
Hey, chap, I'm telling you to switch it off
He's a ghost, he's a god
He is both a phantom and a deity
He's a man, he's a guru
He is a human and a spiritual teacher
You're one microscopic cog in his catastrophic plan
You are a tiny cog in his devastating scheme
Designed and directed by his red right hand
Conceived and guided by his dangerous red right hand
Contributed by Dylan N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
pax
on 505
yo this is sick
robin
on When the Sun Goes Down
DAMNNN THEY ARE GOOD GOOD
robin
on Old Yellow Bricks
damn looking at these comments remind me that there is so many things to understand about the lyrics
Birgit Eierhoff
on Do I Wanna Know
The sound goes into the blood. :)
Jeannie Smith
on Do I Wanna Know
I like it.