Alex himself played all the keyboard parts. According to him, this is their first song where no guitar is played by him.
The Jeweller's Hands
Arctic Monkeys Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Dull caresses once again irritate
Tread softly, stranger
Move over toward the danger that you seek
You think excitement has receded then the mirror distracts
The logic of the trance quickly reaches and grasps
Handsome and faceless
And now it's no one's fault but yours
At the foot of the house of cards
You thought you'd never get obsessed
You thought the wolves would be impressed
And you're a sinking stone
But you know what it's like to hold the jeweler's hands
That procession of pioneers all drowned
In the moonlight they're more thrilling
Those things that he knows
As he leads you through the grinning
Bubble blowers in the snow
Watching his exit
Was like falling off the ferry in the night
The inevitables gather to push you around
Any other voice makes such a punishing sound
He became laughter's assassin
Shortly after he showed you what it was
And now it's no one's fault but yours
At the foot of the house of cards
You thought you'd never get obsessed
You thought the wolves would be impressed
And you're a sinking stone
But you know what it's like to hold the jeweler's hands
That procession of pioneers all drowned
If you've a lesson to teach me
I'm listening, ready to learn
There's no one here to police me
I'm sinking in until you return
If you've a lesson to teach
Please don't deviate, don't be afraid
Without the last corner piece, I can't calibrate
Let's get it ingrained
If you've a lesson to teach me
I'm listening, ready to learn
There's no one here to police me
I'm sinking in until you return
If you've a lesson to teach
Please don't deviate, don't be afraid
Without the last corner piece, I can't calibrate
Let's get it ingrained
If you've a lesson to teach me
I'm listening, ready to learn
There's no one here to police me
I'm sinking in until you return
If you've a lesson to teach
Please don't deviate, don't be afraid
"The Jeweller's Hands" is an enigmatic masterpiece of Arctic Monkey's album "Humbug" that speaks about the temptation that surrounds us and the price we pay for it. The lyrics convey the idea of the seduction of the carnival - the world of excitement, while at the same time it irritates and fascinates. The singer is intrigued by the danger that captivates him, and he moves closer to it. The lyrics also suggest that the singer is lost in introspection and may suffer from obsessive behavior. He is mesmerized by the image of himself reflected in a mirror and momentarily caught in a trance.
However, the song suggests that there will be a price to pay for all of this excitement; it will eventually catch up with you. The singer is likened to a sinking stone and a drowning pioneer, suggesting he is in too deep, and it is too late to turn back. The song also highlights the singer's encounter with a jeweler who has led him down this path of obsession. The lyrics "but you know what it's like to hold the jeweler's hand" suggest that the jeweler has led him into temptation.
Line by Line Meaning
Fiendish wonder in the carnival's wake
There is an exhilarating sensation left behind by the carnival
Though it caresses once again irritate
The feeling is both pleasurable and annoying
Tread softly stranger
Be cautious in this unfamiliar environment
Move over toward the danger THAT you seek
Approach the danger that you are searching for, but be careful
You think excitement has receded
You believe the excitement has decreased
And the mirror distracts
However, the mirror is a distraction
The logic of the trance
The logic behind the hypnotic state
Quickly reaches and grasps
It quickly takes hold of you
Handsome and faceless
Enticing but also unknown
And weightless, your imagination roams
Your imagination is free and unburdened
And now it's no ones fault but yours
You are solely responsible for your situation
At the foot of the house of cards
You are at the vulnerable foundation of your situation
You thought you'd never get obsessed
You believed you were in control and would not become obsessed with something
You thought the wolves would be impressed
You expected approval from those who would not give it
And you're a sinking stone
You are slowly losing yourself
But you know what it's like to hold the jeweler's hand
You understand the feeling of being in complete control
That procession of pioneers all drowned
Those who tried to take the same path as you have all failed
In the moonlight they're more thrilling
The situation is more exciting under the light of the moon
Those things that he knows
The jeweler possesses knowledge of something special
As he leads you through the grinning
He guides you through the happy facade
Bubble blowers in the snow
People who are creating temporary, fleeting moments of happiness
Watching his exit
Seeing the jeweler leave
Is like falling off the ferry in the night
It is disorienting and sudden
The inevitables gather to push you around
The unavoidable forces are coming together to move you
Any old voice makes a punishing sound
Every voice is critical and punishing
He became laughter's assassin
The jeweler killed off the source of laughter
Shortly after he showed you what it was
He revealed the source of laughter before taking it away
If you've a lesson to teach me,
If you have something to teach me
I'm listening, ready to learn
I am open and prepared to learn
There's no one here to police me,
There is no one who can control me
I'm sinking in, until you return
I am fully engrossed in the situation until you come back
Don't deviate, don't be afraid
Stay on track, do not be frightened
Without the last corner piece I can't calibrate,
In order to make sense of the situation, I need all the information
Let's get it ingrained
Let's fully commit and understand the situation
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Alex Turner
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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.