At the Drive-In was an American post-hardcore band from El Paso, Texas, for… Read Full Bio ↴At the Drive-In was an American post-hardcore band from El Paso, Texas, formed in 1994. The band most recently consisted of Cedric Bixler-Zavala (vocals), Omar Rodríguez-López (guitar, vocals), Paul Hinojos (bass), Tony Hajjar (drums) and Keeley Davis (guitar, vocals). After several early line-up changes, the band solidified into a five-piece, consisting of Bixler-Zavala, Rodríguez-López, Jim Ward, Hinojos and Hajjar. At the Drive-In released three studio albums and five EPs before breaking up in 2001. Their third and final album before their split, 2000's Relationship of Command, received a number of accolades and is cited as a landmark recording. Following the breakup, Bixler-Zavala and Rodríguez-López formed the Mars Volta while Ward, Hinojos, and Hajjar formed Sparta. At the Drive-In reunited in January 2012 and played the 2012 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, as well as the 2012 Lollapalooza Festival. In 2016, the band reunited for a second time, with guitarist and occasional lead vocalist Jim Ward no longer participating. He was replaced by Sparta's Keeley Davis. The band released their fourth studio album, in•ter a•li•a, in 2017. At the Drive In headlined the Neon Desert Music Festival in 2018 in El Paso, Texas. The band announced an indefinite hiatus in November 2018.

A Devil Among Tailors
At the Drive-In Lyrics

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They say that 13 is just a number
A double agent funded in the secret
Of the hive and the workers
And their lives
All sweet and honeycombed
A hunger ravenous and funded
Incognito razor burns
Talcum powdered fingerprints

All sweet and honeycombed stick your tongue
On the north pole
Read the graffiti splattered
On the convertible
Part your hair on the grassy knoll
A cavity of candy in Havana captivity
We heard the mug shots
A patsy inclined,
Let the pollen make you sneeze
All sweet and honeycombed

"Hasta la victoria siempre"
Manana hay misa para los sordos

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of At the Drive-In's song A Devil Among Tailors carry a sense of paranoia and conspiracy, as the song opens with a commentary on the meaning and significance of the number 13. The lyrics then suggest that there is a "double agent" involved in some sort of secret, possibly sinister organization ("the hive and the workers"), with the implication that this is a dangerous situation for those involved. The phrase "all sweet and honeycombed" seems to be ironic or sarcastic, suggesting that there is something hidden or darker beneath the surface of this seemingly innocent or sweet world.

The imagery in the rest of the song continues to convey a sense of secrecy and danger, with references to razor burns, talcum powder fingerprints, and graffiti on a convertible. The lyrics also make reference to the grassy knoll (a site in Dallas, Texas associated with the assassination of President John F. Kennedy) and to Havana, Cuba ("a cavity of candy in Havana captivity"). The phrase "let the pollen make you sneeze" is perhaps a warning to be wary of subtle or hidden dangers.

Overall, the lyrics of A Devil Among Tailors suggest a sense of paranoia and suspicion, with the implication that there is something dark or sinister lurking beneath the surface of the world that the song describes.

Line by Line Meaning

They say that 13 is just a number
The number 13 is often considered unlucky and avoided, but some believe it is just like any other number.

A double agent funded in the secret
A spy who works on behalf of two opposing sides, given the means to carry out covert operations.

Of the hive and the workers
Referring to the community of bees and their laborious lifestyle.

And their lives
The existence of the bees as a collective, functioning for the greater good of the colony.

All sweet and honeycombed
The perfection and orderliness of the bee's hive system.

A hunger ravenous and funded
A voracious appetite or desire, fueled by resources and support.

Incognito razor burns
Hidden scars or injuries inflicted by a sharp object or razor blade.

Talcum powdered fingerprints
Traces left behind from the application or use of talcum powder on the fingers.

All sweet and honeycombed stick your tongue
The urge to taste or sample the smooth, structured surface of the hive.

On the north pole
Referring to an impossible or imaginary scenario, akin to being at the very top of the world.

Read the graffiti splattered
Viewing and interpreting the scribbles and marks left on a surface, presumably by a vandal or artist.

On the convertible
The type of car or vehicle that the graffiti is visible on.

Part your hair on the grassy knoll
An iconic and obscure reference to the location and event surrounding President Kennedy's assassination.

A cavity of candy in Havana captivity
A metaphorical description of being trapped or confined in a delightful, yet dangerous situation or place.

We heard the mug shots
The sound of gunfire or shotgun blasts in close proximity.

A patsy inclined,
A fall guy or scapegoat, whose willingness or predisposition makes them susceptible to being framed or falsely accused.

Let the pollen make you sneeze
Allowing natural, outside influences to affect or impact one's thoughts or decisions.

All sweet and honeycombed
Reiterating the pristine and organized nature of the bee's hive system.

"Hasta la victoria siempre"
A Spanish phrase commonly used to express revolutionary or political ideas and aspirations.

Manana hay misa para los sordos
A Spanish phrase with a literal translation of 'Tomorrow there is a mass for the deaf', used to convey a sense of futility or hopelessness.

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: CEDRIC BIXLER, JIM WARD, OMAR RODRIGUEZ, PABLO HINOJOS, TONY HAJJAR

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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