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 The Tailors
At the Drive-In Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

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

At the Drive-In's song "A Devil Among The Tailors" contains lyrics that are cryptic and symbolic. The opening lines "They say that 13 is just a number" refers to the superstitious belief that the number 13 is unlucky. However, here it means that number 13 is a "double agent funded in secret" which symbolizes a hidden agenda, a conspiracy, or manipulation. The song further describes this enigmatic number with references to honeycombs, workers, and a ravenous hunger.

The song further illustrates surreal images that blur the lines between reality and imagination. The mention of "Incognito razor burns," "Talcum powdered fingerprints," and "Part your hair on the grassy knoll" implies a sense of mystery and intrigue, deviating from conventional or logical thought. The line "A cavity of candy in Havana captivity" could refer to the metaphorical enforcement of capitalist values or ideals over the Cuban people following the Cuban Revolution.

The last line in Spanish, "Hasta la victoria siempre, mañana hay misa para los sordos" means "Until Victory Always, tomorrow there's a mass for the deaf." The phrase "Hasta la victoria siempre" was a favorite motto of the late Marxist revolutionary Che Guevara. The phrase "Mañana hay misa para los sordos" roughly translates to "Tomorrow there will be mass for the deaf," implying that the message or call to action is not getting through to the intended audience.

Line by Line Meaning

They say that 13 is just a number
People say that the number 13 doesn't have any significant meaning.

A double agent funded in the secret
A spy who works for two opposing sides, funded by unknown sources.

Of the hive and the workers
In reference to a beehive, where the workers are essential to the colony's survival.

And their lives
The lives of the bees are dedicated to their work in the hive.

All sweet and honeycombed
The hive is a place of productivity and sweetness.

A hunger ravenous and funded
An insatiable desire, fueled by unknown sources of funding.

Incognito razor burns
Visible marks left on the skin after a close shave done in secret.

Talcum powdered fingerprints
Fingerprints left behind, covered in talcum powder to avoid detection.

All sweet and honeycombed stick your tongue
The sweetness of the hive can be tasted, but beware of the sting.

On the north pole
In a place that is extremely cold and inhospitable.

Read the graffiti splattered
The words written on the walls, often in a chaotic and confusing manner.

On the convertible
On a car with a retractable roof.

Part your hair on the grassy knoll
A reference to the location where JFK was assassinated, pointing out the futility of trying to make sense of confusing events.

A cavity of candy in Havana captivity
A delightful yet oppressive situation, akin to being trapped in Havana amidst endless, sweet indulgences.

We heard the mug shots
The sounds of police taking photographs and fingerprints of criminals.

A patsy inclined,
A person set up to take the fall for a crime, often with a pre-disposition towards vulnerability.

Let the pollen make you sneeze
Allow yourself to be affected by nature, even if it causes discomfort or pain.

All sweet and honeycombed
The sweetness of life is often countered by the harsh realities that exist.

"Hasta la victoria siempre"
A famous revolutionary slogan, meaning "until victory, always."

Manana hay misa para los sordos
"Tomorrow, there is a mass for the deaf" - a phrase that underscores the uselessness of performing an action that will not be heard or received by its intended audience.

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

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS