The Hand
Buckethead & Friends Lyrics

My Hand,
The singer is talking about their own hand, indicating that the song is about something personal or autobiographical.

My Hand,
The singer repeats this line to emphasize how central the hand is to the song.

My Hand,
The singer repeats this line again, building tension and emphasizing the importance of the hand.

I put it in the guillotine,
The artist has had some kind of traumatic experience with a guillotine and their hand. This line hints at the violence to come later in the song.

I put it in the guillotine,
The repetition of this line emphasizes the traumatic experience and its lingering impact on the artist.

Oh no,
This line indicates that something has gone wrong or that the singer is experiencing fear or anxiety.

Our days are in rows
This metaphorical line might suggest that life is predetermined or that events happen in a certain order, like rows.

My Hand
The artist repeats this line to emphasize the importance of the hand to their own personal story.

Fingers cut in half
This line describes the graphic violence done to the artist's hand in the guillotine.

My Hand
The artist repeats this line to build tension and emphasize the importance of the hand to the song.

Ball sweat and b and c and c
This line is somewhat mysterious, but could suggest that the singer associates their hand with certain bodily functions (like sweat or other fluids).

Can you sever it?
This line suggests that the artist is asking someone (possibly a medical professional) if the hand can be saved or re-attached.

My Hand
The singer repeats this line to stay focused on the central subject of the song.

My Hand
The singer repeats this line to build tension and emphasize the importance of the hand to the song.

My Hand, My Hand, My Hand
This repetition of the hand motif is building towards some kind of climax or resolution.

Hand!
This sudden call to action signals that something significant is about to happen in the song.

(laughter)
This laughter might be nervous, manic, or sinister, and suggests that things are developing in a strange or unexpected way.

You aren’t going to crawl away from me, are ya?
This line is directed at someone (possibly the singer's hand itself) and suggests a dark, controlling and possessive relationship.

No you’re not.
This line is a continuation of the previous thought, emphasizing the singer's domination over their hand (or some other entity).

Don’t you crawl away from me
Repetition of the previous thought, emphasizing the dominating, controlling nature of the artist's relationship to their hand.

Don’t you crawl no no no no
Repetition of the previous line, emphasizing the dark, controlling nature of the artist's relationship to their hand.

Look, nickel, nickel
The meaning of this line is unclear, but it suggests the presence of a coin or some other small object. It could be juxtaposing something small and insignificant with something large (like the hand).

I ain’t going to put you in the guillotine again
This line refers back to the traumatic experience of the guillotine and signals that the singer is re-experiencing a past trauma.

(Laughter)
This line follows the guillotine comment and suggests a complex, disorienting emotional state.

My Hand
The singer repeats this line to stay focused on the central subject of the song.

My Hand
The singer repeats this line to build tension and emphasize the importance of the hand to the song.

My Hand
The singer repeats this line to stay focused on the central subject of the song.

(Laughter)
This line follows the repetition of 'My Hand' and complicates the tone of the song by introducing a note of humor.

Here they are, four fingers,
This line could be a reference to the hand's state of disrepair or mutilation after the guillotine incident. It suggests a disorienting experience where even simple things like fingers are unfamiliar.

Look what you done to me!
This line emphasizes the trauma and pain of the singer's experience. It suggests that the singer feels as though they have been victimized or wronged.

My Hand
The singer repeats this line to stay focused on the central subject of the song.

Ladies those are precious,
This line is somewhat mysterious, but could be interpreted as a reference to women's hands as a symbol of femininity and grace.

Teachers don’t work
This line is unclear, but could be a reference to some kind of socio-economic or political critique. The artist might be suggesting that people in positions of power or authority don't really understand what it's like to experience trauma or hardship.

Here we go
This line punctuates an uncertain pause, signaling that the song is returning to its previously established themes and motifs.

It’s never able to work again,
This line confirms that the hand has been completely destroyed or rendered useless. It emphasizes the finality of the trauma and suggests a sense of loss or grief.

Your hand is useless now,
This line is a repetition of the previous thought, emphasizing the finality of the hand's destruction.

It’s never able to work again.
This line is a repetition of the previous thought, emphasizing the finality of the hand's destruction.

Ladies those are precious,
This line is a repetition of an earlier thought, emphasizing the singer's perception of hands (particularly women's hands) as a symbol of something special and fragile.

Teachers don’t work
This line is a repetition of an earlier thought, emphasizing the singer's critique of figures of authority and power.

Here we go
This line is a repetition of an earlier thought, signaling a return to the song's established themes and motifs.

It’s never able to work again,
This line is a repetition of an earlier thought, confirming that the hand is permanently destroyed.

Your hand is useless now,
This line is a repetition of the previous thought, building towards the song's final resolution.

It’s never able to work again.
This line is a repetition of the previous thought, emphasizing the finality of the hand's destruction.

Don’t you crawl away from me again (Don’t you crawl away from me again)
This repetition of a previous line and thought emphasizes the artist's possessiveness and control over something (or someone) that is no longer there.

Gonna scratch some hands
This line is somewhat ambiguous, but might suggest that the artist is going to try to compensate for the loss of their hand by engaging in some kind of metaphorical or symbolic activity.

Hand in my pocket,
This line suggests that the artist is still carrying around a small piece of their hand (perhaps as a memento or reminder).

Lets me get friends
This line is somewhat unclear, but could suggest that the singer's loss has led them to value their relationships with others more deeply.

Come on man
This line is somewhat ambiguous, but could be a plea or exhortation to someone else (or to the artist's own psyche).

(laughter)
This line follows the uncertainty and ambiguity of the previous line, suggesting an uncomfortable or unstable emotional state.

No
This line could be a rejection of the previous line's call to action. It suggests a lack of resolution or closure in the song.

I may not be hungry before I got some,
This line is unclear, but could suggest that the singer is expressing gratitude for some unexpected offer or gift.

I can suture
This line suggests that the artist has some kind of medical knowledge or expertise.

I can do some stitches, I can sew you together
This line builds on the previous thought, suggesting that the artist could use their skills to help someone else.

Give it away to men to shake hands
This line is somewhat ambiguous, but might suggest that the singer is offering their knowledge or skills as a kind of handshake or exchange of trust and respect.

And call it buddy
This line emphasizes that the singer places value on personal connections and intimacy (such as the use of the term 'buddy').

My hand
This repetition of the central motif of the song emphasizes the importance of the hand to the artist's personal story.

It’s never able to work again,
This repetition of an earlier thought underscores the finality of the hand's destruction.

Your hand is useless now,
This repetition of an earlier thought emphasizes the permanence of the damage the guillotine has done to the artist's hand.

It’s never able to work again.
This repetition of an earlier thought reinforces the sense of loss and grief that the song has been building towards.