Channel 3 centered around the friendship of Mike Magrann (vocals, guitar) and Kimm Gardner(guitar), which dated back to the second grade. Forming in 1980, the foursome included Larry Kelley (bass) and Mike Burton (drums, later replaced by Jack DeBaun). They released an EP, Channel 3, in the summer of 1981 and began playing shows in the Los Angeles area. In the summer of 1982, their first album Fear of Life was released, and the band began their first US tour.
After 1983 the band experimented with other styles, alienating many of its original fans. Eventually it returned to its roots, touring Europe in the 1990s and releasing a more punk-oriented CD in 2002.
Time To Kill
Channel 3 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That time is red I understand
I lost the chance to hesitate
I deal cards like awful fate
All the voices tend to get so loud
Riotous cries of a murderous crowd
To turn away, that would be my sin
The endless war that I've begun
Spreads like a black spot on a lung
I act alone and that's understood
I speak for all that's true and good
To stand for life means there'll be no choice
Sometimes you kill to extinguish a voice
To turn away, that would be my sin
I'll never surrender, they'll never win
The end of my innocence lies loaded on the floor
So many children die, I never noticed it before
Come back to me, my innocence, I will not turn away
Salvation's never cheap, I will not fade away
I act upon God's will
I aim for endless thrills
This is my time to kill
The opening line of Channel 3’s song “Time to Kill” establishes a sense of emptiness and uncertainty with the lyrics “I’ve got some time on my hands”. This could be interpreted as the singer having nothing to do or struggling with purpose in their life. However, the lyric “That time is red I understand” suggests a deeper, darker meaning. Red is often associated with violence and bloodshed, hinting at some violent intent. The following lines “I lost the chance to hesitate, I deal cards like awful fate” continue this dark imagery, as the singer seems to be resigned to a violent fate that they have no control over.
Moving on to the chorus, “All the voices tend to get so loud, Riotous cries of a murderous crowd” paints a picture of a chaotic, violent environment. However, the singer refuses to back down, saying “To turn away, that would be my sin, I’ll never give up, they’ll never win”. Here, the lyrics convey a sense of determination and defiance in the face of violent opposition.
The third verse is perhaps the most complex, with lyrics that suggest justifying violence in defense of what is “true and good”. The line “Sometimes you kill to extinguish a voice” could be interpreted as a violent solution to oppressive speech or even defending oneself from violence. However, the ultimate message of the song seems to be that violence begets violence, and that the singer’s “endless war” has led to the loss of innocence and an unshakable burden on their conscience. Despite this, they remain determined to fight and act upon God’s will.
Line by Line Meaning
I've got some time on my hands
I have free time
That time is red I understand
That time is precious and I don't want to waste it
I lost the chance to hesitate
I can't afford to be indecisive
I deal cards like awful fate
I have the power to affect the outcome of things in a negative way
All the voices tend to get so loud
There are a lot of competing opinions and it's overwhelming
Riotous cries of a murderous crowd
People are angry and violent
To turn away, that would be my sin
I can't ignore the injustice around me
I'll never give up, they'll never win
I won't let the bad guys win
The endless war that I've begun
I'm fighting for a cause
Spreads like a black spot on a lung
My actions have consequences
I act alone and that's understood
I'm a lone wolf
I speak for all that's true and good
I fight for what's right
To stand for life means there'll be no choice
Sometimes we have to make difficult decisions to protect life
Sometimes you kill to extinguish a voice
Sometimes extreme measures are necessary to silence dissent
The end of my innocence lies loaded on the floor
I've lost my innocence as a result of my actions
So many children die, I never noticed it before
I'm realizing the full impact of my actions
Come back to me, my innocence, I will not turn away
I want to be a good person again
Salvation's never cheap, I will not fade away
Redemption is difficult, but I won't give up
I act upon God's will
I believe I'm doing the right thing
I aim for endless thrills
I'm addicted to the adrenaline of fighting
This is my time to kill
I feel like I have a purpose in taking violent action
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: IAN GILLAN, RITCHIE BLACKMORE, ROGER DAVID GLOVER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Some Guy
@EVO6 Reading your previous comment, I can tell you are going for an "im gunna own dem evil racists with my insults, accusations and pointed questions" angle. But I am still not sure what this question is supposed to prove.
Having said that, I am happy to oblige:
According to Charles Seguin's and David Rigby's 2019 paper "National Crimes: A New National Data Set of Lynchings in the United States, 1883 to 1941"
"We record 4,467 total victims of lynching from 1883 to
1941. Of these victims, 4,027 were men, 99 were women, and
341 were of unknown gender (although likely male); 3,265 were
black, 1,082 were white, 71 were Mexican or of Mexican
descent, 38 were American Indian, 10 were Chinese, and 1 was
Japanese"
According to the Tuskegee Institute, the last lynchings to occur in America were three lynchings in 1964 where 2 whites and 1 black were lynched.
So 3,297 blacks were lynched over the course of 81 years while at least over 7000 blacks have been murdered annually since 1995, the majority by black offenders, according to FBI statistics.
zaszz
"the slur factory" throwaway best line
Simple Jack
Almost went right by me
Bonty Murns
That’s what Kramer called the laugh factory
zeranzeran
@Lew 13:14
zeranzeran
@Awsomeisimo what are you talkin' about makenthe fuckin bombaedeucci HUH? NEVER TALK ABOUT PEPPER ANN AGAIN
zeranzeran
I'd eat there.
Ragnarok
"that's such a liberal fantasy" Adam said, deeply wishing he could be invited to a black cookout.
[ ㋛ ]
@Clyde Frog where?
Clyde Frog
@[ ㋛ ] lol, "sad that you find this about political sides" as you explicitly and repeatedly state which side you're on.
Noh
Holy shit this thread is so straight.