The band's origin dates back to the summer of 1989 when Zak Tell and Jocke Skog met while working together at the Rosenlund Hospital somewhere in the vicinity of Stockholm. In 1990 they were joined by the Norwegian guitarists Bård Torstensen and Erlend Ottem who were also working at the same hospital. Soon the four realized their similar interests in music. Bård and Erlend previously played in a band called Theo in their hometown Arendal back in Norway. Their free time was invested in exploring the musical world, composing and writing songs while evolving into a band.
Their original demo comprising three tracks (Waste of Time, Nigger and Profit Preacher) quickly secured them local radio airplay and consequently brought them to the attention of the MVG label. "Nigger" is an anti-racism statement that caused quite a stir and was a massive success; it was also released as a single. By the beginning of the 1990s, Clawfinger self-released their debut Deaf Dumb Blind. This sold in over 600,000 copies worldwide and was critically acclaimed in Swedish press. With the addition of André Skaug and drummer Morten Skaug, Clawfinger went on tour and played at countless European festivals including major support slots with Anthrax and Alice in Chains.
The band received many awards, including two home Grammies at the Swedish Grammy Awards in 1994 for best hard rock band and best music video. After touring, they went straight back in the studio to record their second album, Use Your Brain. After the release of this album they went on yet another touring campaign, most notably participating at Ozzy Osbourne's Monsters of Rock Festival in Brazil and Chile, rocking alongside American metal counterparts like Megadeth, Faith No More, and Alice Cooper. Back in Europe they continued their touring campaign by participating at festivals and countless gigs.
Their self-titled album Clawfinger was released in 1997. The first song on the album is Two Sides, which expanded the band's reach by using female choir vocals and a Middle Eastern sound. The rest of the album continues with the band's typical aggressive voice and socio-political lyrics.
A Whole Lot of Nothing was the fourth album released on 23 July 2001. The music showcases the same aggressive guitars, with more distortion effects and sounds, adding a whole new level of diversification. As for the synthesizers, on this particular album they're more present than on any other of Clawfinger's works.
Zeros & Heroes was released in 2003 and it caused controversy in America because the song Step Aside did not sit well with most American audiences due to the fact it slams George W. Bush and the post 9/11 (and not only) military politics of the US. It offers yet another style change for the ears of the listener. The electronic sound and synthesizers from A Whole Lot of Nothing are gone and replaced by a more complex and melodic guitar riffing.
Hate Yourself With Style was released in 2005. The album continued the path entered on Zeros & Heroes and is characterized by hardrock style melodic speedy guitar riffs. The keyboards which particularly characterized A Whole Lot of Nothing have completely disappeared.
Life Will Kill You was released in 2007. It has spawned three singles: Prisoners, The Price We Pay, and Little Baby.
The band officially disbanded in 23 August 2013.
Current members:
Zak Tell — vocals
Jocke Skog — keyboards
Bard Torstensen — guitar
Henka Johansson — drums
Andre Skaug — bass
Four Letter Word
Clawfinger Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I see right through you,
And everything we used to have is gone, it's all gone
You said you loved me, but did you mean a word of what you said,
When you said you're thinking of me,
I'm sure that someone else was in your bed, getting head
I'll tell you what, love is just a four letter word
Like it or not, love is just a four letter word
You say it's over and treat me like you don't know who I am, who I am
I hope you know girl, that you've turned me into a broken man, that's
All I am and then you tell me, tell me that you've found somebody new,
Well good for you
But do you really, think I care about the things you do,
Fuck both of you
I'll tell you what, love is just a four letter word
Like it or not, love is just a four letter word
So now you've left me, I bet that you could hardly even wait
I used to love you, now you're just the girl I love to hate
All I can say is, I wish I'd listened to my own advice
I learned the hard way, that you were cold as ice
so thanx a lot, love is just a four letter word
Like it or not, love is just a four letter word
The lyrics to the Clawfinger song Four Letter Word deal with the aftermath of a failed relationship. The singer reflects on how he believed he knew the person he was with but was proven wrong when things fell apart. He is angry and hurt, feeling used and betrayed. The chorus repeats the line "love is just a four letter word" indicating his newfound belief that the concept of love is meaningless and empty.
He describes his ex-partner treating him poorly, making him feel like a stranger even though they once had a deep connection. He calls her out for moving on to someone else, but ultimately concludes that he doesn't care about her or what she does anymore. He has become a broken man from the experience, with bitterness replacing the love he once felt.
The song's lyrics are raw and honest, capturing the intense emotions that come with heartbreak. The repetition of "love is just a four letter word" throughout the song emphasizes the singer's disillusionment, as if he's trying to remind himself that he doesn't need love to be happy.
Line by Line Meaning
I thought I knew you, it only goes to show that I was wrong, so wrong
My assumptions about you turned out to be incorrect, completely incorrect.
I see right through you,
And everything we used to have is gone, it's all gone
I now see your true colors, and our relationship is completely ruined.
You said you loved me, but did you mean a word of what you said,
When you said you're thinking of me,
I'm sure that someone else was in your bed, getting head
You claimed to have feelings for me, but I'm convinced it was all a lie, especially when you were in bed with someone else.
I'll tell you what, love is just a four letter word
Like it or not, love is just a four letter word
Love is often overused, and abused, it's just a word, nothing more
You say it's over and treat me like you don't know who I am, who I am
I hope you know girl, that you've turned me into a broken man, that's
All I am and then you tell me, tell me that you've found somebody new,
Well good for you
But do you really, think I care about the things you do,
Fuck both of you
You act like we never were together, yet you're the one who destroyed me. You're moving on already, but honestly, I couldn't care less.
So now you've left me, I bet that you could hardly even wait
I used to love you, now you're just the girl I love to hate
All I can say is, I wish I'd listened to my own advice
I learned the hard way, that you were cold as ice
Now that you're gone, I'm convinced you couldn't wait to leave. I used to adore you, but now, I despise you. I regret not heeding my own advice sooner. You turned out to be incredibly indifferent and unsympathetic.
so thanx a lot, love is just a four letter word
Like it or not, love is just a four letter word
Thanks for nothing. Love is just a word with four letters - nothing more, nothing less.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BARD SVERRE TORSTENSEN, ERLEND OTTEM, JACOB HELLNER, JOCKE SKOG, ZAK NIKOLAS TELL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind