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
Hypocrite
Clawfinger Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Where I'm allowed to say I represent the opposition
Like I'm on a mission to overthrow the government
As if my ambition was to try and seem intelligent
I'm not even competent enough to win an argument
Or ignorant enough to be a little disobedient
But I still believe that what I say can make a difference
The problem is I can't hear what I'm saing from a distance
No matter what I say, no matter what I do
No matter what I think, I'm not as good as you
I'm such a hypocrite, I'm so full of it
I'm such a hypocrite, I need another hit
It's funny how I come across as some kind of a teacher
Considering I never even liked my fucking teachers
Now it's reached the point where all the expectations
Are building up a barrier creating limitations
While you're debating if I've got the right to an opinion
Well silly me I thought I was allowed to be civilian
All I ever did was say exactly what I'm feeling
Without filtering my thoughts to make myself appealing
Chorus
The lyrics of Clawfinger's song Hypocrite are a commentary on the singer's position as someone who is supposed to be representing the opposition, but who feels inadequate to do so. The singer acknowledges that they are not competent enough to win an argument or disobedient enough to break the rules, but they still believe that their words can make a difference. However, they also acknowledge that they cannot hear their own voice from a distance, suggesting that their message may not be reaching the people who need to hear it.
The singer also comments on the irony of their position as a teacher, as they never even liked their own teachers. They feel that the expectations placed on them by others are creating barriers and limitations, and that there is a debate over whether they even have the right to an opinion. Despite this, the singer continues to speak their mind without filtering their thoughts to make themselves more appealing.
Overall, the lyrics of Hypocrite suggest that the singer feels conflicted about their role as someone who is supposed to be opposing the status quo. They feel inadequate to do so, but also believe that their voice can make a difference.
Line by Line Meaning
It's funny how my title puts me in a position
It's ironic how the label I carry puts me in a situation to speak against the authority.
Where I'm allowed to say I represent the opposition
The position I hold enables me to voice my dissenting views about the system.
Like I'm on a mission to overthrow the government
I'm not on a mission to overthrow the government, but the authorities view me as a threat.
As if my ambition was to try and seem intelligent
The authorities assume that my only motive is to appear knowledgeable.
I'm not even competent enough to win an argument
I lack the skill to win a debate against the authorities.
Or ignorant enough to be a little disobedient
I'm not ignorant, nor do I have the courage to challenge the authority actively.
But I still believe that what I say can make a difference
Despite my lack of competence, I still think my words could bring change.
The problem is I can't hear what I'm saying from a distance
The problem I face is that the authorities cannot hear my voice over the noise from a distance.
No matter what I say, no matter what I do
Regardless of what I say, do, or think, I can never match up to the authorities' expectations.
No matter what I think, I'm not as good as you
The authorities consider themselves above me, irrespective of my thoughts and opinions.
I'm such a hypocrite, I'm so full of it
I am a hypocrite, constantly contradicting myself.
I'm such a hypocrite, I need another hit
I feel the need for an escape, another shot to forget my troubles.
It's funny how I come across as some kind of a teacher
It's ironic that I seem like a teacher, as I despised my own teachers.
Considering I never even liked my f**king teachers
It's ironic that I rejected my teachers' authority, yet I am in a similar position now.
Now it's reached the point where all the expectations
My position carries too many expectations and limitations.
Are building up a barrier creating limitations
The authority is creating a barrier that limits my thoughts and opinions.
While you're debating if I've got the right to an opinion
The authorities are debating whether I have the right to express my opinion.
Well silly me I thought I was allowed to be civilian
I thought that being a civilian gave me the right to express my opinion, evidently not.
All I ever did was say exactly what I'm feeling
All I did was express my true feelings, but the authorities misinterpret it as dissent.
Without filtering my thoughts to make myself appealing
I don't filter my thoughts to suit the authority's liking, which results in misunderstanding.
Contributed by Joseph H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.