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
I Close My Eyes
Clawfinger Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Reality can't really be as bad as it seems
I hope for something better but I'm waiting for the worst
And when I open up my eyes I see the bubble burst
All my dreams are broken as the world is torn apart
Was it really meant to be this way right from the start
If this is all we live for then I wish that I was dead
Just so I could stop these thoughts from going through my head
I close my eyes
I close my eyes
I close my eyes
I close my eyes
I close my eyes again and wish that everything was fine
Even though I know that I'm just wasting precious time
I'm loosing my direction life is driving me insane
The more things keep on changing the more they stay the same
So please somebody catch me before I hit the ground
I just can't understand what makes this crazy world go round
The more I look around me the less I seem to know
If this is all there is then I don't know where I can go
I close my eyes
I close my eyes
I close my eyes
I close my eyes
I close my eyes and wish that I could turn back time
I close my eyes and wish that I could press rewind
I close my eyes and wish that I could change my mind
I close my eyes and wish that everything was fine
I close my eyes one final time to make my vision clear
The more I try the more my vision seem to disappear
The world keeps turning around as I turn my inside out
I'm doing all I can to understand what life's about
But everywhere I seem to look the answer isn't there
Nobody's asking questions 'cause' nobody seems to care
There has to be some sort of meaning and a reason to exist
If this is all there is there must be something that I missed
I close my eyes
I close my eyes
I close my eyes
I close my eyes
I close my eyes and wish that I could turn back time
I close my eyes and wish that I could press rewind
I close my eyes and wish that I could change my mind
I close my eyes and wish that everything was fine
The lyrics to Clawfinger's song "I Close My Eyes" express feelings of hopelessness and despair, as the singer grapples with the idea that the world may be irrevocably damaged, beyond repair. They close their eyes and hope that reality is a bad dream, but when they open them, they see that it's not. The singer acknowledges that life is hard and full of challenges, and they feel like they are losing control of their life. They feel lost and directionless in a world that is constantly changing, yet ultimately remains the same. The singer is struggling to find meaning in their life and is frustrated that no one else seems to be asking the important questions that plague them.
These lyrics could be interpreted as a reflection of the anxieties and frustrations of contemporary life, where people are often overwhelmed by the challenges of the world and cannot find a clear path forward. The singer of the song longs for a simpler time, to turn back the clock or to at least press rewind and start fresh. But ultimately, they are trapped in the present and must find a way to cope.
The repetition of the line "I close my eyes" reinforces the idea that the singer is trying to shut out the world and escape their troubles, even if only momentarily. The song is a powerful expression of the difficulty of coping with the harsh reality of the world and trying to find a way to navigate it.
Line by Line Meaning
I close my eyes and hope that this is just another dream
I wish that the current situation is not the reality, that it's just a bad dream
Reality can't really be as bad as it seems
I hope that things are not as bad in reality as they appear to be
I hope for something better but I'm waiting for the worst
I have a positive outlook, but I'm also prepared for the worst outcome
And when I open up my eyes I see the bubble burst
When I face reality, my hope shatters like a bubble bursting
All my dreams are broken as the world is torn apart
The world is in chaos and so are my dreams
Was it really meant to be this way right from the start
I question whether this was the intended path from the beginning
If this is all we live for then I wish that I was dead
If this is all that life has to offer, then I don't see the point of living
Just so I could stop these thoughts from going through my head
To escape the negative thoughts that cloud my mind
I close my eyes again and wish that everything was fine
I try to escape reality and imagine a better world
Even though I know that I'm just wasting precious time
I am aware that this wishful thinking is unproductive, but I can't help it
I'm losing my direction life is driving me insane
I feel lost and overwhelmed by life
The more things keep on changing the more they stay the same
Despite the constant change, the problems and challenges persist
So please somebody catch me before I hit the ground
I need help and support before I hit rock bottom
I just can't understand what makes this crazy world go round
I am struggling to comprehend the workings of this chaotic world
The more I look around me the less I seem to know
The more I observe, the more confused and ignorant I become
If this is all there is then I don't know where I can go
If this is the entirety of life, I am at a loss on how to proceed
I close my eyes one final time to make my vision clear
I close my eyes for the last time to gain clarity
The more I try the more my vision seem to disappear
The harder I try, the more confused I become
The world keeps turning around as I turn my inside out
The world keeps functioning normally, while internally, I am in turmoil
I'm doing all I can to understand what life's about
I am trying my hardest to comprehend the meaning of life
But everywhere I seem to look the answer isn't there
I have searched high and low, but I can't find the answers I am seeking
Nobody's asking questions 'cause' nobody seems to care
People don't seem interested in questioning life's purpose
There has to be some sort of meaning and a reason to exist
I believe that life must hold some kind of significance
If this is all there is there must be something that I missed
I feel like I must have overlooked something important if this is all there is to life
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BARD SVERRE TORSTENSEN, ERLEND OTTEM, JOCKE SKOG, ZAK NIKOLAS TELL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind