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
Life Will Kill You
Clawfinger Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
but you're dead the same second you decide to just give in
and given the choice between your own life and death
I suggest that you cherish the time you have left
'cause time waits for no one and we're all growing older
I've found myself looking more over my shoulder
I like to say fuck it I could be dead tomorrow
and deal with the pain and the stress and the sorrow
life will kill you, in the end we're all gonna die
life will kill you, it doesn't matter how hard you try
life will kill you, even if you don't give a damn
what part of your own death is that you don't understand
death comes in all sizes all shapes and all colours
but we like to believe in it only happens to others
the closer we get them or we try to avoid it
we've tampered with nature so much we've destroyed it
it slips through our fingers the more we live
what the fuck are we thinking acting like we control it
it's a cold fact of life but we should try to be brave
how brave can you be with one foot in the grave
life will kill you, in the end we're all gonna die
life will kill you, it doesn't matter how hard you try
life will kill you, even if you don't give a damn
what part of your own death is that you don't understand
life will kill you (x5), it's all a part of the great big plan
life will kill you, even if you're in a rock and roll band
life will kill you, so you might as well enjoy each breath
life will kill you, and now you're three minutes closer to death
The lyrics of Clawfinger's song "Life Will Kill You" offer a strong message about the inevitability of death and the importance of living life to the fullest. The opening lines make it clear that simply ceasing to live is not a solution to avoiding death, as death is a certainty regardless of whether or not one tries to fight it. However, the singer suggests that giving in and resigning oneself to death is also not a wise choice. Rather, he encourages the listener to appreciate the time they have left and to make the most of it.
The song goes on to discuss society's tendency to deny death, even though it is an unavoidable part of life. The lack of acknowledgment of death has led society to believe that it only happens to others and to deny the reality that their own mortality. The songwriter argues that this denial has resulted in human's destruction of nature and in perpetuating futile attempts to control the uncontrollable. He encourages listeners to face death with bravery, recognizing that it is a part of life's great plan.
Line by Line Meaning
You can't escape life just because you stopped living
Death is inevitable and cannot be avoided by simply choosing to stop living.
but you're dead the same second you decide to just give in
Giving up on life is as good as being dead.
and given the choice between your own life and death
If you had to choose between life and death,
I suggest that you cherish the time you have left
it is advisable to value and make the most of the time you have left.
'cause time waits for no one and we're all growing older
Time is not going to wait for anyone and we are all aging.
I've found myself looking more over my shoulder
I have become more aware of my surroundings and the potential threats they pose.
I like to say fuck it I could be dead tomorrow
I tend to ignore my problems or worries, and live life as if it may end tomorrow.
and deal with the pain and the stress and the sorrow
I will face and endure the hardships and difficulties that come with life.
life will kill you, in the end we're all gonna die
Death is inevitable for everyone and all living things.
life will kill you, it doesn't matter how hard you try
Despite all the efforts to prolong or improve life, it will still eventually end in death.
life will kill you, even if you don't give a damn
Even if you do not care or try to avoid it, death will still come.
what part of your own death is that you don't understand
What aspect of the idea of your own death do you fail to comprehend?
death comes in all sizes all shapes and all colours
Death can come in different forms and can affect anyone.
but we like to believe in it only happens to others
We tend to think that death only happens to other people and not to us.
the closer we get them or we try to avoid it
The moment we try to avoid death or come closer to it,
we've tampered with nature so much we've destroyed it
We have interfered with nature to an extent that we have caused its destruction.
it slips through our fingers the more we live
The closer we are to living, the more quickly death seems to approach.
what the fuck are we thinking acting like we control it
What are we thinking, pretending like we have power over death?
it's a cold fact of life but we should try to be brave
Death is an unpleasant reality of life but we should still try to face it courageously.
how brave can you be with one foot in the grave
How much courage can you really have when you are nearly dead?
life will kill you (x5), it's all a part of the great big plan
Life will eventually lead to death, and this is all a part of a larger plan.
life will kill you, even if you're in a rock and roll band
Even if you think you have a glamorous or exciting lifestyle like that of a rock star, death will still come.
life will kill you, so you might as well enjoy each breath
Since death is guaranteed, it is best to enjoy every moment of life.
life will kill you, and now you're three minutes closer to death
Life is constantly ticking away and with each passing moment, we are closer to death.
Contributed by Charlie A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.