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
The Price We Pay
Clawfinger Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
so we always end up compromising,
we're not smart enough to have a plan B at hand
so we always end up improvising,
it's killing us to settle with the cards we get
when we know there's much more at stake,
but giving in to pressure is the safest bet
& it's also our biggest mistake.
Chorus: That's the price we pay, that's the price we pay (x4)
we never asked to be put into this position
we never had high demands,
we never claimed to be on some kind of mission
like we had some kind of masterplan,
it's not as if we know exactly what we came for
so we settle for what comes our way,
we're always unprepared for the final encore
what the fuck are we supposed to say.
Chorus
Every move we make every step we take that's the price we pay,
every rule we break, every move we fake that's the price we pay! (x2)
The lyrics of Clawfinger's song The Price We Pay highlight the struggles of everyday life and how people often end up compromising on their dreams and aspirations due to the pressure put on them. The first verse describes how life fails to go according to plans, and people end up improvising instead of being prepared for the situation. The pressure of settling down with what we have instead of what we want is the central theme of this verse. The chorus, "That's the price we pay," repeats four times, emphasizing the high cost of compromising and improvising in life.
The second verse explains how people never desired to be in such a position, nor do they have any specific plans or goals. They settle for the opportunities that come their way, not knowing what their future holds. The final line questions what they're meant to say at the point of life's conclusion, where they are unprepared for the final "encore." The more significant meaning behind this verse refers to the meaninglessness of life without any purpose or plan. The chorus repeats, conveying that compromising, faking, and breaking rules all have consequences, and those consequences can be devastating.
In essence, the song depicts the struggles of life and how people tend to give in to pressure to succeed, sacrificing their integrity and principles. The central message that Clawfinger delivers is that the price one pays for compromising on their dreams and living a life without any plans or purpose will eventually push them towards an unsatisfying and unfulfilling life.
Line by Line Meaning
Things never seem to go according to plans
Life is unpredictable, and plans often go awry.
so we always end up compromising,
We are forced to make concessions and settle for less than we want.
we're not smart enough to have a plan B at hand
We don't have sufficient foresight to prepare a backup plan.
so we always end up improvising,
We resort to making up solutions on the spot.
it's killing us to settle with the cards we get
We are dissatisfied with the results of our efforts.
when we know there's much more at stake,
We realize that our actions have consequences beyond our immediate concerns.
but giving in to pressure is the safest bet
We feel compelled to yield to influence even though it might not be what we truly desire.
& it's also our biggest mistake.
By succumbing to pressure and not fighting for what we want, we make a grave error.
we never asked to be put into this position
We didn't choose to be in this situation.
we never had high demands,
We didn't have lofty expectations.
we never claimed to be on some kind of mission
We don't have a clear purpose or objective in mind.
like we had some kind of masterplan,
We didn't have an intricate blueprint for our lives.
it's not as if we know exactly what we came for
We don't have a clear understanding of our ultimate goals.
so we settle for what comes our way,
We accept whatever life presents us with and make the best of it.
we're always unprepared for the final encore
We are ill-equipped to face the ultimate test.
what the fuck are we supposed to say.
We don't know how to respond to the challenges presented to us.
Every move we make every step we take that's the price we pay,
Our every action has consequences that we have to face, whether good or bad.
every rule we break, every move we fake that's the price we pay! (x2)
The price of our actions, whether dishonest or not, will come due eventually.
Contributed by Brody W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Rennan Aquino
Things never seem to go according to plans
so we always end up compromising,
we're not smart enough to have a plan B at hand
so we always end up improvising,
it's killing us to settle with the cards we get
when we know there's much more at stake,
but giving in to pressure is the safest bet
& it's also our biggest mistake.
we never asked to be put into this position
we never had high demands,
we never claimed to be on some kind of mission
like we had some kind of masterplan,
it's not as if we know exactly what we came for
so we settle for what comes our way,
we're always unprepared for the final encore
what the fuck are we supposed to say.
we never asked to be put into this position
we never had high demands,
we never claimed to be on some kind of mission
like we had some kind of masterplan,
it's not as if we know exactly what we came for
so we settle for what comes our way,
we're always unprepared for the final encore
what the fuck are we supposed to say.
Every move we make every step we take that's the price we pay,
every rule we break, every move we fake that's the price we pay! (x2)
Dmytro Prokopenko 🇺🇦
I still wish You come to Kyiv and perform this song at least ONE MORE TIME! I was in Kyiv on Your show in 2013, it was still one of my best memories. You wanted to leave the scene by that time 🙂haha, 10 years later You are still actual and kicking! Thank You guys, don't leave our country without a visit! 😉🫡
Ivan S.
Все равно редко выступают 😒
Brandon Staples
They’ve nailed it with this song !!! Big time!!!! 😎🤙
Paul Alejandro Camacho
Excelente rola! tenia rato de no escucharlos! oh yeah!!
Bam-Bam Baby
Трек просто бомба!
jesus dm
genial!!!! a ver si vienen este año a españa para verlos en directo!!! los mejores!!
John R S
Lo máximo la banda
Pete Ryan
I love this song listen to the words 😍
Andrii B.
You are still one of the best... biggest and the best!!!
Rennan Aquino
Things never seem to go according to plans
so we always end up compromising,
we're not smart enough to have a plan B at hand
so we always end up improvising,
it's killing us to settle with the cards we get
when we know there's much more at stake,
but giving in to pressure is the safest bet
& it's also our biggest mistake.
we never asked to be put into this position
we never had high demands,
we never claimed to be on some kind of mission
like we had some kind of masterplan,
it's not as if we know exactly what we came for
so we settle for what comes our way,
we're always unprepared for the final encore
what the fuck are we supposed to say.
we never asked to be put into this position
we never had high demands,
we never claimed to be on some kind of mission
like we had some kind of masterplan,
it's not as if we know exactly what we came for
so we settle for what comes our way,
we're always unprepared for the final encore
what the fuck are we supposed to say.
Every move we make every step we take that's the price we pay,
every rule we break, every move we fake that's the price we pay! (x2)