They were frequently classified as industrial rock, but were often quite different from many bands so dubbed. Tod A.'s lyrics were clever, snide and evocative (Art Black and David Sprague suggest that "Black humor beats black metal any day") and their "weirdly catchy" music which drew "on hot jazz and swing as much as clanging rock, emphasizing the group's stand-apart attitude."
The group had little mainstream success (scoring a few hits on college radio), despite tours with Iggy Pop and music videos on MTV's Headbanger's Ball and 120 Minutes (notably $10 Bill, featuring a number of little people). They retain a cult following, however, and their out-of-print releases sometimes sell for large amounts among fans.
All the Clocks are Broken
Cop Shoot Cop Lyrics
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All the dogs and angels are turning
Burning in their sleep
You can't see me now, but I'm watching over you
A broken smile never lies
A busted mirror cannot see you cry
I'm looking through one glass eye
You can't see me now, but I'm watching over you
Every door is open
Take me to the ocean
And we'll ride on the hurricane
Until we're washed away
Take off the mask and tell me what you find
Behind the curtain everyone's deaf dumb and blind
Everyone becomes the one, the one they most despise
You're looking through one glass eye
Well, you can't see me now, but I'm watching over you
The lyrics of Cop Shoot Cop's song "All the Clocks are Broken" convey feelings of loneliness, despair, and the search for meaning in a world where everything seems to have lost its purpose. The first verse talks about the stars being quiet on the face of the deep, perhaps symbolizing a loss of hope or a lack of guidance in life. The dogs and angels are turning and burning in their sleep, suggesting that even the divine and the innocent are struggling to find rest and peace. And yet, despite this darkness, the singer claims to be watching over someone, invisible but vigilant, like a guardian angel.
The second verse deepens the theme of brokenness and isolation. A broken smile never lies, indicating the pain behind a false facade. A busted mirror cannot see you cry, highlighting the impossibility of being truly seen or understood by others. The singer also mentions looking through one glass eye, which could allude to a distorted or limited perspective, or to seeing oneself as fragmented or incomplete. The chorus repeats the lines "All the clocks are broken, every door is open," emphasizing the disorientation and lack of direction in the world. The only solution, it seems, is to escape to the ocean and ride on the hurricane, to let oneself be carried away by the chaotic forces of nature.
The final verse raises the issue of authenticity and self-awareness. The singer asks the listener to take off the mask and reveal what is underneath, to confront the truth that lies behind the superficial identities we construct. Behind the curtain, everyone is deaf, dumb, and blind, suggesting that we are all trapped in our own illusions and unable to communicate or connect with others. The irony is that everyone becomes the one they most despise, meaning that our attempts to hide or deny our flaws and weaknesses only serve to amplify them. The song ends with the repetition of the line "You can't see me now, but I'm watching over you," suggesting that even in this state of despair and fragmentation, there is still a glimmer of hope and connection, a sense that we are not entirely alone.
Line by Line Meaning
The stars are quiet on the face of the deep
The silence in the universe is overwhelming
All the dogs and angels are turning, Burning in their sleep
Even the most divine and loyal beings are struggling
You can’t see me now, but I’m watching over you
I’m here for you despite being invisible
A broken smile never lies, A busted mirror cannot see you cry
A smile can hide sadness and a broken mirror can’t reflect tears
I’m looking through one glass eye
I see the world differently than others
All the clocks are broken, Every door is open
Time and security have lost their meaning
Take me to the ocean, And we’ll ride on the hurricane, Until we’re washed away
Let’s embrace chaos and destruction together
Take off the mask and tell me what you find, Behind the curtain everyone’s deaf dumb and blind, Everyone becomes the one, the one they most despise
When we reveal our true selves, we find that everyone is flawed and hypocritical
Well, you can’t see me now, but I’m watching over you
I’m still here, even if we’re apart
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: TODD C. ASHLEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind