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.
Cut to the Chase
Cop Shoot Cop Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Trains are howling into the dark (saddest sound you'll ever hear)
Sell out to the side that lost, buying souls that can't be found
Worth exactly what they cost (lives collapse without a sound)
Blown away like paper bags before the rain
Shadow falls across her face
Light is sinking in her eyes like diamonds in a drain
Cut to the chase
Words just fall down on the floor
Searching for something to fill in the cracks
Changing the sign on the door: no way out
Headlights catch her in the fog
Carved in halogen and steel
Crawling hungry like a dog
(Spirit broken on the wheel)
Telephone is ringing in an empty booth
Thousand miles from this place
Voices ringing in her head (She hopes they tell the truth)
The lyrics of "Cut to the Chase" by Cop Shoot Cop are poetic and powerful, painting a picture of a woman whose life has fallen apart. The opening lines "Hold her tight just like a doll, falling backwards down the stairs" creates a vivid image of a woman who has lost control of her life and is at the mercy of others. The train howling in the dark is a haunting sound, emphasizing the sense of hopelessness and despair. The theme of selling out is also present in the line "Sell out to the side that lost, buying souls that can't be found", with the implication that the woman has compromised her values for the sake of others.
The metaphor of the shadow falling across her face is a poignant moment, as it suggests that the woman has lost her identity and her sense of self. The image of light sinking in her eyes like diamonds in a drain is equally powerful, conveying the sense of loss and emptiness that she feels. The chorus "Cut to the chase" is a call to action, urging the woman to take control of her life and stop wasting time on meaningless talk.
The final verse of the song is particularly affecting, with the telephone ringing in an empty booth and the woman hoping that the voices on the other end will tell her the truth. The image of the headlights catching her in the fog is also striking, suggesting that she is lost and alone in the world. Overall, "Cut to the Chase" is a powerful song that speaks to the struggles and challenges of life.
Line by Line Meaning
Hold her tight just like a doll, falling backwards down the stairs
The singer is describing a dangerous situation where someone is holding another person like a doll and they are falling down the stairs.
Trains are howling into the dark (saddest sound you'll ever hear)
The singer is emphasizing a sad and eerie sound of trains howling into the dark.
Sell out to the side that lost, buying souls that can't be found
The singer is talking about people who have lost their way and are willing to sell themselves to a side that has also lost, buying souls that can't be recovered.
Worth exactly what they cost (lives collapse without a sound)
The artist is saying that these people are not worth much and their lives can collapse without any noise.
Blown away like paper bags before the rain
The artist is drawing a comparison between people's fragility and vulnerability to paper bags that get blown away before the rain.
Shadow falls across her face
The singer is describing a situation where a shadow falls across someone's face, which can be a symbol of something negative or foreboding.
Light is sinking in her eyes like diamonds in a drain
The singer is saying that light is getting lost in someone's eyes, like diamonds that get washed down the drain and lost forever.
Cut to the chase
The artist is using this phrase figuratively to imply that they are getting to the most important point of the matter.
Scraping for something to talk about
The artist is searching for something to talk about.
Words just fall down on the floor
The artist is saying that the words they are trying to put together are not making sense and are falling flat or getting lost.
Searching for something to fill in the cracks
The singer is trying to find something to fill in the gaps or voids.
Changing the sign on the door: no way out
The artist is painting a bleak picture of a problem that does not have a solution and is using the metaphor of changing the sign on the door to signify that there is no way out.
Headlights catch her in the fog
The singer is describing the sight of someone caught in the fog, illuminated by the headlights of a car.
Carved in halogen and steel
The singer is using this phrase to describe the way light and metal can seem cold and inhuman.
Crawling hungry like a dog (Spirit broken on the wheel)
The singer is describing someone reduced to a state of crawling and desperation, using the metaphor of their spirit being broken on the wheel.
Telephone is ringing in an empty booth
The artist is describing a telephone that is ringing in an empty and perhaps abandoned phone booth.
Thousand miles from this place
The artist is emphasizing the distance between the person hearing the ringing phone and the place where the phone is located.
Voices ringing in her head (She hopes they tell the truth)
The singer is describing how voices are ringing in someone's head and they hope that these voices are telling the truth.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: TODD C. ASHLEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind