Monkey Wrench
Foo Fighters Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

What have we done with innocence?
It disappeared with time, it never made much sense
Adolescent resident
Wasting another night on planning my revenge

One in ten
One in ten
One in ten

Don't wanna be your monkey wrench
One more indecent accident
I'd rather leave than suffer this
I'll never be your monkey wrench

All this time to make amends
What do you do when all your enemies are friends?
Now and then I'll try to bend
Under pressure, wind up snapping in the end

One in ten
One in ten
One in ten

Don't wanna be your monkey wrench
One more indecent accident
I'd rather leave than suffer this
I'll never be your monkey wrench

Temper
Temper
Temper

One last thing before I quit
I never wanted any more
Than I could fit into my head
I still remember every single word you said
And all the shit that somehow came along with it
Still, there's one thing that comforts me
Since I was always caged and now I'm free

Don't wanna be your monkey wrench
One more indecent accident
I'd rather leave than suffer this
I'll never be your monkey wrench

Don't wanna be your monkey wrench (fall in, fall out)
Don't wanna be your monkey wrench (fall in, fall out)
Don't wanna be your monkey wrench (fall in, fall out)
Don't wanna be your monkey wrench

Overall Meaning

The lyrics in Foo Fighters' "Monkey Wrench" deal with the theme of betrayal and the desire for revenge. The first stanza suggests a loss of innocence that is both permanent and incomprehensible. The singer is an "adolescent resident," stuck in a cycle of wasting their nights planning their revenge. The repeated line "One in ten" suggests a sense of alienation, as if the singer is one among many who have been similarly wronged.


The chorus speaks to the singer's desire to break free from the toxic situation. They don't want to be someone's "monkey wrench," or a tool to be used for their benefit. The line "one more indecent accident" suggests that the situation has already caused harm or damage, and the singer is willing to leave it behind. The bridge of the song reflects on the past and the hurtful words that were said, but also acknowledges a sense of liberation from being "caged" and now "free."


Overall, "Monkey Wrench" seems to be a commentary on the destructive cycle of revenge and the desire to break free from it. The lyrics paint a picture of a protagonist who has been wronged and wants to move on, rather than being used as a pawn in someone else's plans.


Line by Line Meaning

What have we done with innocence?
We have lost our purity and naivety with the passage of time.


It disappeared with time, it never made much sense
Our innocence vanished as we grew older and we were never quite sure why.


Adolescent resident
As teenagers, we still live with our parents.


Wasting another night on planning my revenge
Spending another evening plotting how I can get back at someone who wronged me.


One in ten One in ten One in ten
Repetition of the phrase for emphasis.


Don't wanna be your monkey wrench One more indecent accident I'd rather leave than suffer this I'll never be your monkey wrench
I refuse to be someone who causes problems and accidents for you. I'd rather just leave than subject myself to this any longer.


All this time to make amends What do you do when all your enemies are friends?
I've had plenty of time to fix things with those I've had conflicts with, but what do I do when even my enemies are people I consider friends?


Now and then I'll try to bend Under pressure, wind up snapping in the end
Sometimes I'll try to compromise, but when it becomes too much, I end up breaking and lashing out.


Temper Temper Temper
Possibly a reminder to control one's emotions and not be quick to anger.


One last thing before I quit I never wanted any more Than I could fit into my head I still remember every single word you said And all the shit that somehow came along with it Still, there's one thing that comforts me Since I was always caged and now I'm free
Before I go, I want to say that I never wanted to deal with more than I could handle mentally. I remember every hurtful thing you said and all the baggage that came with it. But at least I find comfort in the fact that I'm finally free from the restraints that held me back before.


Don't wanna be your monkey wrench (fall in, fall out) Don't wanna be your monkey wrench (fall in, fall out) Don't wanna be your monkey wrench (fall in, fall out) Don't wanna be your monkey wrench
Repeating the chorus as a final reminder that the singer does not want to be a problem or burden for the other person.




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: David Grohl, Georg Ruthenberg, Nate Mendel

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@TailsCoinProductions

I remember listening to this song to the first time over a decade ago. Still listen to it today, and I still think it's amazing. Keep on rockin'!

@clementmustchin3737

Still listening now in 2020

@WakeUpUniverse66

2024 and it still rocks hard!!!!

@billybobby320

New listener in 2024

@lorrainyhippohernandez4796

10 years later have to come back and listen. 2024 still this song hits

@dave1x1

imposible cantar la parte de: "One last thing before I quit I never wanted any more than I could fit into my head I still remember every single word you said And all the shit that somehow came along with it Still there's one thing that comforts me Since I was always caged and now I'm free" Aguante los Foo Fighters.

@mauri1692

Cierto

@ChrisRodriguez-cp3qk

Necesitaria tomar un respiro de 1 minuto por lo menos...

@anacin6497

Si tomas mucho aire podes, yo pude

@luisfarias4688

tomate unas cervezas y de que lo haces, lo haces!

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