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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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

@theevildead96

Lyrics:

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 want to 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 want to 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 want to be your monkey wrench
One more indecent accident
I'd rather leave than suffer this
I'll never be your monkey wrench

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



@RubiksPolice

My dad just texted me that Taylor Hawkins died right as I got to the line, "One last thing before I quit."

Taylor Hawkins has always been my go to drummer who inspired me to pick up and go.
Taylor's drumming always had a way of taking any song and turning it into an experience.
His life and attitude set an example on how to find positivity, regardless of how hard shit hits the fan.

Putting this on repeat today.
Rest in peace Taylor.
And thank you for everything.



@g.3865

"Monkey Wrench"

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 [3x]

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 [3x]

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 [3x]

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

[3x]
Don't wanna be your monkey wrench
(fall in fall out)

Don't wanna be your monkey wrench



All comments from YouTube:

@hondawhiteguy4223

I still can’t believe Dave did the “one last thing “ part in one breath

@mikhaelkdh

what in the dave fucking grohl fuck is this

@hondawhiteguy4223

@@mikhaelkdh greatest fucking reply ever

@EdTeeVee

Ayo wait hold on....... HOLY CRAP HE DID

@hondawhiteguy4223

@william bush hey bro I got a 2004 4 door accord too!!! Love that thing

@adamdrach5394

Fun part is singing this at karaoke while your ex-wife is at the bar.... especially the last verse here, fun to take out that rage and use it for something good.

29 More Replies...

@nobody-xe3qp

Moral of the song: don't ever let somebody manipulate you or treat you in a way you don't deserve.

@cameronyoung6769

Agreed.

@NazriB

Lies again? AMWF Car USD SGD

@nobody-xe3qp

@@NazriB hrnmm?

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