The song is Grimes‘ favorite off of "Art Angels".
She told Q Magazine:
"“Kill V. Maim” is written from the perspective of Al Pacino in The Godfather Pt II. Except he’s a vampire who can switch gender and travel through space."
Kill V. Maim is a character who also makes an appearance in “Flesh without Blood,” according to a Fuse.tv interview, in which the characters are explained. Kill V. Maim is described as “the vampire.” The “Flesh without Blood” video begins with the label of Act I and later flashes to Act II, while the “Kill V. Maim” video begins with the label of Act III, hinting at continuation of the same story.
The music video was directed by Grimes and her brother, featuring the Canadian singer driving a tricked-out pink car, dancing at a blood-soaked rave, and wearing black wings à la Natalie Portman in Black Swan. The video also references various pop culture motifs including Law & Order, Anime, The Legend Of Zelda and Blade.
Grimes wanted to make a harder song with a friend of hers who makes aggressive music, but they told her no because she makes “cute music.” In order to prove them wrong, she started work on “Kill V. Maim.”
Grimes has described “Kill V. Maim” as “Something I would want to play during an action sequence in a movie.”
“I had been watching Godfather and Godfather Part II, and I just had this thought in my mind of this insane movie that would just be like, The Godfather with vampires. Like a combination of Godfather and Twilight. I just wanted to make the trailer to the fictional movie in my mind.”
Kill V. Maim
Grimes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I was in, despite all the wicked prose
But I'm only a man
And I do what I can
I got friends in high places, I get out for free
I got in a fight, but they don't know me
'Cause I'm only a man
B-E-H-A-V-E
Arrest us
Italiana mobster
Looking so precious
B-E-H-A-V-E
Never more
You gave up being good when you declared a state of war!
Eh I don't behave, I don't behave, oh eh
I don't behave, I don't behave, oh eh
I don't behave, I don't behave, oh
Are you going to the party? Are you going to the show?
'Cause I'm only a man, do what I can, oh
'Cause I'm only a man, do what I can
Are you going to the party? Are you going to the show?
I did something bad, maybe I was wrong
Sometimes people say that I'm a big time bomb
But I'm only a man
And I do what I can
B-E-H-A-V-E
Arrest us
Italiana mobster
Looking so precious
B-E-H-A-V-E
Never more
You gave up being good when you declared a state of war
Eh I don't behave, I don't behave, oh eh
I don't behave, I don't behave, oh eh
I don't behave, I don't behave, oh
Are you going to the party? Are you going to the show?
'Cause I'm only a man, do what I can, oh
'Cause I'm only a man, do what I can
Are you going to the party? Are you going to the show?
Oh, whoa, o, whoa
The fire it's alright
'Cause we can make 'em all go crazy
We can make 'em wanna die
Oh, whoa, oh, whoa
The fire it's alright
The people touch it
I can't touch, even though it's mine
Eh I don't behave, I don't behave, oh eh
I don't behave, I don't behave, oh eh
I don't behave, I don't behave, oh
Are you going to the party? Are you going to the show?
'Cause I'm only a man, do what I can, oh
'Cause I'm only a man, do what I can
B-E-H-A-V-E
Arrest us
Italiana mobster
Looking so precious
B-E-H-A-V-E
Never more
You gave up being good when you declared a state of war
The lyrics to Grimes's song Kill V. Maim function as a plea for understanding and validation for a person who is regularly misunderstood and judged by the world. The first two stanzas set the tone for this message, with the singer acknowledging that they got into a fight and were judged harshly for their actions. However, they want listeners to understand that they are just doing the best they can with the circumstances they've been given. The chorus of the song, with its repeated refrain of "B-E-H-A-V-E, Arrest us. Italiana mobsters. Looking so precious. B-E-H-A-V-E. Never more. You gave up being good when you declared a state of war!" seems to suggest that this plea for acceptance is being made to society as a whole who makes judgments and determinations about the worth of a person based solely on their actions.
Through this message, Grimes is perhaps trying to communicate the limitations of societal expectations in judging an individual's worth. Specifically, Kill V. Maim is a commentary on how outside factors and context can have a major impact on one's actions, regardless of whether or not they should be ultimately held accountable. The lyrics suggest that the singer is tired of being unfairly judged and wants society to understand that they are just trying to do the best they can, given the challenging circumstances that they find themself in.
Line by Line Meaning
I got in a fight, I was indisposed
I was in a physical altercation, which left me unavailable or lying low
I was in, despite all the wicked prose
I had made it through or triumphed despite any difficulties or challenges that were thrown my way
But I'm only a man
I am human, with limitations and imperfections
And I do what I can
I make the best effort I can with what I have
I got friends in high places, I get out for free
I have connections in powerful positions, which has helped me avoid consequences or punishments
'Cause I'm only a man
My mistakes or shortcomings are not due to anything other than my humanity
B-E-H-A-V-E Arrest us Italiana mobster Looking so precious B-E-H-A-V-E Never more
The person is spelling out 'behave,' but then subverting that expectation by referencing Italian mobsters (who are often associated with not obeying rules), and then asserting that 'never more' will they behave
You gave up being good when you declared a state of war!
The 'you' in this line is accusing someone of abandoning any expectations of moral behavior when they embraced conflict or declared a state of war
Eh I don't behave, I don't behave, oh eh I don't behave, I don't behave, oh eh I don't behave, I don't behave, oh
The repetition of 'I don't behave' reinforces the idea that the artist is rejecting societal expectations or norms of behavior
Are you going to the party? Are you going to the show?
This repetition of a question is unclear, but it could be the artist challenging someone's willingness to join them in their rebellion or rule-breaking
I did something bad, maybe I was wrong Sometimes people say that I'm a big time bomb
The singer is acknowledging having done something wrong or controversial but is pushing back against any implication that they are inherently dangerous or unpredictable
The fire it's alright 'Cause we can make 'em all go crazy We can make 'em wanna die
The artist is referencing causing chaos or inciting people to act irrationally, but it's unclear why they believe this kind of energy is 'alright'
The people touch it I can't touch, even though it's mine
This line is enigmatic, but it could be that the singer is describing a sort of ownership over a dangerous or alluring element that they themselves cannot engage with
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: CLAIRE ELISE BOUCHER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@crizubtw8378
Lyrics:
I got in a fight, I was indisposed
I was in despite all the wicked prose
But I'm only a man
And I do what I can
I got friends in high places, I get out for free
I got in a fight but they don't know me
'Cause I'm only a man
And I do what I can
B-E-H-A-V-E arrest us
Italiana mobster looking so precious, uh
B-E-H-A-V-E never more
You gave up being good when you declared a state of war
Eh, oh, don't behave, oh don't behave, oh
Eh, oh, don't behave, oh don't behave, oh
Eh, oh, don't behave, oh don't behave, oh
(You're goin' to the party and you're goin' to the show)
'Cause I'm only a man, do what I can, ooh-woah-oh
'Cause I'm only a man, do what I can
(You're goin' to the party and you're goin' to the show)
I did something bad, maybe I was wrong
Sometimes people say that I'm a big time bomb
But I'm only a man
And I do what I can
B-E-H-A-V-E arrest us
Italiana mobster looking so precious, uh
B-E-H-A-V-E never more
You gave up being good when you declared a state of war
Eh, oh, don't behave, oh don't behave, oh
Eh, oh, don't behave, oh don't behave, oh
Eh, oh, don't behave, oh don't behave, oh
(You're goin' to the party and you're goin' to the show)
'Cause I'm only a man, do what I can, ooh-woah-oh
'Cause I'm only a man, do what I can
(You're goin' to the party and you're goin' to the show)
Oh, woah-oh-woo
The fire hurts alright
'Cause we can make 'em all a bit crazy
We can make 'em alright
Oh, woah-oh-woo
The fire hurts alright
The people touch it
I can't touch it, even though it's mine
Eh, oh, don't behave, oh don't behave, oh
Eh, oh, don't behave, oh don't behave, oh
Eh, oh, don't behave, oh don't behave, oh
(You're goin' to the party and you're goin' to the show)
'Cause I'm only a man, do what I can, ooh-woah-oh
'Cause I'm only a man, do what I can (do what I can)
B-E-H-A-V-E arrest us
Italiana mobster looking so precious, uh
B-E-H-A-V-E never more
You gave up being good when you declared a state of war
@lucasdemedeirosfigueiredo4207
Letras
I got in a fight, I was indisposed
I was in, despite all the wicked prose
But I'm only a man
And I do what I can
I got friends in high places, I get out for free
I got in a fight, but they don't know me
'Cause I'm only a man
And I do what I can
B-E-H-A-V-E
Arrest us
Italiana mobster
Looking so precious
B-E-H-A-V-E
Never more
You gave up being good when you declared a state of war!
Eh I don't behave, I don't behave, oh eh
I don't behave, I don't behave, oh eh
I don't behave, I don't behave, oh
Are you going to the party? Are you going to the show?
'Cause I'm only a man, do what I can, oh
'Cause I'm only a man, do what I can
Are you going to the party? Are you going to the show?
I did something bad, maybe I was wrong
Sometimes people say that I'm a big time bomb
But I'm only a man
And I do what I can
B-E-H-A-V-E
Arrest us
Italiana mobster
Looking so precious
B-E-H-A-V-E
Never more
You gave up being good when you declared a state of war
Eh I don't behave, I don't behave, oh eh
I don't behave, I don't behave, oh eh
I don't behave, I don't behave, oh
Are you going to the party? Are you going to the show?
'Cause I'm only a man, do what I can, oh
'Cause I'm only a man, do what I can
Are you going to the party? Are you going to the show?
Oh, whoa, o, whoa
The fire it's alright
'Cause we can make 'em all go crazy
We can make 'em wanna die
Oh, whoa, oh, whoa
The fire it's alright
The people touch it
I can't touch, even though it's mine
Eh I don't behave, I don't behave, oh eh
I don't behave, I don't behave, oh eh
I don't behave, I don't behave, oh
Are you going to the party? Are you going to the show?
'Cause I'm only a man, do what I can, oh
'Cause I'm only a man, do what I can
B-E-H-A-V-E
Arrest us
Italiana mobster
Looking so precious
B-E-H-A-V-E
Never more
You gave up being good when you declared a state of war
@ilikealotofthings731
I don't understand anything she says.. but i'm living for it.
@lightup6882
Y?
@vanessasarahilizarragaoliv6591
your profile picture relates it xDD
@ey04
Drag race reference??
@21stCenturyDub
A, e oa e a
@smuglumine4949
I dont know what the fuck she saying, but girl i am living!
@miahipolito7
I was wondering why the lyrics didn't make any sense until someone explained that this song is about Al Pacino in the Godfather as a gender fluid vampire who travels space and suddenly I understood everything.
@minizomoni
ikr same and i think the lyrics are pretty cool and that Grimes is a true genius B)
@annaleathompson2702
I thought it was a burn on the American apparel controversy cause she’s wearing the bodysuit from there talking about wing a man and doing whatever she wants and doing dangerous shit
@ChloeLKhossmer
I'm sorry, but how did that clusterfuck of random concepts make perfect sense??