Grinderman was an Australian-British alternative rock band that formed in L… Read Full Bio ↴Grinderman was an Australian-British alternative rock band that formed in London, United Kingdom, in 2006. Since its inception, the band included Nick Cave (vocals, guitar, organ, piano), Warren Ellis (tenor guitar, electric mandolin, violin, viola, guitar, backing vocals), Martyn P. Casey (bass, guitar, backing vocals) and Jim Sclavunos (drums, percussion, backing vocals).

Formed as a side project to Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, the band was originally known as Mini Seeds and was formed by Cave as "a way to escape the weight of The Bad Seeds." The band's name was inspired by a Memphis Slim song, Grinder Man Blues, which Cave is noted to have started singing during one of the band's early rehearsal sessions. The band's eponymous debut studio album, Grinderman, was released in 2007 to extremely positive reviews and the band's second and final studio album, Grinderman 2, was released in 2010 to a similar reception.

Following extensive touring after the release of Grinderman 2, Grinderman disbanded after a performance at the Meredith Music Festival in Victoria, Australia in December 2011. The band split up in order to focus on The Bad Seeds upcoming material. However, Jim Sclavunos later said: "I can't predict what the future of Grinderman is - if there is a future." The band reunited for a one-off performance at Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Indio, California in April 2013.

http://www.grinderman.com

Set Me Free
Grinderman Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

And every time I think of you, well I get sick
And every time I dream of you, well I get sick
And every time I cry for you, well I get sick
I don't want you to set me free
I don't need you to set me free

I don't want you to set me free
I just need you to set me free
I don't want you to set me free
I just need you to set me free
Alright come on Grinderman!
Set me free
Set me free
Set me free
Set me free
Set me free
Set me free
Set me free
Set me free
Set me free

Set me free
Set me free

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Grinderman's "Set Me Free" describe the complicated and tumultuous relationship between the singer and a certain person. The first stanza sets the scene as the singer sees the person walking on the street but is unable to communicate with them. The second stanza shows the intense hatred the singer feels towards this person, as they get sick every time they think of them, dream of them or even cry for them. Despite this, the singer does not want to be set free from this person, contradicting the song's title. In the final verse, the singer pleads for this person to "set me free", begging for them to provide some form of relief from the pain that their relationship has brought upon them.

Line by Line Meaning

I saw you walkin' down on the street
I observed your presence on the street

I called out from my window but you didn't hear me
I tried to gain your attention by shouting from my window, but my efforts were in vain

I lay down and I tried to sleep
I attempted to sleep while still harboring thoughts of you

I waited for you to walk on by again
I anticipated your next appearance, hoping to catch a glimpse of you once more

I don't need you to set me free
I am content with my current state and do not require your assistance in attaining 'freedom'

I don't want you to set me free
I do not desire a liberation from my current state

Well every time I see you, I get sick
The mere sighting of you elicits feelings of nausea within me

And every time I think of you, well I get sick
Merely thinking about you triggers sensations of sickness within me

And every time I dream of you, well I get sick
Even subconsciously, thoughts of you bring about unpleasant feelings of illness

And every time I cry for you, well I get sick
My emotional turmoil regarding you exacerbates my physical symptoms of illness

I don't want you to set me free
I reiterate my lack of desire for liberation

I don't need you to set me free
I acknowledge that the process of becoming free is not necessary for me at this juncture

I just need you to set me free
I amend my prior statements and confess that there is in fact a need for your help in obtaining freedom

Alright come on Grinderman!
An exclamation urging the band Grinderman to perform their musical duties

Set me free
A plea for freedom

Set me free
A repetition of the prior request for freedom

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Mute Song Limited
Written by: Jim Sclavunos, Nicholas Cave, Warren Ellis, Martin Casey

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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01Grinderman

02Get It On

03Depth Charge Ethel3:42

04Electric Alice3:12

05(I Don't Need You To) Set Me Free4:01

PT4M1S

Grinderman

06Honey Bee (Let's Fly To Mars)

07Man In The Moon

08When My Love Comes Down

09No Pussy Blues

10Love Bomb

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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@bargolyr8660

33w

I saw you walkin' down on the street
I called out from my window but you didn't hear me
I lay down and I tried to sleep
I waited for you to walk on by again
I don't need you to set me free
I don't want you to set me free
Well every time I see you, I get sick
And every time I think of you, well I get sick
And every time I dream of you, well I get sick
And every time I cry for you, well I get sick
I don't want you to set me free
I don't need you to set me free
I don't want you to set me free
I just need you to set me free
I don't want you to set me free
I just need you to set me free
Alright come on Grinderman!
Set me free
Set me free
Set me free
Set me free
Set me free
Set me free
Set me free
Set me free
Set me free
Set me free
Set me free
Set me free
Set me free
Set me free
Set me free
Set me free
Set me free
Set me free
Set me free
Set me free
Set me free
Set me free
Set me free
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Set me free
Set me free
Set me free
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Set me free
Set me free
Set me free
Set me free
Set me free
Set me free
Set me free

All comments from YouTube:

@lauraanne5175

34w

Thinking of you Eric

@TheBrickonastring

12y↑10

warren ellis (gaiter and idea's MAN) is brilliant and totally compliments nick cave. keep on it!

@watsonbrown439

6y↑4

You honestly wouldn't mind if your upstairs neighbour kept you awake all night with that supreme base. Another Cave/Ellis masterclass.

@murcuryvapor

15y↑2

The guitar is just killer...

@bbooz

12y↑5

the bass is kick ass ,,, its like the first time i heard chris squire on roundabout (not that that is the same kind of music) but the bass floored me and that rumble on this song also gets me. I play guitar but i find myself listening to the bass alot ...