Although they share musical similarities with members' previous outfits, Hot Snakes have a sound that is much more primal than that of Pitchfork, Drive Like Jehu or even Rocket from the Crypt. Reis and Froberg were also heavily influenced by bands such as The Wipers, Suicide, and Michael Yonkers Band, and these influences gave Hot Snakes a distinctive sound that has been described by one critic as "hardcore garage punk." The band's recordings and merchandise were conducted in a DIY manner, with Froberg providing all of the artwork and Reis releasing the material via his Swami Records label.
Eric Gerald Froberg died in San Diego on June 30, 2023, at the age of 55, from an undiagnosed heart condition.
No Hands
Hot Snakes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I could do this with stumps
Hands off me
I know I can do without
Hands on the block
Hands on the ground
Hands in the bag
What I can do with the stumps
The USA runs on
Why hold back?
I'll wear 'em around my neck
There ain't no holding out
There ain't no looking back
I seen the plan
I seen the map
Got no time for dead weight
Don't need no handicap
The lyrics to Hot Snakes's song No Hands expresses a level of confidence and bravery that comes when one is not holding onto anything, feeling liberated and free. The repeated lines of "cut 'em off me" and "hands off me" suggests a deliberate choice made by the singer to let go of whatever was previously holding them back. The singer posits that they could even do what they do with stumps, meaning they don't need hands or anyone else's help to succeed. The subsequent lines suggest that the singer has found a new sense of strength and has discovered what they can do with their own resources.
The line "The USA runs on" suggests that the singer feels a sense of pride in their country and a sense of responsibility to help keep it running. The repetition of the word "hands" in various settings like "hands on the block" and "hands in the bag" suggests that the song is about letting go of external forces and using one's own resources to keep moving forward. The refrain in the second half of the song states that there is no holding back and no looking back, and that the singer has a clear idea of the plan and the map. The final line, "Don't need no handicap," reinforces the idea that the singer is unencumbered by external forces and is free to achieve their goals under their own power.
Line by Line Meaning
Yeah cut 'em off me
I want you to remove my hands
I could do this with stumps
I am confident I can still function without hands
Hands off me
Do not touch me or my hands
I know I can do without
I am aware that I don't need my hands to live
Hands on the block
Hands being punished or dehumanized by a higher authority
Hands on the ground
Refers to people working manual labor jobs
Hands in the bag
The artist has found success in life without depending on their hands
'Cause you know I've found
The artist knows life can go on without hands, that their identity and success are not tied to their hands
What I can do with the stumps
I am resourceful and have found ways to function without hands
The USA runs on
The country places high importance on economic success
Why hold back?
Why should I limit myself because of the absence of hands?
I'll wear 'em around my neck
The artist is suggesting they will use their absence of hands as a badge of honor
There ain't no holding out
I will not let my missing hands hold me back
There ain't no looking back
The artist refuses to let the absence of their hands affect their future
I seen the plan
The artist has a clear vision of where they want to go in life
I seen the map
The artist knows the path to take to achieve their goals
Got no time for dead weight
I don't have the resources to deal with anything dragging me down
Don't need no handicap
The artist will not let the absence of their hands limit their success
Contributed by Alexander K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@brownmonkeybananayellow
RIP
@toejam1
No stereo system is loud enough to play this properly.
@cizbul
great song
@geoffwoade6965
Yeah cut 'em off me
I could do this with stumps
Hands off me
I know I can do without
Hands on the block
Hands on the ground
Hands in the bag
'Cause you know I've found
What I can do with the stumps
The USA runs on
Why hold back?
I'll wear 'em around my neck
There ain't no holding out
There ain't no looking back
I seen the plan
I seen the map
Got no time for dead weight
Don't need no handicap
@NealStidham
RIP Rick Froberg.
@SK-le1gm
how you come up with a riff like this one
@kh8189
Man this one has such strong Wipers vibes! change the vocals and you could convince me Greg Sage wrote this