1.) Heavy Metal/Gothic Rock band for Portland, USA featuring members from S… Read Full Bio ↴1.) Heavy Metal/Gothic Rock band for Portland, USA featuring members from Spellcaster. Now known as Unto Others.

2.) Post-Punk band from Minneapolis. See also The Idle Hands.

3) Descendents and Wipers influenced punk from Münster, Germany.

4) Idle Hands (1999-2002) was a pop punk group from California. They were signed to Trustkill Records, known more for hardcore punk and metalcore.

5) A Blues/Stoner Rock band from Sheffield, UK

2) With the song title “The 80’s Killed Your Boyfriend” and the upbeat sing-song-y tunes “Loaded” and “Sunshine on the Tenements,” The Idle Hands unashamedly link their sound and style to the post-punk movement of two and a half decades ago. Other, more story-telling, indie-pop songs, “Space Thing” and “Damage Control,” let loose a more empathetic, rock sound. Often rooted in standard danceable punk beats, their sound is carried on by driving electric guitar with intermittent picking, the occasional synth and keyboard lines. Ciaran Daily’s voice sometimes beautifully counteracts the hazy music with well-voiced falsetto melodies, though he more often sticks with his bashful young punk voice.

The Idle Hand’s music escapes the often-obnoxious, overdone grimy punk sound while retaining much of its energy. Their lyrics, however, remain stuck in their punk roots. Singing cliche lines about drinking, girls, and friends, The Idle Hands have some regrettable moments, such as the whiny and overdone line ‘I’ve Lost You Now’ repeated far too many times at the climax of the track “Secretary.” While their sound could be likened to mature, mellowed out punk, their lyrics have miles to go to match the maturity of their sound. A little less of ‘baby,’ ‘darling,’ and ‘just remember where your heart is,’ never hurts anyone.

4) The band was a four piece outfit led by Meaghan Ball on vocals, and rounded out with Chris Mohney (Drums), Dan Previch (Bass) and Joe Robb (Guitar). Ball was known for her earlier work in the emo band Copper, while the rest of the band formerly played in the hardcore band Suburban Empire. Recordings include the 1999 EP "Treaty" and the 2000 full-length "Building a Desert".

Blade And The Will
Idle Hands Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Wandering in darkness I can't help but feel I'm running out of time,
and I don't want to fail again.
Seems to me that I'm the last man standing here, but I'm still alone,
and there is no direction for me.
My idle hands hold on, can't hold on, no.

Give me your blessing ancient fire.
Give me the courage lift me higher.

Give me the strength that I desire.
Give me the knife.

Looking at the faceless aging faces all the dreams that dreamed to be,
so suddenly familiar.
Running out of options I have no one and there's no need to explain
your foolish optimism to me.
My idle hands hold on, can't hold on, no.

Give me your blessing ancient fire.
Give me the courage lift me higher.
Give me the strength that I desire.
Give me the power.

Give me your blessing ancient fire.
Give me the courage lift me higher.

Give me the strength that I desire.
Give me the power.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to "Blade and the Will" by Idle Hands are a reflection on the feeling of being lost and alone in a seemingly hopeless situation. The opening lines of the song establish the singer's sense of urgency as they wander in darkness, feeling like they are running out of time and desperately trying not to fail again. Despite appearing to be the last person standing, they feel a sense of isolation with no clear direction to follow. The phrase "idle hands" emphasizes their feelings of helplessness, emphasizing their desire for something more.

The chorus asks for guidance, strength, courage, and power from an ancient force or entity. The repetition of the phrase "give me" reinforces the sense of longing and desperation for these qualities. The reference to a knife suggests that the singer may need to take drastic measures to change their current situation. The second verse further emphasizes the sense of hopelessness as the singer looks at the faces of those who once had dreams but now seem to have given up. The reference to "foolish optimism" suggests the singer has lost faith in traditional ideals and is seeking something far more tangible such as the power they've been asking for.

Overall, the song appears to be exploring themes of loneliness, desperation, and a craving for power and control over one's circumstances. It's a powerful and emotional song that will resonate with anyone who has felt lost and powerless at times.

Line by Line Meaning

Wandering in darkness I can't help but feel I'm running out of time,
Feeling lost and uncertain, I sense that I am rapidly approaching a point of no return

and I don't want to fail again.
I am determined to succeed this time, no matter what

Seems to me that I'm the last man standing here, but I'm still alone,
Although I may appear to be the only one left, I remain isolated and unsupported

and there is no direction for me.
I have no clear path or guidance to follow

My idle hands hold on, can't hold on, no.
Despite my efforts to cling to something, I am losing my grip and control

Give me your blessing ancient fire.
I seek the approval and favor of a powerful and timeless force

Give me the courage lift me higher.
Grant me the bravery required to ascend beyond my current limitations

Give me the strength that I desire.
Endow me with the power and ability to accomplish my goals

Give me the knife.
Provide me with a tool that I can use to cut through obstacles and challenges

Looking at the faceless aging faces all the dreams that dreamed to be,
As I contemplate the unfulfilled aspirations of others, I realize how fleeting and fragile all dreams can be

so suddenly familiar.
This realization hits me with unexpected and intense force

Running out of options I have no one and there's no need to explain your foolish optimism to me.
With no viable choices left, I find myself alone and frustrated, with no patience for anyone else's unfounded hopefulness

My idle hands hold on, can't hold on, no.
Despite my best efforts to cling to something, I am losing my grasp and control, and can feel myself slipping away

Give me your blessing ancient fire.
Once again, I plea for divine intervention and support

Give me the courage lift me higher.
I need an added measure of strength and bravery to overcome these seemingly insurmountable obstacles

Give me the strength that I desire.
Above all, I crave the power and ability to achieve my objectives

Give me the power.
I require a supernatural force to aid me in my quest for success

Contributed by Tristan O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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