The band was formed in August 1983 when Ásmundur Jónsson from Gramm Records wanted to create an avant-garde supergroup to perform on the final episode of a radio show called Áfangar. He assembled Björk Guðmundsdóttir, vocalist of Tappi Tíkarrass; Einar Örn Benediktsson, a trumpeter and vocalist in Purrkur Pillnikk; keyboardist Einar Arnaldur Melax, from the surrealistic group Medúsa; Birgir Mogensen, the bassist from Spilafífl; and finally drummer Siggtryggur Baldursson and guitar player Guðlaugur Kristinn Óttarsson (a.k.a. Godkrist), both from the band Þeyr.
Assassin
KUKL Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Lying on the floor
I'm dead
Listening to the floor
Where does it end
And me, and me
And me, and me
Kicking
I'm dead
Hitting
Where does it end
And me,
And me
Lengthen one side
Licking the sole
Help
Help
I'm dead until I stand up
I'm standing up
Lengthen one side,
Licking the sole
And bring this to an end
The lyrics of KUKL's song "Assassin" seem to revolve around the theme of death and the aftermath of a violent attack. The repeated line "I'm dead" suggests that the singer has been killed and is now lying on the floor. The following lines "Listening to the floor, where does it end" suggest that the character is disoriented and trying to make sense of their surroundings. The lines "Kicking, hitting" could indicate that their attacker is still present, or that the singer is experiencing some sort of post-mortem muscle spasms or reflexes.
The phrase "Lengthen one side, licking the sole" is particularly cryptic and open to interpretation, but it could refer to the contorted position that the body may be in after a violent attack, with one limb or side stretching out unnaturally. The act of licking the sole could additionally suggest a final, involuntary moment of humiliation or loss of control.
The repeated plea for help adds to the sense of confusion and distress, and the final lines "I'm standing up, lengthen one side, licking the sole, and bring this to an end" could suggest either a final, desperate attempt to fight back against their attacker, or an acceptance of their fate and a desire for the ordeal to be over.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm dead
I'm defeated and helpless
Lying on the floor
I am physically down and defeated
Listening to the floor
I am paying attention to my surroundings while down on the floor
Where does it end
I am wondering when my suffering will stop
And me, and me
I am focusing inward, only concerned about myself
Kicking
I am lashing out and trying to fight back, even in a helpless state
Hitting
I am still trying to fight back, even if my efforts are futile
Lengthen one side
I am trying to stretch and reach out for help
Licking the sole
I am acknowledging my own weakness and submission
Help
I am desperately calling out for assistance
I'm dead until I stand up
I am acknowledging that I must rise up to truly be alive
I'm standing up
I am taking action to fight back and regain strength
And bring this to an end
I am determined to put an end to my suffering and emerge victorious
Contributed by Penelope V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Gudlaugur Kristinn Ottarsson
KUKL was created by the Icelandic National Radio in the summer of 1983. They selected members from 5 disbanded bands: ÞEYR, TAPPI TÍKARASS, PURKUR PILNIC, SPILAFÍFL and MELAX. Funny how the cultural mafia tries to change history to their favour !!!
Ridiculous Thoughts
Einar i Bjork...wish they could collaborate again. Is Einar still alive?
Two Stacked CRT Tubes
He is still alive, I think the last time they collaborated was in the Sugarcube's 20th anniversary concert in 2006.
After that he got into politics and was a member of Reykjavík City Council until 2014, I think he only works with visual arts these days.
Ridiculous Thoughts
@Two Stacked CRT Tubes Ahhh! Thank You for the info!
Searchandpreserve
Rhythm section sounds alot like Abwärts, Der Westen ist einsam.
Pablo Castro
I need this without those weird vocals and bjork only.
Two Stacked CRT Tubes
Poor old Einar, it was the same drama with Sugacubes, nobody had the guts to speak frankly to him about his singing skills
The-Jaded
@Two Stacked CRT Tubes Poor audience. Not understanding Post Punk or spoken word poetry
Two Stacked CRT Tubes
@The-Jaded Yeah, we get what they were going for, it doesn't make his voice any less annoying tho.
If you want an example of actually enjoyable spoken word in music, take a listening to the Black Box Recorder's albums on my channel.
The-Jaded
Will gladly do so :) I really love KUKL more than any solo Björk while I also like her own material. The weird tribalistic and amateurish atmosphere totally makes it for me personally. In spoken word, I loved Gil Scott Heron, Anne Clark, Life without buildings and The Van Pelt so far