A key influence on industrial rock, their early music was described by critics Stephen Thomas Erlewine and John Dougan as well as industrial metal and "quasi-metal, dancing to a tune of doom and gloom," which gradually evolved over the years, incorporating elements of electronic music, synth-pop, gothic rock, and alternative rock, though always emphasizing Coleman's "savagely strident vocals."
Finding modest commercial success, Killing Joke have influenced many later bands, such as Nirvana, Ministry, Amen, Lamb of God, Nine Inch Nails, Napalm Death, Amebix, Big Black, Godflesh, Tool, Prong, Metallica, Primus, Jane's Addiction, Soundgarden, Foo Fighters, Faith No More, Blacklist, Shihad and Korn, all of whom have at some point cited some debt of gratitude to Killing Joke.
Empire Song
Killing Joke Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's just begun, let's watch the blind eyes turning
Stains on the wall, been waiting far too long now
Nice day, blue sky, I watch them shrug their shoulders
Tighten the grip (getting tighter)
Now see the ball is rolling
We take delight, it's been a long wait for this moment.
Back to square one, another empire backfire
SIgn of the time, blood pressure running high now
Nowhere to dance, which channel can you turn to?
We take delight, we watch them shrug their shoulders
Let's take delight, it's been a long wait for this moment.
Back to square one (now it's my turn)
Another Empire backfire
Back to square one (now it's your turn)
And the old school backfire...
The lyrics of Killing Joke's song 'Empire Song' point towards the rise and fall of empires. It starts with the idea of going “Back to square one” which indicates the return to the beginning or starting over. The lines “and the old school backfire, it's just begun, let's watch the blind eyes turning” suggest that there has been a failure or setback that has caused the return. However, it's also a moment of hope as the line “It's been a long wait for this moment” implies that there is anticipation for starting over.
The second verse talks about the current state of the world, where there's chaos and an increase in blood pressure due to the high tensions. But, even in such a situation, watching others not responding as expected can give hope and pleasure. The repetition of “Back to square one” and “Another Empire backfire” shows that history is repeating itself, and empires rise and fall in a cyclical pattern. The last lines “Now it's my turn/ Now it’s your turn” suggest that the cycle of rise and fall is not just limited to empires, but can also be a personal experience.
Line by Line Meaning
Back to square one, and the old school backfire
Starting over again, and the traditional plan has failed
It's just begun, let's watch the blind eyes turning
The rebellion has begun, and now we will watch those who are turning a blind eye
Stains on the wall, been waiting far too long now
The signs of decay are all around us, and we have waited for too long
Nice day, blue sky, I watch them shrug their shoulders
Even on a beautiful day, people are indifferent to the problems around them
Tighten the grip (getting tighter)
The control is getting stronger and more oppressive
Now see the ball is rolling
The momentum is growing
We take delight, it's been a long wait for this moment.
We are happy to see change happening after waiting so long
SIgn of the time, blood pressure running high now
This is a sign of the current state of things, and it's causing a lot of stress
Nowhere to dance, which channel can you turn to?
There is nothing to feel happy about, and nowhere to turn for refuge
Let's take delight, we watch them shrug their shoulders
We find joy in seeing others who are indifferent to the changes happening
Back to square one (now it's my turn)
Starting over again, and now it's our turn to make a change
Another Empire backfire
Another failed attempt at establishing control
Back to square one (now it's your turn)
Starting over again, and now it's your turn to make a change
And the old school backfire...
And the traditional methods have failed us once again
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JAZ COLEMAN, MATTHEW FERGUSON, MARTIN GLOVER, KEVIN WALKER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
NebulusLabyrinth79
Back to square one, and the old school backfire
It's just begun, let's watch the blind eyes turning
Stains on the wall, been waiting far too long now
Nice day, blue sky, I watch them shrug their shoulders
Tighten the grip (getting tighter)
Now see the ball is rolling
We take delight, it's been a long wait for this moment.Back to square one, another empire backfire
Back to square one, another empire backfireSIgn of the time, blood pressure running high now
Nowhere to dance, which channel can you turn to?
We take… SIgn of the time, blood pressure running high now
Nowhere to dance, which channel can you turn to?
We take delight, we watch them shrug their shoulders
Let's take delight, it's been a long wait for this moment.Back to square one (now it's my turn)
Another Empire backfire
Back to square one (now it's your turn)
And the old school backfire...
nickthepostpunk
The opening guitar in this song has always made me want to pick up chairs and throw them around. But only in a good way. The guitar riff is awesome in this song!
M D
As we do nowadays everything virtually, you can give it a try. And indeed the guitar riff is awesome. I think the whole song is awesome.
Richard Blithe Jamieson-Whitehead
Still got this single.. Still wonderful.. Saw Killing Joke many times back in the early days..An awesome force of discipline.
roy bird
Love that riff. Still one of my ultimate faves!
NebulusLabyrinth79
Back to square one, and the old school backfire
It's just begun, let's watch the blind eyes turning
Stains on the wall, been waiting far too long now
Nice day, blue sky, I watch them shrug their shoulders
Tighten the grip (getting tighter)
Now see the ball is rolling
We take delight, it's been a long wait for this moment.Back to square one, another empire backfire
Back to square one, another empire backfireSIgn of the time, blood pressure running high now
Nowhere to dance, which channel can you turn to?
We take… SIgn of the time, blood pressure running high now
Nowhere to dance, which channel can you turn to?
We take delight, we watch them shrug their shoulders
Let's take delight, it's been a long wait for this moment.Back to square one (now it's my turn)
Another Empire backfire
Back to square one (now it's your turn)
And the old school backfire...
Celtic Warrior
This is the song that grabbed me by the throat so that I could not, any longer, ignore the tour de force behind it that is Killing Joke!
Paul Oneill
Same here.
Gram Lowe
Totally agree, went straight out and bought the album
43Aquaman
I don't want to throw anything or grab throats..I just like their music..
Jermaine Guillory
Amazing Song, Amazing Band!