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.
Wait
Killing Joke Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Day to day
The fire increases
Masks decay
I look at the river
White foam floats down
The body's poisoned
Got to sit tight
The wait
The wait
The wait
The wait
After awakening
The silence grows
The screams subside
Distortion shows
Mutant thoughts
Of bad mouthed news
It's just another birth
Of distorted views
The wait
The wait
The wait
The wait
The wait
The wait
The wait
The wait
The song "The Wait" by Killing Joke can be interpreted in several ways, but it primarily deals with themes of decay, stagnation, and waiting for something to happen. The opening lines, "Motives changing/Day to day/The fire increases/Masks decay," suggest that things are always shifting and changing, but the underlying turmoil is getting worse. The masks that people wear in public are falling apart, revealing their true faces and intentions. The river with white foam floating down can be seen as a metaphor for decay and the poisoning of our surroundings. The singer is aware of these issues but feels powerless to act, hence the line "Got to sit tight."
The second half of the song starts with "After awakening/The silence grows/The screams subside/Distortion shows," suggesting that the singer has come to a realization that a lot of what they see and hear around them is distorted or false. They are trying to make sense of things, but there is a lot of bad news and distorted views out there. The chorus repeats the same lines, "The wait/The wait/The wait/The wait," suggesting that the singer is waiting for something to happen, but they are not sure what. Perhaps they are waiting for a solution to the issues of decay and distortion or waiting for something to inspire them to take action.
Line by Line Meaning
Motives changing
The reasons behind actions are constantly shifting
Day to day
This change happens on a daily basis
The fire increases
The intensity of emotions becomes stronger
Masks decay
Fake personas eventually crumble away
I look at the river
Looking at the passing of time
White foam floats down
Seeing the fleeting moments pass by
The body's poisoned
The physical and mental state is toxic
Got to sit tight
Must maintain composure in the face of adversity
The wait
Waiting for something to happen
The wait
Continuing the wait
The wait
Patience is key
The wait
Waiting for a resolution
After awakening
Realizing the truth
The silence grows
Introspection and self-discovery
The screams subside
The emotional turmoil fades away
Distortion shows
Recognizing the flaws and imperfections in oneself and the world
Mutant thoughts
Abstract and complex ideas emerge
Of bad mouthed news
Negativity and pessimism become prevalent
It's just another birth
This is just another struggle
Of distorted views
Perceptions are warped and inaccurate
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Jaz Coleman, Matthew Ferguson, Martin Glover, Kevin Walker
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Slinky 1372
Motives changing, day to day
The fire increases, masks decay
I look at the river, white foam floats down
The body's poisoned, gotta sit tight
The wait
The wait
The wait
The wait
After wakening, silence grows
The screams subside, distortion shows
Mutant thoughts, of bad mouthed news
It's just another birth, of distorted views
The wait
The wait
The wait
The wait
The wait
The wait
The wait
The wait
John Connard
Motives changing
Day to day
The fire increases
Mask decay
I look at the river
White foam floats down
The bodys poisoned
Gotta sit tight
The wait x4
After awakening
The silence grows
The screams subside
Distortion shows
Mutant thoughts
Of bad mouthed news
It's just another birth
Of distorted views
The wait x4
The wait x4
Pasi Mäkilä
I was a punk rocker in the eighties and I still love this song
Luis Ugalde
That was pobaly such a cool time to be around.
DEATH the GOAT formally known as Death
Hyvää!
I was a metal head in the eighties and loved Metallicas cover of this song!
unixfreak
Myself being born in '88, if you ever manage to build a time machine, please take me back with you lol.
Kaz Eddison
Killing Joke is truly an amazing band. Over the years, their sound has spanned post-punk, new wave, synth, industrial, and metal, and they are perfect at them all. Truly one of my favourite bands.
Super Fun Jam Tracks
You stated that perfectly!
Grzegorz Adamowski
The epic sound they achieved on this record was, and still is, awsome! Primitive, Requiem, Change, They wait - these were the songs that shaped my musical sensibilities back in the 80's, and also to large extent, and to this day, the way I play guitar riffs. One of the groundbreaking albums of the modern era! Who plays like that now?!?
humble servant
@Jeffery Linder sounds demonic
Jeffery Linder
Geordie is underrated. Have you checked out the stuff they recorded in the kings chamber in the great pyramids?
Psykonaut_DXM
this was waaaay ahead of its time, true innovaters