Cargill
King Creosote Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Bored, yet busy with my hands
Cargill, you'll have me round the bend
Cargill, you're pulling all the strands
Of my heartstrings entangled in your net

My love's turned, thrown away the quayside
Yours, a sister on each arm
Strong of shoulder, weak at the knees
Cargill, I'm the finest catch that you'll land

Cargill, do not presume to understand
The dread of counting home the fleet
The sudden thrill of seeing you're safely back
Your catch is fallen at your feet

Cargill, do not presume to understand
The dread of sounding the alarm
The sudden thrill of seeing you're safely back
Cargill, I'm the finest luck that you'll chart

Cargill, do not presume to understand
The dread of counting home the fleet
The sudden thrill of seeing you're safely back
Cargill, I'm the finest catch that you'll land





Cargill, I'm the finest luck that you'll chart
Cargill, I'm the finest catch that you'll land

Overall Meaning

The song "Cargill" by King Creosote is a melancholic ballad that illustrates the singer's love for the fishing industry and how it has brought him so much pleasure and pain. The opening lines, "Bored, yet busy with my hands, Cargill, you'll have me round the bend," suggest the singer's restless nature, as he understands that working in the fishing industry is both tedious and time-consuming.


As the song progresses, the singer puts his love life in the context of the fishing industry, stating that his lover has "thrown away the quayside," emphasizing his lover's disinterest in his fascination with fishing. Nonetheless, he remains fixated on Cargill, the fishing company that he works for, stating that "Cargill, I'm the finest catch that you'll land." He then goes on to explain the dread of counting home the fleet, sounding the alarm, and seeing the safety of the fleet, all of which highlight the anxiety that comes with the job.


Overall, the song is a poignant reflection on the singer's love for the fishing industry, which he thinks understands him in a way that his lovers could never do.


Line by Line Meaning

Bored, yet busy with my hands
Even though I am busy, I am still quite bored.


Cargill, you'll have me round the bend
You are making me crazy, Cargill.


Cargill, you're pulling all the strands
You are causing me a lot of emotional distress, Cargill.


Of my heartstrings entangled in your net
My emotions are all tangled up in regards to you, Cargill.


My love's turned, thrown away the quayside
I have given up on love and relationships, and instead focus on the docks (the quayside).


Yours, a sister on each arm
You are with two women, Cargill.


Strong of shoulder, weak at the knees
You may appear strong, but you are actually quite weak.


Cargill, I'm the finest catch that you'll land
Out of all the people you may be with, I am the best.


Cargill, do not presume to understand
You cannot possibly understand what I am going through, Cargill.


The dread of counting home the fleet
The fear and anxiety that comes with counting and realizing how many boats have not come back to shore.


Your catch is fallen at your feet
The emotions of relief and gratitude when the boats return with their catch.


Cargill, I'm the finest luck that you'll chart
I am the best thing that has happened to you, Cargill.


Cargill, I'm the finest catch that you'll land
Out of all the people you may be with, I am the best.




Writer(s): Kenny Anderson

Contributed by Charlotte D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found

Johny Cash


on Pauper's Dough

Whilst I would agree the song is about poverty and injustice it seems strange to me that you make no reference to the metaphorical vehicle of the song-namely Scotland’s mining industry with its pernicious conditions and poor pay. (Clarty surrounds, clawed out tonnage, on our knees). Nonetheless it provided employment, but t was cruelly abandoned by the politics of the day as elsewhere, with no replacement employment.

Johny Cash


on Pauper's Dough

The lyrics of "Pauper's Dough" by King Creosote are a commentary on societal injustice and the struggle for equality. The first line speaks of injustice being on its knees underground, highlighting the prevalence of unfairness in society. The next line, "The clawed-out tonnage is to our detriment," highlights the negative consequences of this injustice. The use of the word "clawed-out" suggests that those who are suffering are being dragged down by the weight of inequality, like a weight clawing at their ankles. The following lines describe the financial struggle of those living in poverty. Despite their limited means, they are "striving to be counted," trying to make a difference and fight for their rights. The chorus repeats the phrase "rise above the gutter you are inside" four times, emphasizing the importance of overcoming one's struggles and fighting for a better life.b

Magnus Helgason


on Klutz

I have to admit that Scottish is not the easiest English accent, and I'm sure I'm still far off the mark, and several things in the lyrics don't make any sense to me, but to me it sounds more like.

Well i swore I would not get content/caught out again, well I swore I would off (?) when i walk
I meant to tell you that my ex girl friend
But you were not the cause of my descontent
Meant to tell you that colors tasted great
that my feelings look like gold
I dream of demons inside out.
had them dance the culvert strap (?), in my yellow clogs, what a twat
How foolishly I looked at you my friend, what a klutz I was
How foolishly I looked at you back then, what a klutz I was

More Versions