The Wave
Miike Snow Lyrics


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The first strike of the hammer
Made my heart beat faster
The rat-tat to remind me
That there was something behind me

You can hear them
You can hear them banging on the tin
But my love won't be saved
We'll all be staring at the wave

They told me I wasn't anything
Before the bombs started falling
I was a fee for the master
I was a walking disaster

I know you hear it coming
I know you hear the sound
I know you feel it coming
Don't let it get you down

You can hear them
You can hear them banging on the tin
But my love won't be saved
We'll all be staring at the wave





But my love won't be saved
We'll all be staring at the wave

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Miike Snow's song "The Wave" paint a picture of a world on the brink of destruction. The opening lines describe the sound of a hammer striking, which causes the singer's heart to beat faster. This symbolizes a sense of impending danger and sets the tone for the rest of the song. The singer then hears the sound of banging on tin, which also seems to signify impending doom. The repetition of this line throughout the song emphasizes the sense of urgency and imminent threat.


The second verse reveals that before the bombs started falling, the singer was told that they weren't anything – just a fee for the master, a walking disaster. This could represent a commentary on society's tendency to dehumanize and devalue individuals who don't fit into the norm or who are deemed undesirable.


Despite the ominous tone of the song, there is a sense of hope in the lyrics as well. The chorus acknowledges the inevitability of the wave – whatever disaster is coming – but urges the listener not to let it get them down. This could represent a call to action to rise up and fight against the forces of oppression and destruction.


Overall, "The Wave" explores themes of fear, impending danger, societal devaluation, and resilience in the face of disaster.


Line by Line Meaning

The first strike of the hammer
The initial impact was made which caused a reaction within me


Made my heart beat faster
It elicited a physiological response within me


The rat-tat to remind me
The repeated banging was to awaken my senses


That there was something behind me
To create the feeling of being chased or in danger


You can hear them
The sounds were audible


You can hear them banging on the tin
The repeated impacts were striking a metallic surface


But my love won't be saved
Despite the danger, my love is not expected to be spared


We'll all be staring at the wave
We will be facing and dealing with the inevitable


They told me I wasn't anything
Prior to the chaos, I was deemed insignificant


Before the bombs started falling
Before everything went wrong


I was a fee for the master
I was being controlled and manipulated


I was a walking disaster
My presence caused others to suffer


I know you hear it coming
You are aware of the approaching danger


I know you hear the sound
The sound is recognizable and alarming


I know you feel it coming
You can sense the impending doom


Don't let it get you down
Do not succumb to the fear or despair


But my love won't be saved
Despite the danger, my love is not expected to be spared


We'll all be staring at the wave
We will be facing and dealing with the inevitable




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: ANDREW WYATT, CHRISTIAN KARLSSON, PONTUS WINNBERG

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@spicychickennoodles6076

"The Wave"

The first strike of the hammer
Made my heart beat faster
The rat-tat to remind me
That there was something behind me
You can hear them
You can hear them banging on the tin
But my love won't be saved
We'll all be staring at the wave
They told me I wasn't anything
Before the bombs started falling
I was a fee for the master
I was a walking disaster
I know you hear it coming
I know you hear the sound
I know you feel it coming
Don't let it get you down
You can hear them
You can hear them banging on the tin
But my love won't be saved
We'll all be staring at the wave
But my love won't be saved
We'll all be staring at the wave



All comments from YouTube:

@PhaQ2

What really blows me away is how many people are commenting on his nose when there is a wheelbarrow full of dead children.

@LinkFloydLive

***** We see that on the news every night; we're used to it, but if the news anchor his a zit or a deformity we won't shut up about it.

@PhaQ2

Dan O'Dwyer I watch the news and have never seen a wheelbarrow full of dead children... But have seen acne on the news anchor and it never occurred to me that z-it was something to make an issue of.

@adinwarner-rosen9778

***** wheel-barrow?

@PhaQ2

Adin Warner-Rosen Really my spelling is the issue now?!

@adinwarner-rosen9778

That's beyond spelling man. Not even the right word :)

27 More Replies...

@phantascy

2 years later and yet i still dont know what the fuck is going on

@Amorstopineed

and me, even not today haha

@patrickstowe7988

This is Paddling Out part 2

@natejohnson3016

It’s 2022 and it still gives me that unexplainable feeling. This song found me at an interesting time in my life, and now every time I hear it I’m brought back to those moments of fear, freedom, confusion, anger, revelations, and successes. Such an important piece of art for me🥲

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