The band's original lineup was Mitch Wilson (vocals/guitar), Brian Desjean (bass), Aaron Mancini (guitar/vocals), and Ike Zaremba (drums). Prior to their first full-length, the band replaced Mancini with Ryan Ferguson (guitar/vocals). After their first and second full-lengths, Drunk on the Moon (1995) and Hit Man Dreams (1997), Chris Prescott was enlisted to play drums. The group went on to release two more full-lengths: Fire in the City of Automatons (1999) and Riot for Romance (2002). They played their last show in June 2009 in Solana Beach, which was due to a brief resurge in popularity due to the band touring with Jimmy Eat World for a 10th anniversary tour.
Current Projects: Mitch Wilson is currently playing guitar for The Focus Group as well as his side project Moonlife. Brian Desjean is playing bass for Get Your Death On!, a new San Diego prog-core band which formed in late 2005. Ryan Ferguson has been touring for his solo project (www.last.fm/music/Ryan+Ferguson) with a new full-length released August 2007. Chris Prescott has recently joined Pinback on drums for their tour and new album. He also is played guitar/vocals for The Jade Shader which formed in 2004 with the late Terrin Durfey of Boilermaker.
Habits
No Knife Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The perfect picture & it`s ruined with a word
Now it could be just as easy falling off a log
If I had the chance I`d take it
Never meant it to be
It never mattered to me
It`s a habit of mine.
You always sound so bitter when you call me on the phone
So I just erase the message
I would if I could, but I can`t - so sorry if I hurt you
But don`t read too much into why I fucked you.
Never meant it to be
It never mattered to me
It`s a habit of mine.
Can`t get the picture that what is mine I should take
Never say never, but some habits are hard to break
The opening lines of No Knife's "Habits" delve into the nature of memory and the fragility of nostalgia. The singer acknowledges that thinking of someone can create a perfect image of that person in their mind, but just as easily, that image can be destroyed with a single word. The song's lyrics suggest that our perceptions of people and events are often idyllic and susceptible to disillusionment. The chorus, "it's a habit of mine" suggests that this is something the singer does frequently - they build up perfection in their mind only to have it shattered.
The second verse deals more directly with a potentially hurtful situation involving the singer and another person. The person on the other end of the phone sounds bitter, indicating that a previous interaction between the two may have gone poorly. The singer feels guilty about the situation but ultimately decides to ignore the person's call, unable to deal with the emotional weight of their messages. The line "so sorry if I hurt you / But don't read too much into why I fucked you" implies that the singer may have had some sort of sexual relationship with this person, but that it did not hold significant meaning for them.
Overall, "Habits" is a song that grapples with the complexities of relationships and how they shape our memories. It examines how our idealized perceptions of people or events clash with reality and leave us with conflicting emotions. The song's lyrics suggest that the singer recognizes their own flawed thinking but is powerless to escape it - it's simply a habit.
Line by Line Meaning
You know, it stands to reason when I conjure up your name
Whenever I think of you, it seems reasonable to assume that you're the perfect person for me.
The perfect picture & it`s ruined with a word
But that idea is easily destroyed by even one bad thing you do or say.
Now it could be just as easy falling off a log
Despite that, it wouldn't be hard for me to forget about you and move on.
If I had the chance I`d take it
Still, if given the opportunity, I would choose to be with you and pursue our relationship.
Never meant it to be
But the truth is, I never intended for anything serious to happen between us.
It never mattered to me
It wasn't ever a big deal to me.
It`s a habit of mine.
Getting involved with you was just something I tend to do without thinking too much about it.
You always sound so bitter when you call me on the phone
Whenever we talk, your tone is hostile and resentful.
So I just erase the message
That's why I usually delete your texts and voicemails without responding.
I would if I could, but I can`t - so sorry if I hurt you
I wish I could tell you this in person, but I can't. I'm sorry if I've caused you any pain or discomfort.
But don`t read too much into why I fucked you.
Please don't think that what we did together meant anything more than just a casual hookup.
Can`t get the picture that what is mine I should take
I know I should be more assertive and claim what I want as my own, but it's hard for me to do that.
Never say never, but some habits are hard to break
I know I shouldn't rule out the possibility of changing my ways, but it's difficult to break old habits.
Contributed by Owen I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.