Parquet Courts is a band from New York City. The band is fronted by Andrew… Read Full Bio ↴Parquet Courts is a band from New York City. The band is fronted by Andrew Savage, who is known for his collaborations with projects like Fergus & Geronimo, Teenage Cool Kids and Wiccans. Savage is joined by Austin Brown (Guitar), Sean Yeaton (Bass) and Max Savage (Drums).

The bands’ debut release is described as The Fall meets Neil Young- which all makes sense on the band’s debut release, “American Specialties”. The quartet wanders through the American and British underground, picking away their favorite parts with confidence. The lyrics, when intelligible, are bizarre and dramatic. “She looked at me like a fry pan reducing,” moans Savage, from the same lustful subconscious built by the darker moments of psychedelia. Then at times, such as on the 70’s folkish “Square States”, thoughts are more sentimental and transparent. The setting for “American Specialties” ranges from a crusty Brooklyn bodega, to an endless Texas desert. If these sorts of soundscapes appeal to your mind, then you're sure to stumble upon Parquet Courts sooner or later.

What Color Is Blood?
Parquet Courts Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

What color is blood? Still the same that it was?
Is it still good at what it does? (Bleeding)
Cause I've been needing a new vein line
Going from my guts to my heart to my mind
What's sharp as a knife, followed me all my life
Waits never rests, till it eats me alive?
Snarlin', darlin I don't fear nothing
Gushing, I can hear myself leak

I'm roaming outside of the signal
Where it slips in and out
Charges apply, but your heart beats louder
Beyond the dominion of doubt

Excuse me as I slip on out

How is agency built in a life unfulfilled?
Tanned slow and low in the amines of guilt
Hung, stretched, beaten and dried like skin
Smooth, new and shiny but so paper-thin
What tastes like betrayal, gazes naked and pale?
Sneaks into you like it got outta jail?
The blues creeping down you from your head to your tail
The kind that don't let you sing along
I'm listening to a different station
Frequent on a different band
Slightly harder to find but with tuning and time
You won't touch that dial again

Excuse me as I slip on out

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Parquet Courts' song "What Color Is Blood" seem to meditate on themes related to physical and emotional pain, agency, and identity. The first stanza begins by contemplating the nature of blood, questioning whether it remains the same or whether it's still "good at what it does." The phrase "bleeding" appears to be a metaphor for the experience of emotional vulnerability, and the subsequent lines suggest a need for something new to flow through the singer from their "guts to [their] heart to [their] mind." The phrase "what's sharp as a knife" further emphasizes this sense of discomfort or unease - the pain persists and "waits" until it ultimately "eats [the singer] alive." Despite this sense of looming danger, the singer asserts that they "don't fear nothing," and the imagery of leaking blood appears to convey a sense of openness or honesty.

The second verse continues to explore the themes of pain and betrayal, using the metaphor of skin to describe a life unfulfilled. The phrase "tanned slow and low in the amines of guilt" suggests a kind of prolonged suffering, perhaps borne of some kind of moral transgression. The following lines describe a dichotomy between something "smooth, new, and shiny" and something "paper-thin" - the former evoking the idea of a fresh start or renewal, while the latter points to fragility and vulnerability. The notion that certain emotions "don't let you sing along" underscores the idea that emotional pain can be isolating, and the final lines suggest that the singer is pursuing a different kind of music, one that is "slightly harder to find but with tuning and time."

Overall, the lyrics of "What Color Is Blood" seem to center on a search for meaning and connection in the face of pain and isolation. The imagery of blood, skin, and physical vulnerability serves to reinforce the idea that emotional wounds can be as tangible and debilitating as physical ones. Despite this, the singer remains committed to forging their own path, seeking out a different kind of music or emotional connection that transcends the pain and alienation of their current circumstances.

Line by Line Meaning

What color is blood? Still the same that it was?
Asking if the essence of oneself stays consistent over time or changes

Is it still good at what it does? (Bleeding)
Questioning the effectiveness and usefulness of one's existence

Cause I've been needing a new vein line
Feeling the need for something new to revitalize and reinvigorate oneself

Going from my guts to my heart to my mind
Exploring and traversing through different levels and depths of one's thoughts and emotions

What's sharp as a knife, followed me all my life
Reflecting on the omnipresent burden and pain that has persisted throughout one's life

Waits never rests, till it eats me alive?
Questioning whether the struggle and strain will eventually consume and destroy oneself

Snarlin', darlin I don't fear nothing
Displaying the facade of fearlessness and confidence despite inner turmoil and uncertainty

Gushing, I can hear myself leak
Succumbing and revealing the inner emotions and vulnerabilities that one tries to conceal

I'm roaming outside of the signal
Venturing beyond societal norms and expectations

Where it slips in and out
The struggle to maintain a sense of belonging and identity in the face of instability and change

Charges apply, but your heart beats louder
The cost of pursuing freedom and individuality, but the inner conviction and drive to do so is stronger

Beyond the dominion of doubt
No longer confined by the uncertainty and insecurity that once held one back

How is agency built in a life unfulfilled?
Reflecting on the challenge of asserting control and autonomy in a life lacking in satisfaction and fulfillment

Tanned slow and low in the amines of guilt
The slow and gradual accumulation of guilt and regret that has tanned and worn down one's spirit

Hung, stretched, beaten and dried like skin
Describing the physical and metaphoric toll taken on oneself as a result of struggle and hardship

Smooth, new and shiny but so paper-thin
The facade of newness and perfection, masking the underlying fragility and vulnerability

What tastes like betrayal, gazes naked and pale?
Recognizing the bitter flavor of betrayal and the starkness of its aftermath

Sneaks into you like it got outta jail?
Betrayal is insidious and pervasive, seeping into every aspect of one's being

The blues creeping down you from your head to your tail
The emotional and mental toll of disillusionment and despair settling in

The kind that don't let you sing along
The pervasive nature of sadness and disappointment that makes it difficult to enjoy or participate in life

I'm listening to a different station
Choosing to seek out a different mode of existence and thought than what is commonly accepted

Frequent on a different band
Exploring and embracing a different perspective and way of life

Slightly harder to find but with tuning and time
The journey to self-discovery and finding fulfillment is challenging but ultimately rewarding

You won't touch that dial again
Resolving to continue on the path of self-discovery and independence, without having to revert back to conformity and mundanity

Excuse me as I slip on out
Leaving behind the old self and embracing the new, while acknowledging the pain and difficulty of such a transition

Contributed by Tristan R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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