Having already served successful tours in the Northwest punk bands Thrillhammer, Hazel (two albums on Sub Pop records) and the rambunctious bluegrass band Golden Delicious, Pete Krebs has emerged as one of the most consistently engaging contemporary singer-songwriters. Much like his friend and collaborator Elliott Smith, Krebs uses his more rock-oriented roots to drive his intensely introspective songs. Both Krebs and Smith have passed through early periods of extremely stripped down solo recordings to tackling grander ambitions with more sonically dense collaborative works.
Debuting as a solo musician in 1995 on Cavity Search Records, Krebs' starkly acoustic Brigadier immediately established him as one of the more impressive voices in the crowded singer-songwriter idiom.
Kiss
Pete Krebs Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Holding hands
Or breaking strings
The ties that bind you are the
Ties
That will blind you in the end
Are you afraid of letting go
Of everything you built so
To protect you from the holes
In the stories that you told
Are you leaving me tonight
Because of the timing or the
Fight
A convenient out to save your
Pride
Steal away and not do the time
And if you're going out again
Say hello to your new friend
I hope he doesn't break your
Heart
I hope he doesn't tear you apart
In Pete Krebs's song "Kiss," the lyrics speak to fear and apprehension in relationships. The first stanza poses the question about fear of intimacy, whether it be holding someone's hand or the fear of breaking a bond that could ultimately hold one back. The ties that bind us are the ones that can also hinder us in the end. The chorus continues this theme, asking whether the fear of letting go of what we've built up over time causes us to hold back or to bury holes and inconsistencies in the stories we tell ourselves.
The second verse speaks directly to the fear of loss in a relationship. The lyrics suggest that fear of vulnerability and fear of shame can lead people to leave relationships, using "convenient out" as an excuse to avoid facing the ramifications of the argument. The final lines of the song express both the singer's concern for his partner and his frustration with the situation. This is reflected in the line, "I hope he doesn't break your heart / I hope he doesn't tear you apart."
Overall, the song speaks to the complexities of love and fear. The fear of vulnerability and loss can sometimes hinder us from opening ourselves up to love and connection. However, the lyrics suggest that sometimes, it's worth the risk.
Line by Line Meaning
Are you afraid of things like Holding hands
Do simple acts of physical affection scare you?
Or breaking strings
Or the idea of something falling apart?
The ties that bind you are the Ties That will blind you in the end
Those connections can eventually become suffocating or limiting.
Are you afraid of letting go Of everything you built so Slowly
Are you hesitant to move on from something you've invested a lot of time in?
To protect you from the holes In the stories that you told
As a way to cover up or avoid facing past mistakes or shortcomings.
Are you leaving me tonight Because of the timing or the Fight
Is your departure due to external circumstances, or because of issues within our relationship?
A convenient out to save your Pride
An easy excuse to avoid potential humiliation or admitting fault.
Steal away and not do the time
Leaving without facing the consequences or taking responsibility.
And if you're going out again Say hello to your new friend
If you're moving on, I wish you well.
I hope he doesn't break your Heart
I hope your new relationship doesn't end in pain.
I hope he doesn't tear you apart
I hope this person doesn't hurt you emotionally or psychologically.
Contributed by Lillian I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.