Consisting of Esben Nørskov Andersen & Pernille Smith-Sivertsen, electronic… Read Full Bio ↴Consisting of Esben Nørskov Andersen & Pernille Smith-Sivertsen, electronic duo, Rangleklods debuted in 2011 with their EP Home from which the single “Young and Dumb” was taken, described by NME as '...something truly brilliant, hypnotic, warped and alien sounding all at once.".

The debut album Beekeeper was released in 2012 to great praise in the media and Rangleklods’ growing fanbase.

The duo have been one of the most proficiently touring Danish bands internationally for several years, with performances on notable European festivals such as Roskilde Festival, Sziget Festival, Ja Ja Ja Festival, MS Dockville, Europavox and many more.

On Top
Rangleklods Lyrics

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I'm on top but she is in charge
I'm on top but she is in charge
Silence is her martial art
I'm on top but she is in charge

Question marks wherever we go
Question marks wherever we go
Going home because she said so

Question marks wherever we go

I'm almost out of air
In the bubble we've blown
But I'm an old man with habits

Too weak to sleep alone
There's a million different buttons
She can push to pull me apart
Just to piece me back together
She knows how to play her cards

The paper on the walls is coming off
But it's the paper on the walls that makes us us
(x6)

It's the paper on the walls that makes us us...

Overall Meaning

The song "On Top" by Rangleklods is an introspective reflection on the power dynamics within a relationship. The lyrics express the idea that even though the persona is supposedly "on top" or in control of the relationship, it is actually the female partner who is the one calling the shots. The phrase "I'm on top but she is in charge" is repeated throughout the song, emphasizing the paradoxical nature of the persona's position. The idea of silence as a "martial art" is used to convey the idea that the female partner has a subtle yet effective way of asserting her power in the relationship.

The second verse shifts the focus to the uncertainty that pervades the relationship, represented by the "question marks wherever we go". Despite this uncertainty, the persona is willing to concede control to the female partner, as evidenced by the line "Going home because she said so". The chorus is repeated, with the added line "I'm almost out of air in the bubble we've blown", which could represent the feeling of suffocation or entrapment in the relationship, despite the persona's supposed power.

The final verse reveals the fragility of the persona's power, as he admits to being an "old man with habits" who is "too weak to sleep alone". The female partner, on the other hand, has the power to "pull me apart" and "piece me back together". The metaphor of the "paper on the walls" is used to symbolize the relationship itself, with its imperfections and rough edges that make it unique and irreplaceable.

Overall, "On Top" is a melancholic portrayal of a relationship where power dynamics are not what they seem, and where the persona is willing to cede control to his female partner in order to maintain the fragile balance of the relationship.

Line by Line Meaning

I'm on top but she is in charge
Although I seem to have control, she actually holds the power

Silence is her martial art
She has a way of using lack of communication to assert herself

Question marks wherever we go
There's always uncertainty in our relationship

Going home because she said so
We make decisions based on her desires above all else

I'm almost out of air In the bubble we've blown But I'm an old man with habits Too weak to sleep alone
I'm suffocating in our relationship, but I'm used to it and scared to be alone

There's a million different buttons She can push to pull me apart Just to piece me back together She knows how to play her cards
She knows exactly how to manipulate me and keep control over our relationship

The paper on the walls is coming off But it's the paper on the walls that makes us us (x6)
Even though our relationship is falling apart, the things that define us are what make us unique

Contributed by Julian L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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