Forming in 1995 after a chance meeting in New York City club The Knitting Factory, the band's first release was the 1995 Human Pin Cushion EP on Dedicated Records. After some personnel changes the band released an eponymous EP on Motel Records in 1996 that Rolling Stone said "shows how pop culture and high culture can bring everyone to the same place." Original members Steve Calhoon and Rick Lee left the band soon after making this recording, going on to form the band Enon. Soon after their departures, Skeleton Key inked a deal with Capitol Records and put out the critically acclaimed (and Grammy nominated [for artwork]) Fantastic Spikes Through Balloon in 1997. The band then toured the US and Europe with a diverse assortment of acts (Melvins, Girls vs. Boys, Cibo Matto, The Jesus Lizard, They Might Be Giants, Morphine, Brainiac, Primus) before headlining their own US tour. After two gruelling years on the road and a half-finished album recorded, Chris Maxwell departed, leaving the future of Skeleton Key in jeopardy. (From Ipecac Records)
Eventually the band, which had by now been reduced to a lone Erik Sanko, signed with Mike Patton's Ipecac Recordings to release Obtainium in 2002. With a revamped lineup the band hit the road again, playing several successful tours with bands such as Tomahawk, Melvins, Alien Ant Farm and Sleepytime Gorilla Museum. That lineup of Sanko, Craig LeBlang, Ben Clapp and Sean Sankey recorded and released the five song EP The Lyons Quintette on Do Tell Records and a live album (Skeleton Key Live at Metro) which is available exclusively through eMusic.
Sankey amicably left the band at the end of 2006 and new drummer Bob Vacarelli was recruited just days before the band headed out on tour with Chemlab and USSA in late 2007.
Official Website: http://www.skeletonkey.org
Every Hero
Skeleton Key Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Umbrellas open and close
The clapping teeth of a man
Who semaphores as he sings
Briefcase changes hands
Black windows roll up and close
The winking eye of a man
Who won't disclose what he knows
Dialing "0" won't help you find who feeds him his lines
Every hero is owned by his enemies and now you're mine
Two snakes holding hands
The oily congress of thieves
And tip the hat of a man
To paranoia and greed
Dialing "0" won't help you find who feeds him his lines
Every hero is owned by his enemies and now you're mine
The lyrics of Skeleton Key's Every Hero contain a series of metaphors describing a situation where someone is caught in a trap, perhaps as a result of their own ambition and the greed of others. The opening lines refer to two men shaking hands, but these are not men engaged in a friendly handshake, but rather two adversaries negotiating some kind of deal. The umbrellas opening and closing add a sense of secrecy and intrigue to the scene, as if they are trying to shield themselves from being seen. The clapping teeth of a man who semaphores as he sings suggest that the person speaking is not to be trusted and perhaps is putting on a show to manipulate the situation to their advantage. The briefcase changing hands also hints at some kind of exchange or deal being made, but it is unclear what is inside the case or what is being exchanged. The black windows rolling up and closing suggest a sense of finality or closure, and the winking eye of a man who won't disclose what he knows suggests a sense of conspiratorial knowledge or hidden information.
The second verse continues the theme of deception and paranoia, with the snakes holding hands indicating a unity of corrupt forces. The oily congress of thieves suggests that the person speaking is surrounded by others who are equally untrustworthy and grasping. The tip of the hat to paranoia and greed adds a sense of foreboding to the situation, as if the person speaking knows that they are caught up in a web of deceit and that things are about to get much worse.
The chorus provides the key to the song's message, with the repeated line "Dialing '0' won't help you find who feeds him his lines" suggesting that the person speaking is under the control of someone else who is pulling the strings behind the scenes. The line "Every hero is owned by his enemies and now you're mine" suggests that the person speaking was once seen as a hero, but has now been brought under the control of the very people they were once fighting against. The song can be seen as a commentary on the corrupting influence of power, and how even those who set out to change the world can be drawn into the very forces they once opposed.
Line by Line Meaning
Two men shaking hands
There are two people who are engaged in a formal greeting with a handshake.
Umbrellas open and close
The instruments used for sheltering against rain are being used and closed intermittently.
The clapping teeth of a man
A man is gritting his teeth in rhythmical pattern, producing a clapping sound.
Who semaphores as he sings
At the same time as singing, the man is sending secret signals through visual gestures.
Briefcase changes hands
There is a change of ownership of something valuable, which is now concealed in a small container.
Black windows roll up and close
The darkened panes of the motor vehicle are being raised upwards and closed for privacy and security.
The winking eye of a man
A man is communicating a message through a quick closing and reopening of one of his eyes.
Who won't disclose what he knows
The man is choosing to remain silent and not divulge any pieces of information he has in his possession.
Dialing "0" won't help you find who feeds him his lines
Attempting to call the operator for assistance will not aid in the discovery of the person responsible for providing information to the hero.
Every hero is owned by his enemies and now you're mine
Each protagonist is controlled by their adversaries, and now the person being addressed belongs to the artist as their adversary.
Two snakes holding hands
There are two individuals who are working together to further their selfish goals, using the guise of partnership.
The oily congress of thieves
A group of exploiters are discussing illicit activities, employing slippery tactics.
And tip the hat of a man
A man is paying a respectful gesture by briefly touching his brimmed cap.
To paranoia and greed
The man's courteous action is directed towards the negative and destructive forces of excessive suspicion and selfish desire.
Contributed by Peyton W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.