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
Solitaire
Skeleton Key Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In her magic show I played the clown
I was king of the card trades and she wore the jewels
Wearing thrift store clown suit I played the fool
But the best was last when she sawed me in half
And the audience laughed, and the audience
Red fives
Red queens
Black kings
And the seam on this dream is beginning to tear
No more card tricks, I wanna play solitaire
Turn up the lights, hang the curtain down
The magic show is over, you killed the clown
It was a perfect murder now I wanna wake up
But the teeth of the blade are beginning to cut
And Matilda the queen saws me clearly in half
While the audience laughs, while the audience
Black fours
Red fives
Red queens
Black kings
And the seam on this dream is beginning to tear
No more card tricks, I wanna play solitaire
And the seam on this dream is beginning to tear
No more card tricks, I wanna play solitaire
The lyrics to "Solitaire" by Skeleton Key tell the story of a magician's assistant who deceives everyone around her, including the singer who played the clown in her magic show. The singer was the king of card trades and wore a thrift store clown suit while performing. However, the climax of the show was when she sawed him in half, and the audience laughed. The repetition of the card suits (black fours, red fives, red queens, and black kings) throughout the song emphasizes the theme of magic and illusion.
Towards the end of the song, the singer realizes that the seam on this dream is beginning to tear, and he no longer wants to perform card tricks. He wants to play solitaire instead, as the magic show is over, and the clown is dead. The magician's assistant Matilda, who is also referred to as the queen, saws him in half again while the audience continues to laugh. The imagery in the lyrics is vivid, and the tone is dark, hinting at a desire to escape the illusions of the magic show and the deception of the magician's assistant.
Line by Line Meaning
She deceived everyone around
The woman was able to trick and lie to everyone around her.
In her magic show I played the clown
The singer was a performer in the woman's magic show and had a clown role.
I was king of the card trades and she wore the jewels
The singer was a skilled card player and the woman flaunted her wealth.
Wearing thrift store clown suit I played the fool
The artist wore a cheap clown costume and acted foolishly.
But the best was last when she sawed me in half
The highlight of the show was when the woman pretended to cut the artist in half.
And the audience laughed, and the audience
The crowd found the woman's magic funny and entertaining.
Black fours
A reference to the four of clubs playing card.
Red fives
A reference to the five of hearts playing card.
Red queens
A reference to the queen of hearts playing card.
Black kings
A reference to the king of spades playing card.
And the seam on this dream is beginning to tear
The illusion created by the woman's magic is starting to break apart.
No more card tricks, I wanna play solitaire
The artist is tired of being deceived and wants to be alone.
Turn up the lights, hang the curtain down
The performance is over and it's time to leave the stage.
The magic show is over, you killed the clown
The woman's deceitful ways have caused harm to the singer.
It was a perfect murder now I wanna wake up
The singer's situation feels like a well-planned murder and they want to escape.
But the teeth of the blade are beginning to cut
The consequences of the woman's actions are becoming painful for the artist.
And Matilda the queen saws me clearly in half
The woman is now referred to as Matilda and continues to deceive the artist.
While the audience laughs, while the audience
The crowd is still entertained by the woman's false magic.
And the seam on this dream is beginning to tear
The illusion is falling apart even further.
No more card tricks, I wanna play solitaire
The artist desires to be alone more than ever.
And the seam on this dream is beginning to tear
The illusion is completely falling apart now.
No more card tricks, I wanna play solitaire
The artist simply wants to be by themselves and not be deceived anymore.
Contributed by Penelope D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@louisef.9137
Saw Erik Sanko with Lounge Lizards, so checked him out here. Damn, this music really kicks ass!
@micmac1121
This is a groove that sucked me in to follow the bands groove, Sexy banditos
@MrFlouch
Solitaire is such a good song. This ep was my intro to Skeleton Key after hearing them on a Melvins album.
@randysandals
same buddy. crybaby was so good. and the artwork for this CD was so good.
@randysandals
you might drown was actually my jam
@alt9162
Same again! Got the EP in the cool card sleeve after hearing the Melvins split song! wish more of their work was as dark and messed up as the EP. Very much like the band Barkmarket.
@OthO67
Rick Beato sent me.
@FilmSuperCreations
You mean the junk extraordinaire himself?