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
The Mowing Devil
Skeleton Key Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Your crops to the height of a violin bow
It's the shrill serenade as he oils up the blades
With the blood of the men below
Sleep tight farmer don't you worry
Harvest day will soon be here
Something's burning, someone's laughing
The Mowing Devil is a haunting and cautionary tale of the power of superstition and fear. The opening line, "Heave ho, the devil will mow," sets the ominous tone of the song. The devil is personified as a malevolent force of nature, capable of decimating crops and leaving destruction in his wake. The imagery of the devil sharpening his blades with the blood of his victims is chilling and symbolic of the cost of giving in to fear and superstition.
The chorus of the song is both poignant and eerie. The lyric, "It's the shrill serenade as he oils up the blades with the blood of the men below," speaks to the idea that superstition can often lead to violence and harm. The phrase "the blood of the men below" suggests a sacrifice, a toll that must be paid in order to appease the devil.
Throughout the song, we hear the perspective of the farmer who is at the mercy of the devil. The farmer is resigned to his fate, knowing that he cannot control the forces of nature. The final lines of the song, "Something's burning, someone's laughing, you've been asleep a hundred years," suggest a sense of dread and finality. The farmer is left to ponder the consequences of his fear and superstition.
Line by Line Meaning
Heave ho, the devil will mow
The devil is coming to mow your crops, ready yourself for his arrival
Your crops to the height of a violin bow
The devil will mow your crops so low that they will be no better than a violin bow
It's the shrill serenade as he oils up the blades
You will hear the ominous, sharp sound of the blades as they're being sharpened with oil
With the blood of the men below
The blades of the mower are being sharpened with the blood of the men who died working in the fields
Sleep tight farmer don't you worry
Try to sleep, farmer, but don't forget about the devil's impending visit
Harvest day will soon be here
Your crops will be ready for harvest soon, but the devil's visit may delay the process
Something's burning, someone's laughing
Something is indeed burning and someone is enjoying the devil's chaos and destruction
You've been asleep a hundred years
You haven't been aware of what's happening and that the devil has been taking advantage of your slumber
Contributed by Christopher T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.