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 Spreading Stain
Skeleton Key Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's hard to breathe. With lungs that second guess.
My last good nerve. And everybody's standing on it.
They're taking turns. To see how far I'll go reach.
Bleed! No-one will stop it.
Scream! Nobody's listening anyway.
Dream! Of brighter topics.
Spreading stain.
The eyes won't shut. Afraid they've made a better bucket.
For holding thoughts. In a head that's full of holes.
Resign and choose. To be in the obscene procession.
Get introduced. To the things you can't control.
Bleed! No-one will stop it.
Scream! Nobody's listening anyway.
Dream! Of brighter topics.
You can't! Contain it.
Spreading stain.
The first stanza of The Spreading Stain by Skeleton Key depicts the singer's struggle with an unsupported physical and emotional state. The lyric, "I lost my teeth. Now everything is hard to swallow," may be interpreted as the vocalist losing their defense mechanism, or a vital component that would help them deal with difficult circumstances. The physical difficulty of swallowing also implies that the singer feels overwhelmed by the situations they find themselves in. The line "It's hard to breathe. With lungs that second guess" suggests a lack of confidence or assurance in the singer's abilities or decisions. They may have made mistakes that have affected their life and feel trapped by it. The lyrics, "My last good nerve. And everybody's standing on it" reveals that the singer is at their breaking point and people around them are pushing them to the limit. The final lyrics of this stanza, "They're taking turns. To see how far I'll go reach" illustrates that there are people around them who push them to their limits, testing how far they will go, which may lead to their downfall.
The chorus of the song is a repetitive series of words that are likely to be interpreted as an outburst of emotions. The lyrics, "Bleed! No-one will stop it. Scream! Nobody's listening anyway. Dream! Of brighter topics. You can't! Contain it. Spreading stain," could have multiple interpretations. The use of the word 'bleed' suggests that the singer is hurt in some sense, perhaps physically or emotionally. It is as if they want to release the hurt that has consumed and trapped them. The lyrics, "Scream! Nobody's listening anyway," show frustration — no one seems to be paying attention or giving them the support they need. 'Dream' may mean that they want to escape their current situation or have something to hold onto that is brighter and better than what they have. The 'spreading stain' could represent a metaphor for the negative impact of the hurt, going beyond the singer and into others' lives. It seems like they can't hold it in and those around them can't ignore the chaos any longer.
Line by Line Meaning
I lost my teeth. Now everything is hard to swallow.
I have lost my power, and now every situation is difficult for me to handle.
It's hard to breathe. With lungs that second guess.
I always find it difficult to breathe, and I am always under stressful conditions.
My last good nerve. And everybody's standing on it.
I am already at my limit, and everyone around me is taking advantage of it.
They're taking turns. To see how far I'll go reach.
Everyone wants to see how far I can be pushed until I cross the threshold.
Bleed! No-one will stop it.
I am bleeding, and no one can stop the wound from oozing out.
Scream! Nobody's listening anyway.
Even if I scream out for help, no one will come to my rescue.
Dream! Of brighter topics.
I wish to escape from this grim situation and dream of a brighter future.
You can't! Contain it.
I can't control my emotions or the events surrounding me.
Spreading stain.
This negative situation is continually spreading and affecting other aspects of my life.
The eyes won't shut. Afraid they've made a better bucket.
I am afraid that my thoughts and emotions might overflow, and I will have no control over them.
For holding thoughts. In a head that's full of holes.
My mind is full of confusion and gaps, making it challenging to put my thoughts together coherently.
Resign and choose. To be in the obscene procession.
I have given up and chosen to be a part of this disgraceful situation.
Get introduced. To the things you can't control.
I am being exposed to circumstances beyond my control that will impact my life.
Contributed by Zoe P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.