The band was formed in January 1985 by Daniel House and Jack Endino. Ben McMillan and Matt Cameron later joined the band in the same year. Skin Yard played its first show in June 1985 and opened for the U-Men. Skin Yard was featured on the Deep Six compilation. This album featured the first commercial recordings of Green River, Melvins, Soundgarden, Malfunkshun, and Skin Yard. In 1987, Skin Yard released their first single and debut self title LP. Matt Cameron left the band in June 1986 and joined Soundgarden in September. He was replaced by Steve Wied, but he only lasted two shows. Future Mother Love Bone drummer Greg Gilmor replaced Wied but he too only lasted two shows.
In the fall Jason Finn (later of The Presidents of the United States of America) joined Skin Yard. Jason left after eight months for personal reasons. Scott McCullum filled the vacancy in May 1987. He lasted two years and left after a U.S. tour that was quoted as being "the tour from hell". Skin Yard took a fourteen month hiatus and when Barrett Martin joined the band they started playing again.
In March 1991, Daniel House quit the band because he had just become a father and wanted to spend time with his family. He was replaced by Pat Pederson who stayed with the band until their breakup. The band had decided to break up after recording their 5th album.
Ben McMillan and Scott McCullum had started the band Gruntruck prior to the break up. Pat Pederson and Barret Martin worked with Jack Endino in Endino's Earthworm. Daniel House is now head of C/Z Records. Barrett Martin played with Screaming Trees until their breakup. Martin also worked with Alice in Chains singer Layne Staley and Pearl Jam guitarist Mike McCready in Mad Season, Peter Buck of R.E.M. and even toured with R.E.M.
1000 Smiling Knuckles
Skin Yard Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's time for revolution
One hundred hands
One thousand smiling knuckles
Came out of the land
And settled into song
I don't really believe
With one thousand smiling knuckles
Smiling for the fight
Yeah, ooh
I tell you, we're mountain size
Mountain size
Sugar the pill
Still bittered by lies
And the baby believes
Let's wind right down the night
Oh, she really believes
It's better to love than fight
But on this night
She's fisting for the fight
Will your fist
And my fist still beat the ocean?
Yeah, we're mountain size
One thousand smiling knuckles
One thousand hearts
One thousand hands
One thousand smiling knuckles
Across the land
Well, I really believe
It's better to love than fight
But on this night
I'm fisting for the fight
With your fist
And my fist
There'll be some motion
Yeah, we're mountain size
One thousand smiling knuckles
The song "1000 Smiling Knuckles" by Skin Yard is a powerful anthem about revolution, strength in numbers, and standing up for oneself. The song's opening lines "Oh, yes, it's time for revolution" sets the tone for a call to action. The lyrics "one hundred hands, one thousand smiling knuckles, came out of the land and settled into song" paint a picture of a group of people coming together to fight for change. The power of these individuals is emphasized through their smiling knuckles, symbolizing that the fight is something they are happy to take on.
The song continues with the lyrics "I don't really believe the power can really hide, with one thousand smiling knuckles smiling for the fight." This suggests that the power of the people lies within their unity and willingness to fight for what they believe in. The lyrics "sugar the pill, still bittered by lies" references the idea of making a bad situation seem more palatable, despite the truth that it is still difficult to swallow. The chorus "with your fist and my fist, there'll be some motion, yeah we're mountain size, one thousand smiling knuckles" further highlights the power of the collective and suggests that even in the face of overwhelming odds, change is possible.
In the final verse of the song, the lyrics "one thousand hearts, one thousand hands, one thousand smiling knuckles, across the land" suggest that the movement towards change is larger than just that one group of people. The idea that this movement could span across an entire country or even the world adds to the magnitude of its power. The final line "but on this night, I'm fisting for the fight" is a call to arms for the listener to stand up and fight for what they believe in.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, yes
The beginning of something big is being acknowledged.
It's time for revolution
The call for radical change is being made.
One hundred hands
The presence of a large group of people.
One thousand smiling knuckles
The manifestation of the people's power to fight.
Came out of the land
The people arose from their roots.
And settled into song
The people united their voices for a common cause.
I don't really believe
The singer has doubts about something.
The power can really hide
The power of the ruling class cannot be hidden forever.
With one thousand smiling knuckles
The people's power to fight will be visible.
Smiling for the fight
The people are happy to fight for their cause.
Yeah, ooh
A sense of excitement and anticipation about something.
I tell you, we're mountain size
The strength and unity of the people is immense and powerful.
Sugar the pill
To make something more palatable or acceptable.
Still bittered by lies
The people are still angry and hurt by the lies of the ruling class.
And the baby believes
The naïve and innocent people still believe in the ruling class.
Let's wind right down the night
Let's enjoy the moment and party all night long.
Oh, she really believes
The artist is referring to a woman who has hope for a better future.
It's better to love than fight
Peaceful resolution is preferred to violent confrontation.
But on this night
In this particular moment, the peaceful approach is abandoned.
She's fisting for the fight
The woman is ready to use force to fight for her cause.
Will your fist
The artist is asking if the listener is also ready to fight.
And my fist still beat the ocean?
The artist is questioning if their collective power is strong enough to overcome any obstacle.
One thousand hearts
The people's passion and emotions are strong and united.
One thousand hands
The people's physical strength is united and powerful.
One thousand smiling knuckles
The people's readiness to fight is clear and strong.
Across the land
The singer is referencing the widespread support for the cause.
Well, I really believe
The singer has hope and faith in something.
It's better to love than fight
Peaceful resolution is preferred to violent confrontation.
But on this night
In this particular moment, the peaceful approach is abandoned.
I'm fisting for the fight
The singer is ready to use force to fight for their cause.
With your fist
The singer is addressing the listeners and their readiness to fight.
And my fist
The artist is confirming their own readiness to fight.
There'll be some motion
The power of the people will cause change and progress.
Yeah, we're mountain size
The strength and unity of the people is immense and powerful.
One thousand smiling knuckles
The people's readiness to fight is clear and strong.
Contributed by Makayla T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Bruce Affolter
So many great bands from Seattle during grunge era that never got big
Vinyl Diary666
Insane!
Mikki Miljuš
...FUCKIN' GREAT BAND...WITH SUCH A MAN ON MIC.(Ben McMillan R.I.P.)
Ray Burn
before I ever even heard of soundgarden or Nirvana there was skin yard and gruntruck ,tad and a half dozen others that were the main influence on the the bigger bands of today
Joe Sues
@Zane Goodeker You are correct. Nirvana actually opened for Skid Yard for some shows in the late 80s before Nirvana hit the big time. Too bad, Skin Yard really has some great stuff.
Zane Goodeker
@Matt Among the ashes how do you know that? Pretty sure Skin Yard was putting stuff out before Nirvana did.
Matt Foley
Soundgarden and Skin Yard were contemporaries, both appeared on Deep Six in '84/'85 (they even cherry-picked Skin Yard's drummer Matt just in time for their first e.p., after Chris switched from drumming vocals to just vocals, before taking up guitar too, and their second drummer Scott Sundquist quit), and Soundgarden predated both TAD and Gruntruck. Niemeyer was still in the Accused full-time.
Yes, Nirvana came last of the band's you mentioned.
Skin Yard was a good band, and sent two great drummers to other incredible bands.
Your comment is absurd though. Soundgarden clearly had the biggest influence in the northwest of those bands, and by far the widest international influence of the actually "grunge-y" bands, except maybe Nirvana.
(With Mudhoney, Melvins - influencing so so much punk rock, weirdo rock, and metal since - sludge anyone?, & the Trees right behind). Let's not forget the U-men! The Gits! (7 Year Bitch) And of course Babes in Toyland for non-Seattle grunge-punk power!
Sandro Agus
UNDERATED GRUNGE BAND FROM SEATTLE!!!
Hendrix Hernandez
TAKS ME BACK. ITS TIME FOR REVOLUTION
Luis Verteliz
Words on bone sounds like Uncovered by soundgarden