Slipknot is an American alternative metal band formed in Des Moines, Iowa, … Read Full Bio ↴Slipknot is an American alternative metal band formed in Des Moines, Iowa, in 1995 by percussionist Shawn Crahan, drummer Joey Jordison and bassist Paul Gray. After several lineup changes in its early years, the band settled on nine members for more than a decade: Crahan, Jordison, Gray, Craig Jones, Mick Thomson, Corey Taylor, Sid Wilson, Chris Fehn, and Jim Root. Gray died on May 24, 2010, and was replaced during 2011–2014 by guitarist Donnie Steele. Jordison was dismissed from the band on December 12, 2013. Steele left during the recording sessions for .5: The Gray Chapter. The band found replacements in Alessandro Venturella on bass and Jay Weinberg on drums. After the departure of Jordison, as of December 2013 the only founding member in the current lineup is percussionist Crahan. Fehn was also dismissed from the band in March 2019 prior to the writing of We Are Not Your Kind and was replaced by Michael Pfaff.

Slipknot is well known for its attention-grabbing image, aggressive style of music, and energetic and chaotic live shows. The band rapidly rose to fame following the release of their eponymous debut album in 1999. The 2001 follow-up album, Iowa, although darker in tone, made the band more popular. After a brief hiatus, Slipknot returned in 2004 with Vol. 3: The Subliminal Verses, before going on another hiatus and returning in 2008 with its fourth album, All Hope Is Gone, which debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 chart. After another long hiatus, Slipknot released its fifth studio album, .5: The Gray Chapter, in 2014. Their sixth studio album, We Are Not Your Kind, was released on August 9, 2019. Their seventh studio album, The End, So Far, was released on September 30, 2022. The band has released two live albums titled 9.0: Live and Day of the Gusano: Live in Mexico, a compilation album titled Antennas to Hell, and five live DVDs. The band has sold 30 million records worldwide.

Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slipknot_(band)

Studio albums
Slipknot (1999)
Iowa (2001)
Vol. 3: The Subliminal Verses (2004)
All Hope Is Gone (2008)
.5: The Gray Chapter (2014)
We Are Not Your Kind (2019)
The End, So Far (2022)

9.0: Live I
Slipknot Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Go!

Stapled shut, inside an outside world and I'm
Sealed in tight, bizarre but right at home
Claustrophobic, closing in and I'm
Catastrophic, not again
I'm smeared across the page, and doused in gasoline
I wear you like a stain, yet I'm the one who's obscene

Catch me upon all your sordid little insurrections
I've got no time to lose, and I'm just caught up in all the cattle

Fray the strings
Throw the shapes
Hold your breath
And listen

I am a world before I am a man
I was a creature before I could stand
I will remember before I forget
Before I forget that

I am a world before I am a man
I was a creature before I could stand
I will remember before I forget
Before I forget that

I'm ripped across the ditch, and settled in the dirt and I'm
I wear you like a stitch, yet I'm the one who's hurt
Pay attention to your twisted little indiscretions
I've got no right to win, I'm just caught up all the battles

Locked in clutch
Pushed in place
Hold your breath
And listen

I am a world before I am a man
I was a creature before I could stand
I will remember before I forget
Before I forget that

I am a world before I am a man
I was a creature before I could stand
I will remember before I forget
Before I forget that

My end
It justifies my means
All I have to do is delay
I'm given time to evade
The end of the road is my end
It justifies my means
All I have to do is delay
I haven't time to evade
The end of the road!

I am a world before I am a man
I was a creature before I could stand
I will remember before I forget
Before I forget that

I am a world before I am a man
I was a creature before I could stand
I will remember before I forget
Before I forget that

I am a world before I am a man
I was a creature before I could stand
I will remember before I forget
Before I forget that

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah, oh!

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Slipknot's song "9.0: Live I" seem to be introspective, speaking of being trapped or locked in one's own mind or body. The line "stapled shut, inside an outside world" may refer to feeling disconnected from the world and others, while remaining trapped in one's thoughts or feelings. The singer describes feeling claustrophobic and catastrophic, as if they are caught in a never-ending cycle of pain or discomfort. The line "I wear you like a stain, yet I'm the one who's obscene" may represent how the singer feels like they are a burden on others, while simultaneously feeling guilty for being a source of negativity in their own life.

The chorus repeats the phrase "I am a world before I am a man," emphasizing the idea that the singer is a collection of experiences and emotions, rather than an individual with a distinct personality. This line is then followed by "I was a creature before I could stand," which could imply a sense of vulnerability or weakness, and a longing to return to a simpler time before the pressure of society and adult responsibilities.

The line "my end justifies my means" suggests that the singer may be willing to do whatever it takes to survive, even if it means causing harm to themselves or others. The repeated phrase "before I forget" highlights the importance of remembering one's experiences and emotions, even if they are painful or uncomfortable.

Overall, the lyrics of "9.0: Live I" seem to explore the themes of isolation, pain, and the struggle to find one's place in the world.

Line by Line Meaning

Stapled shut, inside an outside world and I'm
I feel trapped within both myself and the larger world around me.

Sealed in tight, bizarre but right at home
Despite feeling confined, I've adapted to and become comfortable with this strange reality.

Claustrophobic, closing in and I'm
I'm starting to feel suffocated and overwhelmed by my surroundings.

Catastrophic, not again
I'm experiencing a dangerous or disastrous situation, and I'm tired of going through this repeatedly.

I'm smeared across the page, and doused in gasoline
My identity is smeared or blurred, and I feel volatile or explosive.

I wear you like a stain, yet I'm the one who's obscene
Your influence on me is visible like a stain, but I'm the one who feels dirty or inappropriate.

Catch me upon all your sordid little insurrections
I'm aware of your secret rebellions or uprisings, and I'm watching and reacting to them.

I've got no time to lose, and I'm just caught up in all the cattle
I'm busy and don't have the luxury of slowing down or standing out, so I'm just blending in with the crowd.

Fray the strings
Break free from what's tying you down or controlling you.

Throw the shapes
Express yourself through movement or dance.

Hold your breath
Get ready for something significant or intense.

And listen
Pay attention and be ready to receive the message or the music.

I am a world before I am a man
I have my own unique identity and existence beyond societal expectations of gender or humanity.

I was a creature before I could stand
I had my own primal or animalistic nature before I gained control or power over my physical abilities.

I will remember before I forget
I want to hold onto important memories or lessons before they fade away or become distorted.

Before I forget that
Before I lose sight of what's truly important or meaningful.

I'm ripped across the ditch, and settled in the dirt and I'm
I've been torn from one place to another and now feel tangled or stuck in a dirty or hopeless situation.

I wear you like a stitch, yet I'm the one who's hurt
I'm relying on your support, but ultimately I'm the one in emotional or physical pain.

Pay attention to your twisted little indiscretions
Be aware of your small or secret wrongdoings that can have a big impact on others or yourself.

I've got no right to win, I'm just caught up all the battles
I don't feel deserving of victory or success, and I'm constantly struggling in various challenges, big or small.

Locked in clutch
Trapped or held tightly in a difficult situation or relationship.

Pushed in place
Forced into a certain position or role despite personal feelings or desires.

My end
The conclusion of my story or journey.

It justifies my means
The way I've lived and the choices I've made are justified by the outcome.

All I have to do is delay
I just need to stall or put off something that's inevitable, whether it's good or bad.

I'm given time to evade
I have an opportunity to escape or avoid something, but I'm not taking it.

The end of the road is my end
When I can no longer move forward, that's where my story or existence ends.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
A celebratory or triumphant chant.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, oh!
An expression of excitement or enthusiasm with an added element of surprise or emotion.

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Chris Fehn, Christopher Fehn, Corey Taylor, Craig Jones, James Root, Michael Crahan, Michael Shawn Crahan, Mickael Thomson, Nathan Jordison, Nathan J Jordison, Paul Gray, Paul D Gray, Sid Wilson, Sidney Wilson

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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