Formed in 1995 in Karlstad, Sweden, by Rob Coffinshaker (Robert Fjällsby), the Coffinshakers eked out an existence from small printings of 7" red vinyl singles and occasional gigs to a mostly uninterested audience. Their first single, "Dracula Has Risen from the Grave," inspired by the classic Hammer horror film, appeared in 1996. Consisting of Rob on vocals and guitar, Joe Undertaker on bass, Fang on electric guitar, and Andy Bones on drums (after the 2000 departure of Blackfist Bill "to study voodoo practices"), the band survived the audience indifference by the boldness of its idea and the near flawless execution. The band's direction of merging traditional country sounds of Johnny Cash and Waylon Jennings to subject matter closer to Roky Erickson & the Aliens may have sounded loony, but Rob Coffinshaker's voice echoed the same gloomy low registers as his influences. The traditionally performed songs were catchy and entertaining, the Ennio Morricone and Ventures influences cleverly integrated, and the lyrics were...full-bodied.
Their first full-length record appeared in 1999. We Are the Undead continued in the same vein as the early singles, and they had a small but rabid following -- mostly in the neighboring Finland. After their first Finnish gig in 2001 they followed up with a mini-LP, Dark Wings Over Finland. Small tours and slightly escalating interest didn't quite convince the band to keep up, and they spent more time in their (not-quite eternal) resting places than they did recording new material. Lured out with an offer they couldn't refuse -- unlimited recording time in a studio and a good contract -- a Finnish promoter got the band back on the road, and they recorded their self-titled second album The Coffinshakers in early 2007. With this first release by a budding Finnish record label, these graveyard country-rockers creeped up to the Finnish Top 40 to mostly excellent reviews and a very receptive audience. ~ JT Lindroos, Rovi
Until The End
The Coffinshakers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It seems like everything is done
Nothing more to achieve
I no longer know in what to beleive
The path of my life
Once a road of many choices
Now a blind alley in the dark
The death of what is dead, not a prayer will be said
Well, I guess it wouldn't help me anyway
When on the path of death I tread not a tear will be shed
There's no-one who will miss me that day
The call of the wild
Has for many years ago
Forever lost it's charm
Now I just long for the Reaper's icy arms
I don't know when my time will come
But there is no-one to tell goodbye
Not a lover nor a friend
So I guess I'll move it on until the end
The death of what is dead, not a prayer will be said
Well, I guess it wouldn't help me anyway
The only one decease that is making my blood freeze
Is the boredom that has lead me astray
And it's too late for me to stay
Nothing can help me that day
When even death is fading away
The Coffinshakers's song "Until the End" is a hauntingly beautiful depiction of ultimate hopelessness and the futility of life. The opening lines "There is nothing left to do / It seems like everything is done / Nothing more to achieve / I no longer know in what to believe" perfectly captures the feeling of being lost and directionless. The path of life that was once full of opportunities is now a dead end, and there is no light to guide the way. The only thing left is the ultimate destination- death.
The singer's despair deepens as the song progresses. The call of the wild, which once held promise and excitement, has lost its charm. The only longing is for the icy arms of the reaper. The irony is that even death holds no solace. The singer is resigned to the fact that no one will miss them when they are gone, as they have no loved ones or friends to bid farewell to. All that is left is to tread the path of death, with no tears or prayers, for it's too late to turn back.
Line by Line Meaning
There is nothing left to do
I have done everything I set out to do and there is no more left for me to accomplish.
It seems like everything is done
It appears that all possibilities have been exhausted and my time is up.
Nothing more to achieve
There are no more goals for me to strive for, nothing for me to work towards.
I no longer know in what to beleive
I have lost faith in everything I once knew, and have no sense of direction.
The path of my life
The journey I have taken throughout my existence.
Once a road of many choices
At one point, I had a variety of paths to take and decisions to make in my life.
Now a blind alley in the dark
However, now my choices have dwindled and I am lost in the unknown.
And to guide my way I don't even have a spark
I have lost all motivation and inspiration to find my way out of the darkness.
The death of what is dead, not a prayer will be said
Once something has passed, there is no sense in mourning or praying for it.
Well, I guess it wouldn't help me anyway
It is too late for me to be helped at this point, so mourning would not make a difference.
When on the path of death I tread not a tear will be shed
When I eventually pass away, nobody will mourn or cry for me.
There's no-one who will miss me that day
I have no loved ones or friends who would be impacted by my absence.
The call of the wild
The instinctual desires and urges within me.
Has for many years ago
These desires have been suppressed and ignored for quite some time.
Forever lost it's charm
The things that once brought me pleasure or excitement have lost their luster.
Now I just long for the Reaper's icy arms
I am now waiting for death to embrace me and bring me peace, as life has lost its value.
I don't know when my time will come
I am unsure of the exact moment when I will pass away.
But there is no-one to tell goodbye
There is nobody in my life to say farewell to when the time comes for me to pass away.
Not a lover nor a friend
I have no intimate relationships or close friends to bid farewell to.
So I guess I'll move it on until the end
I will continue to live until the very end, even without purpose or pleasure.
The only one decease that is making my blood freeze
The only thing frightening me and making me feel cold is the boredom and monotony of existence.
Is the boredom that has lead me astray
This tediousness has taken me down a path without any signs of hope or purpose.
And it's too late for me to stay
I cannot change the course of my life at this point. It is too late for me.
Nothing can help me that day
When my time comes, nothing will be able to save me or bring me comfort.
When even death is fading away
Even the escape of death is becoming distant and unattainable for me.
Contributed by Samuel V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@tomdog76
Hab die Band grad durch zufall entdeckt.... und ich muss sagen: ABSOLUT FANTASTISCH!!!
@beetelgeuze
many times felt like this.. so much! glad that time passed me by .... so glad!! good song anyway, rock on!
@NymeriaMeliae
two of my favourite bands... The Coffinshakers and the Hillbilly Moon Explosion
@richardbronson6109
Only discovered Hillbilly Moon this morning, great choice!
@Hydroxica
Stumbled across this gem...such an amazing song!
@AngelHatchets
i love listening to a song i know then seeing something that catches my to the right and then being introduced to a whole new band to enjoy. Great stuff here and this is only the second song i have heard from them.
@inconceivableabysses
Definitely in my top ten bands. It's a horrible shame that they're not better known.
@matthewvoss7365
I just discovered them thanks to a music collection video upload. This song is catchy.
@NOWICALLEDMYSELF
this band is great",)this is my first time listening to their music.. instantly like them its like johnny cash in psychobilly band.
@faustventirati2272
respect from greece