The Dead Weather are an alternative rock band that formed in Nashville, Ten… Read Full Bio ↴The Dead Weather are an alternative rock band that formed in Nashville, Tennessee, United States in 2009. They consist of Alison Mosshart (vocals, guitar), Dean Fertita (guitar, organ), Jack Lawrence (bass, drums) and Jack White (drums, vocals, guitar).

All members of the band are from other, well known alternative rock groups. Mosshart is a member of The Kills, Fertita is a member of Queens of the Stone Age, Lawrence is a member of The Greenhornes and The Raconteurs and White was a member of The White Stripes and The Raconteurs.

White produced their album, Horehound, which was released in the US on July 14th 2009. The album was recorded in three weeks at White's own Third Man Studio in Nashville. This group sparks particular interest because Jack White, well known for guitar skills, played drums with this band.. White’s last booking as a drummer was with the Detroit punk outfit Goober and the Peas, aged 19.

Hustle and Cuss
The Dead Weather Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Knock on the door
And the door knocks back
The joke never go no further than that
Fire goes back inside the match
Back down the stack

And we hustle and cuss
Lick on the dust

Hustle and cuss
Lick on the dust

And we hustle and cuss
Hustle and cuss and lick on the dust
Hustle and cuss
Hustle and cuss and lick on the dust
Must you muscle and fuss?
You muscle and fuss
And lick on the dust
Hustle and cuss
Hustle and cuss and lick on the dust

When we were young
A different kind of fun
Playing in the mud
It meant something else
Now we hustle and cuss
Hustle and cuss

And we hustle and cuss
Hustle and cuss and lick on the dust
Hustle and cuss
Hustle and cuss and lick on the dust
Must we muscle and fuss?
You muscle and fuss

And lick on the dust
Hustle and cuss
Hustle and cuss and lick on the dust

You're easy to fool and easy to catch
And I don't know if I want you to
Match my bets

And we hustle and cuss
Lick on the dust
Hustle and cuss
Lick on the dust

And we hustle and cuss
Hustle and cuss and lick on the dust
Hustle and cuss
Hustle and cuss and lick on the dust
Must you muscle and fuss?
Hustle and cuss
Muscle and fuss
Muscle and fuss
And lick on the dust

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to The Dead Weather's song Hustle and Cuss evoke feelings of frustration and disillusionment with the world around us. The first verse describes the repetitive nature of life, with the knocking on the door and the door knocking back, highlighting the lack of progress and the cyclical nature of our struggles. The line "fire goes back inside the match, back down the stack" suggests that our attempts to ignite change or progress can often be thwarted, leading to a feeling of defeat.

The chorus "hustle and cuss, lick on the dust" represents the grit and determination it takes to keep pushing forward, despite the setbacks. The repetition of this phrase reinforces the idea that this is something we must continue to do, even if we are weary or disillusioned. The second verse contrasts the innocence and joy of childhood with the harsh reality of adulthood, highlighting the loss of innocence we all experience as we grow up.

The final verse introduces a sense of doubt, with the line "you're easy to fool and easy to catch, and I don't know if I want you to match my bets" suggesting that even our closest relationships may not be trustworthy or reliable. Overall, the song speaks to the struggle we all face to keep pushing forward, even when the odds seem stacked against us.

Line by Line Meaning

Knock on the door
Starting something new

And the door knocks back
They get a response

The joke never go no further than that
Nothing really comes out of it

Fire goes back inside the match
The spark dies out

Back down the stack
Return to square one

And we hustle and cuss
Working hard with frustration

Lick on the dust
Not achieving anything significant

Hustle and cuss and lick on the dust
Repeating the same cycle without any success

Must you muscle and fuss?
Do you really have to keep doing this?

When we were young
Reflecting on the past

A different kind of fun
Life was a lot simpler