The Gloves single arrived early in 2007, heralding the release of the Horrors' full-length debut, Strange House, which arrived in the U.K. that March and in the U.S. in May. In 2008, Webb and Furse formed the analog synth project Spider & the Flies, and released the album Something Clockwork This Way Comes. For 2009's Primary Colours, the band worked with Cunningham and Portishead's Geoff Barrow as co-producers, opting for a very different sound that mixed shoegaze, post-punk, and goth; the album was released by XL that spring and earned several critical raves, including NME's Album of the Year. In between albums, Badwan teamed with Canadian opera singer Rachel Zeffira for the hazy pop project Cat's Eyes, which released its self-titled debut in early 2011. The Horrors self-produced their follow-up, 2011's Skying, which featured a lighter yet still atmospheric sound that drew comparisons to My Bloody Valentine and the Psychedelic Furs. In 2012, they released the remix companion album Higher and embarked on an extensive tour. In 2013, they began recording new material with producer Craig Silvey. Early the following year, the single "I See You" reflected the more expansive direction of their fourth album, Luminous, which arrived in May 2014. The Horrors began work on their next full-length with Paul Epworth at London's Church Studios in 2015, and forged a darker, rawer yet still danceable sound that borrowed from '80s post-punk, synth-pop, and '90s dance. The result was V, which arrived in September 2017.
Biography by Heather Phares
There are other artists with the same name:
2) A garage rock/punk band from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, which formed in 1997 and broke up in 2003. They released two albums, The Horrors (2000) and Vent (2003). Singer/guitarist Paul Cary recently released his debut album, Ghost of a Man, on Candy Dinner Records in 2010.
3) An American psychedelic rock group active in the 1960s, best known for their single "Briar Patch".
For much more information, go to the band's official forum, "The Horum", and official Myspace.
Thunderclaps
The Horrors Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
No one more or much as Jack
It's a knock 'em dead show: Pipes and joints, greased hinge and bone
One more for the slaughterhouse
Force from the butcher, machine-like
One mighty hand at shoulder height
Feet tread heavy on black floor, Look at the breadth of those fingers
Cast me in this violent light, Pull my hands from my eyes
Thunderclaps fly through low-light
Jack sits amongst them in the sky
There's no place here for me tonight but Jack needs no invite
Lunging for the meat and prize Lunging with his roving eyes
Hours go by In thunderous form, I can't go on I can't go on
I'll do myself in, I'll pick up this thing
Sits heavy in my hand
I'll do myself in
The lyrics to The Horrors' Thunderclaps tell a disturbing story of a slaughterhouse worker named Jack. The song begins with "watch them speak in thunderclaps," which may refer to the sound of the machinery working in the slaughterhouse. Jack is then introduced as "no one more or much," suggesting that he is just one of many workers in the facility. The phrase "it's a knock 'em dead show" is a dark play on words, as it can refer both to the impressive nature of the facility and the slaughter of animals.
As the song progresses, more details are revealed about Jack's role in the slaughterhouse. He is described as being "machine-like" and possessing "one mighty hand at shoulder height." The singer highlights the sound of Jack's footsteps on the "black floor," drawing attention to the darkness of the environment. The lyric "cast me in this violent light, pull my hands from my eyes" could be interpreted as the singer trying to come to terms with the violence inherent in a slaughterhouse.
The chorus describes the thunderous noise of the machinery in the facility, punctuated by the sound of thunderclaps. Jack is portrayed as sitting "amongst them in the sky," suggesting that he is in a position of power or control. The singer feels out of place and unwelcome in this environment, but Jack thrives in it. The song ends with the singer contemplating suicide as a way to escape this violent world.
Line by Line Meaning
Watch them speak in thunderclaps
Observe as they communicate with roaring sounds
No one more or much as Jack
No one is as important as Jack or essentially close to him
It's a knock 'em dead show: Pipes and joints, greased hinge and bone
It's a spectacular event: metallic sounds, mechanized movements, and human remains
One more for the slaughterhouse
One more victim to be killed
Force from the butcher, machine-like
Powerful authority from the killer, akin to that of a machine
One mighty hand at shoulder height
A powerful hand that can do significant damage
Feet tread heavy on black floor, Look at the breadth of those fingers
Feet stomp the dark ground, emphasizing the width of the fingers
One more for the Chopping board
One more person headed for the surface where meat is cut
Cast me in this violent light, Pull my hands from my eyes
Illuminate me in this sinister light, and force me to view the horrors
Thunderclaps fly through low-light
Loud sounds echo through the dim environment
Jack sits amongst them in the sky
Jack is comfortably situated high above everything
There's no place here for me tonight but Jack needs no invite
I am unwelcome here but Jack is always welcome
Lunging for the meat and prize Lunging with his roving eyes
Attempting to acquire the flesh and prize Jack looks on with wandering eyes
Hours go by In thunderous form, I can't go on I can't go on
Time passes in loud, overpowering fashion, and I cannot continue
I'll do myself in, I'll pick up this thing
I will take my life, I will grip this object
Sits heavy in my hand
Feels weighty and substantive in my possession
I'll do myself in
I will commit suicide
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: FARIS BADWAN, JOSEPH SPURGEON, JOSHUA HAYWARD, RHYS WEBB, THOMAS COWAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind