Heart Is A Beating Drum
The Kills渀 Lyrics


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Looking in the mirror
Looking back
A look of wild living
Bound to crack

The heart is a beating drum
The heart is a beating drum
It takes more than you wanted before
To keep it on

Howling at the future
Won't you be fast and full
All the noise and hot crossed fangs
You, you got in you

Send your love in a rampage
Give her everything you've got
And when you come to hate her
Show her more than just a spark

'Cause the heart is a beating drum
The heart is a beating drum
It takes more than you wanted before
To keep it on, it's a beating

The heart is a beating drum
The heart is a beating drum
It takes more than you wanted before
To keep it on, it's a beating drum

And you feel like you been here
So many times before
It's not the door you're using
But the way you're walking through it

And you feel like you been here
So many times before
It's not the door you're using
But the way you're walking through it

'Cause the heart is a beating drum
The heart is a beating drum
It takes more than you wanted before
To keep it on, it's a beating

The heart is a beating drum
The heart is a beating drum
It takes more than you wanted before
To keep it on





It takes more than you wanted before
To keep it on

Overall Meaning

The song starts with the singer looking at themselves in the mirror, reflecting on their past and their present wild living, knowing that it is unsustainable and bound to eventually crack. This sets the tone for the rest of the song, as it delves into the theme of the heart being a constant beating drum, but one that needs more effort to keep it going than we may have initially thought. The heart is compared to a drum, which needs continuous beating or stimulation to maintain its rhythm.


The second verse shifts to a more urgent tone, as the singer howls at the future, urging it to arrive quickly and in full force. The line "All the noise and hot crossed fangs / You, you got in you" suggests that the future may bring challenges or temptations that the singer is ready and willing to face head-on. The chorus repeats the message that keeping the heart beating requires more than we may have wanted or anticipated, but it is an essential part of living. The following verse speaks to the power of love and how it can send someone into a frenzy, urging the listener to give everything they have and not hold back. Even if love turns to hate, one must continue to show passion and energy. The final verse speaks to the cyclical nature of life, as the singer feels like they have been in this position before, but it's not about which door they use to navigate life, but rather the way they move forward.


Line by Line Meaning

Looking in the mirror
Reflecting on oneself


Looking back
Recalling past experiences


A look of wild living
Appearance of having lived recklessly


Bound to crack
Likely to break down or fall apart


The heart is a beating drum
Metaphor for the powerful and constant nature of the heart's feelings


It takes more than you wanted before To keep it on
Requires greater effort and commitment to maintain feelings than initially anticipated


Howling at the future
Expressing fear or anxiety towards the unknown


Won't you be fast and full
Encouraging oneself to be brave and bold


All the noise and hot crossed fangs
Metaphor for the intense emotions and challenges of life


Send your love in a rampage
Pouring all of one's love and passion into a relationship


Give her everything you've got
Fully dedicating oneself to the relationship


And when you come to hate her
Acknowledging that negative emotions may arise in a relationship


Show her more than just a spark
Not letting negative emotions overpower the love and commitment in the relationship


And you feel like you been here So many times before
Feeling like one is in a repetitive cycle in life or relationships


It's not the door you're using But the way you're walking through it
Success is not solely based on opportunities, but also on one's actions and attitude towards them




Lyrics © DOMINO PUBLISHING COMPANY
Written by: ALISON MOSSHART, JAMES HINCE

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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