The Kills is an alternative rock duo formed by American vocalist Alison "VV… Read Full Bio ↴The Kills is an alternative rock duo formed by American vocalist Alison "VV" Mosshart and British guitarist Jamie "Hotel" Hince that rose to public recognition at the dawn of the hype surrounding the genre's explosion of the early 2000s. Mosshart had been in the Florida punk band Discount and Hince in British rock band Scarfo. When these groups disbanded, the duo, who first met when Mosshart heard Hince practicing in the hotel room above hers, struck up a songwriting partnership. For months, the pair air mailed work tapes across the Atlantic; after this proved to test the patience of both artists, as it took days or weeks to get each others tapes, Mosshart upped sticks from her Florida home to fly to London.

Wanting to cut themselves off from their pasts, Mosshart and Hince considered their new project to be Year Zero in their careers, so they renamed themselves "VV" and "Hotel" respectively and began writing sparse, minimalist songs together with the aid of a drum machine. In 2001 they showcased their new songs on a well received demo tape. In true punk rock fashion, however, the pair shunned approaches from major record labels. Recording as VV and Hotel, they contributed the song "Restaurant Blouse" to the compilation If the Twenty-First Century Did Not Exist, It Would Be Necessary to Invent It. Shortly after this they recorded their debut release, the Black Rooster EP, which saw release on British indie label Domino Records and was picked up for distribution by Dim Mak Records in the United States.

Following international touring, they entered Toe Rag studios to record their debut album Keep on Your Mean Side, mostly on 8-track, in just 2 weeks.
Popular indie band, the xx, name The Kills as the major influence for having a male/female lead singer combo: http://edition.cnn.com/2010/SHOWBIZ/Music/04/05/xx.interview/index.html?iref=allsearch
Their second album, No Wow, was released by Domino records on February 21, 2005. Featuring an artier, less guitar rock sound, the record embraced New Wave and post punk influences and sounded even more stripped down than Keep on Your Mean Side. The first single, The Good Ones, was released on February 7, 2005 and reached number 23 in the UK singles charts.

VV sang the song Meds on Placebo's 2006 eponymous album.

Their third album Midnight Boom was released March 10, 2008. It was followed by 5 different singles since its release.

GUM
The Kills Lyrics

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Tell me.
Tell me do you like that
I like it I think
I think I like it very much
I think I like to chew gum very much

Do you like it when I chew gum
Do you like the sound it makes

Come on tell me
I'm doing this for you

I like this
But I'm doing this for you.
Would you do this for me
Would you chew gum for me
Would you make this sound for me

I like this sound I think

I'm making this sound for you
Would you make this sound for me

Overall Meaning

The Kills's song "Gum" emphasizes the importance of meeting the needs and desires of one's partner. The lyrics are somewhat simple but loaded with meaning, as they suggest a form of fetish or kink where the chewing of gum is utilized as a form of arousal. The constant questioning of whether one's partner likes the sound of the gum being chewed reinforces the idea that communication is essential in any relationship, even in moments where one may feel vulnerable. The chorus repeats the same phrase, "I like this, but I'm doing this for you," which shows the singer's willingness to engage in this activity purely for the pleasure of their partner.

The repetition of the phrase "I think" throughout the song adds a sense of uncertainty to the situation. This could indicate hesitation, a lack of confidence or inexperience in the activity they are engaging in. Despite this, the singer continues to engage in the behavior, asking if their partner would do the same for them, creating a sense of mutual satisfaction.

Overall, "Gum" is a unique piece of music that explores the importance of communication and mutual gratification in relationships. The song highlights the importance of open-mindedness and the willingness to try new things for the benefit of one's partner.

Line by Line Meaning

Tell me.
Asking for the listener's attention and engagement.

Tell me do you like that
Inquiring whether the listener enjoys a particular activity or behavior.

I like it I think
Expressing a personal preference for the activity or behavior, albeit with some uncertainty.

I think I like it very much
Increasing the level of preference for the activity or behavior, indicating a growing sense of enjoyment.

I think I like to chew gum very much
Stating that the activity in question is specifically related to chewing gum, and that the artist enjoys this behavior deeply.

Do you like it when I chew gum
Asking if the listener derives pleasure from witnessing or hearing the singer engage in the activity.

Do you like the sound it makes
Posing a specific question about the auditory aspect of the behavior, and whether this is appealing to the listener.

Come on tell me
Urging the listener to share their thoughts and feelings honestly.

I'm doing this for you
Explaining that the artist is engaging in the behavior as a form of service or gift to the listener.

I like this
Reiterating the artist's enjoyment of the behavior, and suggesting that it is still of value even without the listener's input.

But I'm doing this for you.
Reminding the listener that the behavior is motivated specifically by a desire to please or satisfy them.

Would you do this for me
Asking if the listener would be willing to engage in a similar activity or behavior if it brought pleasure to the artist.

Would you chew gum for me
Posing a specific question about whether the listener would be willing to engage in the same behavior as the singer.

Would you make this sound for me
Asking if the listener would engage in the activity in order to produce the same auditory effect.

I like this sound I think
Highlighting the singer's particular enjoyment of the auditory aspect of the behavior.

I'm making this sound for you
Confirming that the artist is specifically producing the sound for the listener's enjoyment, and that it is motivated by a desire to please them.

Would you make this sound for me
Echoing the previous question, and asking again whether the listener would engage in the behavior in order to please the artist.

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JAMIE HINCE, ALISON MOSSHART

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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