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.
Nail in My Coffin
The Kills Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Unfinished business maybe, do love
I can't change myself into you dear
What you are to me is far too unclear
Could be a nail in my coffin and I don't need another one
Could be a nail in my coffin and Lord knows I ain't ready yet
Could be a nail in my coffin and I don't need another one
Oh oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh oh
I am no better at this than you are
Loneliness never truly leaves me alone
I have made mistakes I can't take back home
I love you just not the way you want
Could be a nail in my coffin and I don't need another one
Could be a nail in my coffin and Lord knows I ain't ready yet
Could be a nail in my coffin and I don't need another one
Could be a line I'm crossing and I am never gonna get back from
Oh oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh oh
Could be a nail in my coffin and I don't need another one
Could be a nail in my coffin and Lord knows I ain't ready yet
Could be a nail in my coffin and I don't need another one
Could be a line I'm crossing and I am never gonna get back from
Could be a nail in my coffin and I don't need another one
Could be a nail in my coffin and Lord knows I ain't ready yet
Could be a nail in my coffin and I don't need another one
Could be a line I'm crossing and I am never gonna get back from
Oh oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh oh
The song "Nail in My Coffin" by The Kills is a melancholic love ballad that explores the painful recognition of a relationship not working out. The lyrics convey an honest attempt from the singer to make things right, but ultimately realizing the futility of trying to change oneself for the other person. The opening line, "I am no better at this than you are," conveys a sense of mutual vulnerability and uncertainty in the relationship.
The chorus, "Could be a nail in my coffin and I don't need another one," captures the weight of the situation, emphasizing the gravity of the situation and the potential long-lasting consequences of failure. The repeated line, "Could be a line I'm crossing and I am never gonna get back from," suggests that the singer recognizes the possibility of a point of no return in the relationship, but continues to push ahead nonetheless.
Ultimately, the song's lyrics come off as a reflection on the nature of love, the difficulty of accepting relationships that may not be sustainable, and the desire to hang on despite the potential for heartache. The simple and repetitive nature of the song's structure echoes this sense of cyclical pain, emphasizing the haunting persistence of heartbreak throughout life's various relationships.
Line by Line Meaning
I am no better at this than you are
I am just as flawed as you are
Unfinished business maybe, do love
Maybe there is something left unsaid between us, my love
I can't change myself into you dear
I cannot become the person you want me to be
What you are to me is far too unclear
I do not understand what you mean to me
Could be a nail in my coffin and I don't need another one
This could be the final straw for me and I cannot handle any more pain
Could be a nail in my coffin and Lord knows I ain't ready yet
This could hurt me deeply and I am not prepared for that
Could be a line I'm crossing and I am never gonna get back from
This could be a point of no return and I may never recover
Loneliness never truly leaves me alone
I always feel alone, no matter what
I have made mistakes I can't take back home
I have made errors that I cannot fix or rectify
I love you just not the way you want
I care for you, but perhaps not in the way you want me to
Lyrics © DOMINO PUBLISHING COMPANY
Written by: ALISON MOSSHART, JAMES HINCE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind