The Pink Spiders stormed the Nashville music scene in late 2003, and by January of 2004, the band released their first EP, called The Pink Spiders are Taking Over!. They signed with CI Records in the summer of 2004. A mere three months after their EP was released, several major-label offers were on the table, and, in April of 2005, the band signed with Geffen Records. The Pink Spiders have since been named as one of Alternative Press' "100 Bands you need to know in 2006."
The Pink Spiders released their major label debut on August 1st, 2006, entitled Teenage Graffiti. The first single, Little Razorblade, debuted on MTV's Total Request Live as a premiere.
Their third studio album, Sweat It Out, was released on September 23, 2008, after a long wait since the announcement of the CD. The CD hit with it's single "Gimme Chemicals" and soon followed up with a music video shortly after it's release. Before the album's release, founding members John Decious and Bob Ferrari left the band and were replaced by Nathan Hansen (bass), Josh Watson (guitar) and Nick Slack (drums).
On August 31, 2009, Matt Friction posted a blog on his MySpace stating that the band was taking an extended hiatus and that his primary focus on his new band, called Matt Friction & The Cheap Shots.
Towards the end of 2010 the band began to reconnect, the original lineup played a gig together and announced their intent to begin touring again.
On March 22, 2011 the band released their single "Cherry Chapstick" which also contained the song "Sad Style." These are the first songs released since the bands reformation.
The Pink Spiders intend to begin touring again in early April 2011, although Jon Decious has once again left the band and has been replaced by Brandon Jazz.
Stranglehold
The Pink Spiders Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Tied up to entertain the firing squad
I gotta hand it to you
I-I-I don't know why you're so trigger-happy,
I-I-I suppose you're gonna tell me
Tick, tick, tick,
My heart's the bomb that's going 2-4-6
This isn't easy, singin'
I-I-I don't know why you bait me"
Uh oh, uh oh, uh oh, uh oh
We go back and forth together,
'Cause she knows, she knows, she knows, she knows
She's no good for me
So we go, we go, we go, we go
Runnin' round and round in circles
In this goddamn stranglehold
Dead cassettes unwound,
I need another cigarette
Jet setter alligator,
I-I-I don't know, know no chaos theory -
I-I-I can't even spell my name in cursive
She's so cool
She's such a temperamental animal
She's locked and loaded, singin'
"I-I-I don't know why you do it to me,
I-I-I won't go, go, go, go"
Uh oh, uh oh, uh oh, uh oh
We go back and forth together,
'Cause she knows, she knows, she knows, she knows
She's no good for me
So we go, we go, we go, we go
Runnin' round and round in circles
In this goddamn strangleho-o-old
In this goddamn strangleho-o-old
You're coming on so strong,
Seems it won't be long before we're
Twisted into a knot on
The floor of this elevator
You're coming on so strong,
It seems it won't be long before we're
Twisted into a knot on
The floor of this elevator
Uh oh, uh oh, uh oh, uh oh
We go back and forth together,
'Cause she knows, she knows, she knows, she knows
She's no good for me
So we go, we go, we go, we go
Runnin' round and round in circles
In this goddamn strangleho-o-old
In this goddamn strangleho-o-old
Uh oh, uh oh, uh oh, uh oh
We go round, round, round in a strangleho-old
Uh oh, uh oh, uh oh, uh oh
We go round, round, round in a strangleho-old
Uh oh, uh oh, uh oh, uh oh
We go round, round, round in a strangleho-old
Uh oh, uh oh, uh oh, uh oh
We go round, round, round in a strangleho-old
The Pink Spiders’s song “Stranglehold” is about being stuck in a toxic relationship that one cannot seem to leave. The singer sings about being tied up to entertain the firing squad and not understanding why the other person is so trigger-happy. The song’s chorus speaks to the cyclical nature of their relationship, going back and forth, round and round in circles, unable to break free from the other’s stranglehold.
The second verse brings up the image of “dead cassettes unwound” and the need for a cigarette, perhaps referencing a sense of dissatisfaction and boredom with the situation. There’s also a reference to chaos theory, which the singer claims to know nothing about. Despite this seeming disinterest in scientific theory or complexity, the other person is described as “such a temperamental animal” who is “locked and loaded.”
The repetition of “uh oh” throughout the song adds to the sense of being trapped or stuck, and the final lines create an image of being twisted into a knot on the floor of an elevator, adding to the claustrophobic feeling of the song as a whole. Overall, “Stranglehold” portrays a complex emotional situation, where the singer is caught in a cycle of attraction and repulsion, and cannot seem to break free from this toxic relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh my god,
Expressing surprise and/or alarm.
Tied up to entertain the firing squad
Feeling trapped or helpless and at the mercy of someone else's actions.
I gotta hand it to you
Acknowledging someone's ability, effort, or strategy.
I-I-I don't know why you're so trigger-happy
Questioning someone's quickness to act or aggressiveness.
I-I-I suppose you're gonna tell me
Anticipating someone's response, whether honest or not.
Tick, tick, tick,
A reference to the sound of a bomb countdown, suggesting that something is about to explode or go wrong.
My heart's the bomb that's going 2-4-6
Feeling like one's own emotions are building up like a ticking time bomb, and could be dangerous or harmful to themselves or others.
This isn't easy, singin'
Acknowledging the difficulty of expressing oneself or conveying feelings through music.
"I-I-I don't know why you do it to me,
Expressing confusion or frustration about someone's behavior or actions towards oneself.
I-I-I don't know why you bait me"
Feeling like someone is intentionally trying to provoke or upset oneself.
Uh oh, uh oh, uh oh, uh oh
A repetitive phrase used to indicate an imminent or ongoing problem or conflict.
We go back and forth together,
Describing the cycle of conflict or attraction between two people, which may never resolve or end.
'Cause she knows, she knows, she knows, she knows
Suggesting that the other person is aware of their own problematic behavior, but continues to act in that way regardless.
She's no good for me
Recognizing that the other person is not healthy or beneficial for oneself, but still feeling drawn to them.
So we go, we go, we go, we go
Acknowledging the constant back-and-forth of the relationship, which may never reach a resolution.
Runnin' round and round in circles
Feeling stuck or unable to make progress or break free from a situation or pattern of behavior.
In this goddamn stranglehold
Describing the feeling of being trapped or suffocated by the situation or relationship.
Dead cassettes unwound,
Describing a sense of loss or deterioration, or perhaps the feeling of reliving past experiences or emotions.
I need another cigarette
Suggesting a need for escape or distraction from the situation in order to cope with difficult emotions or thoughts.
Jet setter alligator,
A poetic phrase whose meaning is unclear, but suggests a sense of self-confidence or swagger.
I-I-I don't know, know no chaos theory -
Expressing ignorance or confusion about complex concepts, and perhaps feeling overwhelmed by them.
I-I-I can't even spell my name in cursive
Feeling uneducated or inadequate in some way, whether intellectually, emotionally, or socially.
She's so cool
Describing the other person's attractiveness or allure.
She's such a temperamental animal
Describing the other person as unpredictable, volatile, or difficult to manage.
She's locked and loaded, singin'
Suggesting that the other person is ready to act on their impulses or emotions, and is perhaps dangerous or harmful.
"I-I-I don't know why you do it to me,
Expressing confusion or frustration about someone's behavior or actions towards oneself.
I-I-I won't go, go, go, go"
Describing a sense of determination or resilience in the face of difficult emotions or situations.
You're coming on so strong,
Describing the other person's intense or forceful behavior, which may feel overwhelming or threatening.
Seems it won't be long before we're
Suggesting that the relationship is moving quickly or escalating towards a resolution or breakdown.
Twisted into a knot on
Describing a sense of being trapped or suffocated in the conflict or negative patterns of the relationship.
The floor of this elevator
A metaphor for the limited and confining nature of the relationship, with no clear way out or escape.
We go round, round, round in a strangleho-old
Describing the cyclical and suffocating nature of the situation or relationship, which may never reach a resolution.
Contributed by Lincoln J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.