Growing up in Shelton, Connecticut, frontman Coley O'Toole cited the rock music of Neil Young, Elton John, Supertramp, and the Doors along with the energy of the mid- to late-1990s Connecticut music scene as having a great influence on him.
In 2006, after a decade of playing in various projects based in Connecticut, O'Toole formed the Queen Killing Kings with drummer Jon Scerbo. The duo was met with praise in the local venues and media.
With performances in Los Angeles and New York City, the band's initial success was extended beyond the local area, gaining them industry attention. After entering the Manhattan's Pyramid Studios to record what would become their debut album, former Hot Rod Circuit member and O'Toole's childhood friend Joe Ballaro joined the band on bass. Scerbo left the band early in the recording process, prompting O'Toole to bring in former Hot Rod Circuit drummer Dan Duggins. After signing to Wind-up Records, Zac Clark joined to play Fender Rhodes and organ, making the band a quartet.
The band's debut album, Tidal Eyes, was released digitally by Wind-up Records on July 14, 2009.[1]
Into The Woods
The Queen Killing Kings Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Transmitted sexually to thoughts of us alone
I can’t pretend to live so comfortably
When the mess you lade left bitter tastes about my tongue and cheeks
Chorus:
Pushing up daisies and roses turning to dust in our hands
Out in the woods is a place you can bury your dead
I’ve got something I need to show you alone
So long redemption there’s no part that fits me best
I’ve jailed affection and have sentenced him to death
I wont defend the guilt your love is charged
A jury made of conscience reads the calling of their hearts
[Chorus]
The Queen Killing Kings's song "Into The Woods" is a poignant piece that delves into the emotional turmoil of a person who is trying to come to terms with a failed relationship. The opening lines, "I’ve got infection turned to marrow in my bones/ Transmitted sexually to thoughts of us alone," creates a vivid imagery of how the singer is consumed by the pain and hurt caused due to the break-up. The depth of sorrow is such that it has penetrated to the core of their being. The second line particularly infers how the memories of the past are making it difficult for them to move on.
The following lines, "I can’t pretend to live so comfortably/ When the mess you lade left bitter tastes about my tongue and cheeks" suggests that despite trying to move on, the singer is finding it hard to come to terms with the scars left behind by their partner. The chorus, "Pushing up daisies and roses turning to dust in our hands/ Out in the woods is a place you can bury your dead/ Where it gets so lonely/ I’ve got something I need to show you alone," reflects the need of the singer to let go of the past by burying it in the woods, away from the world, and move on.
The last stanza, "So long redemption there’s no part Fits Me best/ I’ve jailed affection and have sentenced him to death/ I won't defend the guilt your love is" suggests that the singer's love for their ex-partner has turned into hatred and disgust, and they have accepted the fact that their relationship is doomed. Overall, the song conveys a sense of lament for lost love that cannot be redeemed.
Line by Line Meaning
I’ve got infection turned to marrow in my bones
I am emotionally infected with thoughts of you that have penetrated deep into my soul
Transmitted sexually to thoughts of us alone
My mind is sexually entangled with thoughts of just you and me
I can’t pretend to live so comfortably
I can no longer pretend to be at ease with how our relationship left things
When the mess you lade left bitter tastes about my tongue and cheeks
Your actions caused me so much pain that it has manifested itself physically in me
Pushing up daisies and roses turning to dust in our hands
Things we once held dear are now all gone and everything's coming to an end
Out in the woods is a place you can bury your dead
The forest is a place to lay all things to rest
Where it gets so lonely
The woods may be a lonely place but it feels like the right place to be alone
I’ve got something I need to show you alone
I have something important that I need to show you that only you need to see
So long redemption there’s no part that fits me best
I have lost any sense of redemption and I no longer know what I truly want
I’ve jailed affection and have sentenced him to death
I have shut myself off from love and I have no desire for it anymore
I wont defend the guilt your love is charged
I cannot justify the pain and hurt that your love has caused me
A jury made of conscience reads the calling of their hearts
I have taken a judgment based on my own conscience and what my heart tells me
Contributed by Logan H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.