The Queenstons is an alias of Emma Essex under the Halley Labs label. They … Read Full Bio ↴The Queenstons is an alias of Emma Essex under the Halley Labs label. They were originally envisioned a "duo" comprised of Renard and Jackal Queenston, but that was later ignored and the alias is currently portrayed as the "Figurehead" design. They produce anthem style drum and bass with influences from liquid DnB and trancestep, many times much happier than the other drum and bass alias Jackal Queenston. The Queenstons is also one of the few aliases that has original vocals.

Nails
The Queenstons Lyrics

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I pull them out, one by one, with the edge of a blade
But they're hammered back inside, and I make another spade
Time again to pull the nails out; time to grow new skin
But it's too late now; the nails are rusted, and hidden deep within

I pull them out, one by one, with the edge of a blade
But they're hammered back inside, and I make another spade
Time again to pull the nails out; time to grow new skin

But it's too late now; the nails are rusted, and hidden deep within

I pull them out, one by one, with the edge of a blade
But they're hammered back inside, and I make another spade

Time again to pull the nails out; time to grow new skin
But it's too late now; the nails are rusted, and hidden deep within

Overall Meaning

The Queenstons's song Nails is a powerful anthem about the struggle to heal from emotional and psychological trauma. The lyrics describe the process of trying to remove the metaphorical "nails" that hold one back from progress and growth. The metaphor is extended to include the difficulty in extracting the nails, as well as the inevitability of their rusting and becoming more difficult to remove.

The repetition of the lines "I pull them out, one by one, with the edge of a blade, but they're hammered back inside, and I make another spade" emphasizes how challenging it can be to break free from old patterns and habits. The use of the phrase "make another spade" suggests that the singer is using the tools at their disposal to continue working towards their goal, even when progress is slow and incremental.

The line "but it's too late now; the nails are rusted, and hidden deep within" conveys a sense of hopelessness and despair. Despite the singer's best efforts, they feel like they are unable to fully extract the sources of their pain and move on. Nonetheless, the repetition of the song's main refrain ("time again to pull the nails out; time to grow new skin") suggests that the singer is committed to the never-ending process of healing and growth.

Line by Line Meaning

I pull them out, one by one, with the edge of a blade
I am trying to remove the things that are causing me pain, one by one, using any means necessary.

But they're hammered back inside, and I make another spade
However, the things that cause me pain keep getting replaced and I have to start over from scratch every time.

Time again to pull the nails out; time to grow new skin
It's time to start the process of healing again, to remove the things that hurt me and replace them with something new.

But it's too late now; the nails are rusted, and hidden deep within
Unfortunately, the things that hurt me have been a part of me for too long and they are now deeply ingrained in who I am, making it harder to remove them.

Contributed by Emily R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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