Born out of the ashes of seminal art thrashers Botch and Minneapolis punk h… Read Full Bio ↴Born out of the ashes of seminal art thrashers Botch and Minneapolis punk heroes Kill Sadie, Seattle's These Arms are Snakes have fast-become an integral part of the Pacific Northwest's ever-dynamic musical fabric. The band formed in Seattle, Washington in 2002 and began employing sinister guitar licks mixed with equal parts snarly vocals and a penchant for spaced out musical long form; painting the buzz-heavy Snakes as anything but conventional.

On January 15, 2010, the band released a statement announcing their end.

Brian Cook is now in Russian Circles.
Ryan Frederiksen is now in Narrows.
Steve Sneer is now in Crypts.

Child Chicken Play
These Arms Are Snakes Lyrics

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I've seen the ghost in you, I've touched the ghost in you
Your face has begun to show the hurt you've done by you
Your money in masses can go with your ashes alone with you
Like you always do

This pile of bones was last week's crowd
You walked with your lower surface
Your feet touched the ground

For more low sounds, for more low sounds
Like you always do

Child kitchen play like you finally got into the sweets
Now there goes your teeth
Skinny chicken beak pecking into a filth street
Like it's oil that it wanted to eat

Lost in a surface hole burdied down so low
You can smell the flowers right from where they grow
We got nickels on how long the show will go for

It's blood, it's blood
Your beast of a heart
It's blood, it's blood
Siphening more blood

You beast, you beast
Taking more wet dirt sound than you need
It's blood, it's blood
Touting your catch as if it tried to get away

The blood stained teeth you bare
Showing a lot more than you care
And I will be in small towns
I will be in many towns

Though these hills they roll
They soon will fall

Though these hill they roll
They will become nothing

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to These Arms Are Snakes's song "Child Chicken Play" are mesmerizing yet quite cryptic. It appears to be about the ghost of someone who has hurt another person, who is referred to as "you". The singer mentions that they have "seen the ghost in you" and "touched the ghost in you", thereby pointing to the fact that "you" are haunted by something. The next line suggests that the pain that "you" have caused is evident on your face. The following lines "Your money in masses can go with your ashes alone with you, like you always do" implies that you have only ever really cared about money and material possessions, and those that you have hurt will not mourn your passing.

The next few lines get more abstract and surreal, with references to "child kitchen play" and "skinny chicken beak pecking into a filth street". The phrase "lost in a surface hole buried down so low" is enigmatic, but suggests that "you" have dug yourself into a deep hole and can't find a way out. The singer mentions that people are taking bets on how long the show will go for - this could be interpreted as a metaphor for life, suggesting that people are placing bets on how long "you" will survive.

The final lines of the song are perhaps the most foreboding: "It's blood, it's blood // Your beast of a heart // It's blood, it's blood // Siphening more blood". The tone here is ominous, and suggests that the singer believes that "you" are a vampiric figure draining the blood of others. The repeated chant of "it's blood" is haunting, and the final lines suggest that everything in life is temporary: "Though these hills they roll // They soon will fall // Though these hills they roll // They will become nothing".

Line by Line Meaning

I've seen the ghost in you, I've touched the ghost in you
I have seen and experienced the pain and sorrow that you carry within you.

Your face has begun to show the hurt you've done by you
The damage you've caused to others is now beginning to manifest on your face.

Your money in masses can go with your ashes alone with you Like you always do
You prioritize wealth over all else, even in death, and have always lived this way.

This pile of bones was last week's crowd You walked with your lower surface Your feet touched the ground For more low sounds, for more low sounds Like you always do
The people you have used and discarded in the past are now just a pile of bones. You walked among them without a care, always seeking more opportunities for exploitation.

Child kitchen play like you finally got into the sweets Now there goes your teeth Skinny chicken beak pecking into a filth street Like it's oil that it wanted to eat
Your childish desire for sweets and indulgence has led to you losing something precious (your teeth). You are like a small, helpless chicken pecking at things that are harmful to you.

Lost in a surface hole burdied down so low You can smell the flowers right from where they grow We got nickels on how long the show will go for
You are trapped in a shallow existence, cut off from the beauty and wonder of the world around you. Others are betting on how long you will continue to put on a false show of success and happiness.

It's blood, it's blood Your beast of a heart It's blood, it's blood Siphening more blood
You are a heartless creature fueled only by the blood of others. You take and take, never satisfied.

You beast, you beast Taking more wet dirt sound than you need It's blood, it's blood Touting your catch as if it tried to get away
You are a greedy monster, consuming more than you require, and pretending your victims were a challenge to catch.

The blood stained teeth you bare Showing a lot more than you care And I will be in small towns I will be in many towns
Your bloodstained teeth betray your true nature, despite your attempts to conceal it. The artist will be there to witness your deceit in all the places you go.

Though these hills they roll They soon will fall Though these hill they roll They will become nothing
The hills may appear strong and enduring, but they too will eventually crumble and fade away. All things are impermanent, including those who seek to live a life of exploitation and greed.

Contributed by Caden M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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