Turn the Knife, born in NYC, was the workings of Tom Mullen who needed an o… Read Full Bio ↴Turn the Knife, born in NYC, was the workings of Tom Mullen who needed an outlet from music after his previous band Halifax Code disbanded. Halifax Code released a song on the Deep Elm Records comps Emo Diaries and in turn met Francis Garcia who was doing a solo career in NYC as Drive Til Morning and also appeared on the same compilation. Tom and Francis became friends after Halifax Code broke up and turned into Robbers on High Street. Francis and Tom played many shows together and he also played with Kevin Devine and Adam Dove (Chamberlain) while he lived in NYC. After moving out of NYC, Turn the Knife disbanded and the songs were never released commercially.

The Summer
Turn The Knife Lyrics

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You seemed to say it all
Stops me right here, at the tracks
One month gone of my heart
Fell for it again, kept hanging on

Will it ever equal love?

A boy in b and a girl in p

And you left your heart in me
One day i'll figure it out

Slightly not there, you release the news
Kept sad by her
Over a dinner, i hold in the tears
I want to walk somewhere...home

Will it ever equal love?

A boy in b and a girl in p
And you left your heart in me.
One day i'll figure it out

Until then i'll stop being a friend.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "The Summer" focuses on the complexity of love in romantic relationships that often leave people wondering where they stand. The first line, "You seemed to say it all, stops me right here at the tracks," suggests that the singer has reached a crossroads in their relationship where they are unsure of the other person's intentions. They have invested one month into the relationship and the singer has fallen in love again despite their doubts. They are left wondering if their investment will ever equal love.

The second verse highlights the dynamic between the two partners. The line, "A boy in b and a girl in p and you left your heart in me" suggests that the two have had different experiences in life and are in different stages of emotional availability. It also signifies a power imbalance in the relationship where one is more invested than the other. The singer appears to be holding out hope in the face of this power imbalance, saying they will figure it out eventually.

The third verse suggests that the relationship may not have progressed as the singer had hoped. The line, "Over a dinner, I hold in the tears, I want to walk somewhere...home" suggests that the singer is struggling to keep it together in the face of disappointing news from the other partner. They know that they need to let go but are struggling to do so. The closing line, "Until then, I'll stop being a friend," implies that it is too difficult to maintain a friendship while harboring romantic feelings.

Overall, "The Summer" is a poignant reflection on the pain of unrequited love, uncertainty, and the struggle to let go.

Line by Line Meaning

You seemed to say it all
You expressed everything you needed to say

Stops me right here, at the tracks
It halts me in my journey, making me feel stuck

One month gone of my heart
A month has passed since my heartache

Fell for it again, kept hanging on
I fell in love again and held onto it despite the pain

Will it ever equal love?
Will it ever evolve into true love?

A boy in b and a girl in p
A boy in blue and a girl in pink

And you left your heart in me
You entrusted me with your heart

One day i'll figure it out
One day I will find an answer or a solution

Slightly not there, you release the news
You disclosed the news in a somewhat hesitant way

Kept sad by her
I felt upset because of her