Punches and Knives
Two Lone Swordsmen Lyrics


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The sound of new machines
Over the junkyard
Ease him into sleep
A bullet to the brain
Means that he drunk hard
Looking for the deep

A stranger he now knows
To be a countess
Wakes him with a start
And asks please take me home
To Daddy's address
You can have my heart

A stranger he now knows
To be unstable
Writhes with need and fears
A look of pure dirt
Across the table
Even so he hears

The alarm in his head
Moving into the red
Sounding like punches and knives

Hear the voices, they cry
It's likely you'll die
Pounded by punches and knives

The lady did not show
Her recognition
Of his firm replies
Just took control and moved
Into position
Sparks in magnet eyes

So with one simple no
It's the green light to go
What if the answer was so
A week's loving quite dark
And out goes the spark
Then she'd have finished with me

A stare he could see now
May signal violence
Should he make a move
A sweetly pleading smile
Prompts only silence
Got no point to prove
A stare he could now see
Went quite a distance

Hiding make-up tears
With loud and knowing tones




Of dark insistence
This is what he hears

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Two Lone Swordsmen's song Punches and Knives delves into the theme of unseen danger lurking around in human relationships. The singer is introduced to us in the first stanza as a person on the edge, seeking the thrill of the forbidden. The reference to the "new machines over the junkyard" is an allusion to the exciting but unpredictable situations that he is drawn to, even if it means "looking for the deep".


In the second stanza, the singer's impulsiveness leads him to engage with two strangers, a countess and an unstable woman. He is lured by their enticing charm and their requests for help. However, the hidden danger in their personalities is hinted at through lines like "A look of pure dirt across the table" or "her recognition of his firm replies, just took control and moved into position". These lines reflect the dangers of becoming involved with people who may not have our best interests at heart.


The chorus of the song further amplifies the sense of danger and violence lurking in the shadows. The repeated reference to "punches and knives" is a metaphor for the violent acts that might await the singer. The layers of sound, with the music imitating this violence, create tension, and apprehension in the sound space.


Line by Line Meaning

The sound of new machines
New technology hums in the background


Over the junkyard
Above a wasteland of discarded things


Ease him into sleep
He's trying to numb his mind


A bullet to the brain
His drinking is self-destructive


Means that he drunk hard
He's trying to escape reality


Looking for the deep
Searching for something profound


A stranger he now knows
He's meeting someone new


To be a countess
She's nobility


Wakes him with a start
He's jolted awake


And asks please take me home
She needs his help


To Daddy's address
Her father's house


You can have my heart
She's interested in him romantically


To be unstable
She seems emotionally troubled


Writhes with need and fears
She is craving something but is also afraid


A look of pure dirt
She appears desperate and dangerous


Across the table
They're face to face


Even so he hears
Despite this, he listens intently


The alarm in his head
He knows something is wrong


Moving into the red
The situation is escalating


Sounding like punches and knives
He's afraid for his safety


Hear the voices, they cry
He's hearing threatening voices


It's likely you'll die
He feels like his life is in danger


Pounded by punches and knives
He's envisioning a violent assault


The lady did not show
She's not reacting to him


Her recognition
She doesn't seem to know him


Of his firm replies
His assertiveness went unnoticed


Just took control and moved
She took charge of the situation


Into position
She's making a move


Sparks in magnet eyes
She has an intense, alluring gaze


So with one simple no
He's hesitant


It's the green light to go
But he agrees anyway


What if the answer was so
He's second-guessing his decision


A week's loving quite dark
A passionate but possibly dangerous romance


And out goes the spark
And then it fizzles out


Then she'd have finished with me
He's afraid of getting hurt


A stare he could see now
He's watching her closely


May signal violence
Her demeanor looks threatening


Should he make a move
He's unsure what to do next


A sweetly pleading smile
She's trying to charm him


Prompts only silence
But he's not responding


Got no point to prove
He doesn't need to show off


Hiding make-up tears
She's pretending to be strong


With loud and knowing tones
But he can tell she's not okay


Of dark insistence
She's demanding his attention


This is what he hears
He's hearing her desperation




Lyrics © Roba Music, BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC, Ultra Tunes
Written by: KEITH N TENNISWOOD, ANDREW WEATHERALL

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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