Off the Cuff
Wovenhand Lyrics

The lyrics to Wovenhand's song "Off The Cuff" are enigmatic, as the band's lyrics often are. The first verse seems to speak of a desire for something that cannot be attained, a longing for a vision to help the singers' "hardened hearts" beat. The sense of being unable to see or think in the light or heat seems to suggest a certain discomfort with the world, or at least a sense of disorientation. The second verse brings in some intriguing imagery, with "fingers on glass and a singing horn" adding a touch of surrealism. The line about "the oldest peacock ever born" could be a reference to something specifically known to the singer, or it could again simply be an unusual image meant to convey the sense of being in a strange, somewhat unsettling world.

The chorus, by contrast, has a much more direct and positive tone. The "she" and "he" referred to seem to be embodiments of natural elements, perhaps a feminine spirit of water and a masculine spirit of love and spirit. The sense of connection to these elemental forces is palpable, with the singer asking for the wind to bring them close so they can hear it. The final verse brings in some more concrete, disturbing images, with talk of machines and crude minds. The line "one of their number" suggests a group mentality or a sense of being part of a larger organization, but it's unclear exactly what this group might be or what their aims are. The repeated phrase "we bring our best machine" lends a certain ominous quality to the verse, with the suggestion that the machines are somehow necessary for the singer's survival or success. Overall, the lyrics to "Off The Cuff" paint a vivid, somewhat unsettling picture of a world that is both beautiful and dangerous, a place where the natural and the technological collide in strange and unexpected ways.