haphazardly tumbling hard
fall right down laugh out loud
all in the scheme of things
we're all looking up growing tall

(it's like pulling one hair)
you are what you are to me
(with wet fingers)
in my eyes you're a star
(petroleum jelly)
you're something I'll never be
(and watch the rain dance)
you're something I'm frightened of

I've got to get clean
the rain will cleanse me
and I've got to wash these filthy hands

because it's all just a futile plan
that'd mean I'd have to believe again
it's like a career to breathe
an existence I can't conceive
emotionless as in slug
in my imagined oblivion

You would swear
(it's as much fun)
that I could walk and talk
(as poking at a nerve)
but I doubt you will ever
(no one wants to fail)
vocabulary test
(but no one wants to work)
is graded on a curve
ever prove enough
(smartest kid is stupid)
(word is never heard)
I doubt you'll ever prove it!

I've got to get clean
the rain will cleanse me
(I doubt you'll ever prove it!)
and I've got to wash these filthy hands

all these thoughts and feelings
are for naught unappealing
so you expect them to dull and fade
still they remain

caught
waiting for the
rain
time devours life

with my soul as the defendant
don't catch me if I fall
I may have jumped
you never know
you don't know me at all



Lyrics submitted by Royal77, edited by sinrise

Track duration: 05:23


These Filthy Hands song meanings
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18 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment:ok i dug up this cd in my attic! i popped it in & liked it as if i was listening to it for the 1st time! def one of my favorites. only one that i like just a little bit better because its the song that introduced them to me to begin with is Solitaire/Unraveling. XX is their BEST album to date & in this fan's opinion, it cannot be topped by them.

    I stopped listening to them after J Mann left. He got me to like them with his loud lyrics, something i extremely rarely like. in fact, i think i only like it when he does it lol.

    now, someone please re-arrange these lyrics. when u listen to the song, u know who J Mann is (the loud one) & the other guy (forgot his name) is. but when reading these lyrics, it's hard to keep up with the song because i just try to sing J Mann's stuff but the other guy's lyrics is a little distracting to read as it's in the way. Just put J Mann's name & under it, his lyrics so i know where to read. thanks.
    Flag deathvalleyon February 06, 2011   Link
  • 0
    Lyric Correction:haphazardly, tumbling hard
    fall right down, laugh out loud
    all in the scheme of things
    we're all looking up growing tall

    it's like pulling one hair
    you are what you are to me
    with wet fingers
    in my eyes you're a star

    petroleum jelly

    you're something I'll never be
    and watch the rain dance
    you're something, I'm frightened of
    I've got to get clean

    the rain will cleanse me
    and I've got to wash
    these filthy hands

    because it's all just a futile plan
    that'd mean I'd have to believe again
    it's like a career to breathe
    an existence I can't conceive

    emotionless as in slug
    in my imagined oblivion

    it's as much fun as poking at a nerve
    you would swear, that I could, walk and talk

    no one wants to fail
    but no one wants to work
    but I doubt you will ever

    vocabulary test is graded on a curve
    ever prove enough
    smartest kid is stupid
    word is never heard
    I doubt you'll ever prove it!

    I've got to get clean
    the rain will cleanse me
    and I've got to wash these filthy hands
    all these thoughts and feelings are for naught
    unappealing so you expect them to dull and fade
    still they remain

    caught waiting for the rain
    time devours life
    with my soul as the defendant
    don't catch me if I fall
    I may have jumped
    you never know
    you don't know me at all
    Flag cybornon June 14, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Definately my favorite mushroomhead song.
    Flag XxSPRIGLExXon September 09, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:i LOVE J Mann. He's what got me interested and eventually love this band. Wish he didnt leave. Read that he's gonna be involved with at least 1 song in their next album. I have their XX album & my 2 favorite songs from there are These Filty Hands & Solitaire Unraveling because of J Mann & the music. The other vocalist is good 2. The Solitaire music video is awesome & very creative, a true work of art. All of te band member's appearences in the video are very well done & creative. Love J MAnn's appearences very much, especially when e is seen screaming the word "Pilot".
    Flag deathvalleyon June 28, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I believe that this song could be about any of those "Afriad to approach someone" interpretations. However, I think that the way they theme this song, that the song is about people who love and watch children in a sick and unusual way. People like this usually have mental problems and consider the child theirs, and so forth, hurt, exploit or psychologically hurt that child. However, the song puts this in the perspective of someone who is conscious of they're doings, so, the person must either be wishing they could be near that child or person, or have already hurt that person and are depending on "God" to cleanse them of their sins. They also are lazy and do not want to commit themselves to God as they would have do good things and live in fear of the consequences of their actions, as depicted in the lines, "because it's all just a futile plan that'd mean I'd have to believe again it's like a career to breathe an existence."

    Anyway, that's my take on the song.
    -Darkness Eternal
    Flag GregTheGooseon July 17, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:To me, this song is pretty much how someone can become so fake when the limelight is placed upon them, and how we just laugh, while never being in their shoes. "Its like pulling one hair with wet fingers" You grab harder and harder, trying to latch onto the feelings they have, but its pointless, you have to take everyone with you, take out a chunk of hair. "Because its all just a futile plan...Like a career to breathe" This states how hard it can be to be so huge, so much pressure, you hardly have room to breathe and escape the media. As silly as it sounds, thats what it sounds like. Trying to wash your hands of past guilt before you ever became big.
    Flag joeynobodyon February 19, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:i would venture to say that it is a combination of Ceric's and the_hob's interpretations, that it is about a formerly (or presently) drug addicted person that likes a girl, but feels that he is too weak to approach her himself, so he just masterbates.
    Flag voreaphiliaon March 20, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Its obviously about recovery from drug addiction.... "because its all just a futile plan" - recovery seems hopeless in the eyes of an addict
    "That'd mean i'd have to believe again" - reffering to 12 step programs where the best advice is to find a higher power
    "I'ts like a career to breathe" - recovery changes nearly every aspect of life
    "An existence i can't conceive" - most heavy users started at a young age, and drugs are all they know. A life without them seems "crazy"
    "Emotionless as in slug" - people in recovery go through withdraw in which one of the effects numbs emotion
    "With my imagined oblivion" - when an addict is sober, memorys from when he was using seem like a dream....or rather oblivion.

    With that in mind, perhapse you can discect the rest of the song on your own =P
    Flag Cericon December 15, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:dunno what it means,
    but it kicks major feckin ass
    indeed it does
    peace out you all
    Flag MinionVarchildon December 07, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Hey The_Hobs, I'd never come up with that interpretation, but in some weird kind of way it might fit. Still, there's so much in it, I just can't make sense of. Like a lotta thoughts bouncing about, richochetting and intertwining, and all... I also thought about what born4of3desire wrote, and there is something to that explanation as well. Well, lyrics_r_meaningful, the lyrics were certainly meaningful to that guy who gave you the cd. This is so romantic, how it helped him to finally get in touch w/ you. It might well be that _both_ interpretations sort of came together in his case. I mean, what else could he do before you two got together. And he probably did blame himself for not finding the strength to tell you that he loved you... Anyway, I just love that song, although I haven't figured all of it out for myself as yet (and probably never will). But the piano part is just great, and the way it first seems chaotic but everything together just comes out fine once you've gotten to know it a bit.
    Flag Lepra Messiason April 09, 2005   Link

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