Arctic Monkeys

Released: August 19, 2009

Songwriter: Alex Turner

Producer: Josh Homme

[Verse 1]
Trudging through the morning
The tramp with the trampoline under his arm
Shifts past your whiskers, so stark is the charm
But the barking alarm waits coiled 'til the corner is turned
And the bicycle wheels all struggle to move 'round
In your muddy mind, blatantly caked and
Unwilling to wind uncooperative time
So he sits on the springs 'til the muck goes dry

[Chorus]
All the pretty visitors came and waved their arms
And cast the shadow of a snake pit on the wall
All the pretty visitors came and waved their arms
And cast the shadow of a snake pit on the

[Verse 2]
What came first, the chicken or the dickhead?
Split sleep reaps rewards from ill fitting thoughts
And twilight forced you to go on a walk
Your legs start running and your head gets caught
Canopy 19 is perfectly placed
For the reasonably frightening fall from the aftertaste
You'll have to slip away, I am unhappy to say
Behold as the crook in the hammock plays

[Chorus]
All the pretty visitors came and waved their arms
And cast the shadow of a snake pit on the wall
All the pretty visitors came and waved their arms
And cast the shadow of a snake pit on the wall

[Bridge]
Behold as a crook in the hammock plays
Cruelly with the base and the scales
And fiddles with her feet on a balancing act
Gagged, bound and crafting a tale
Trailing wrapped in a gasp
Cruelly with the base and the scales
And fucking fiddles with her feet on a balancing act
She was gagged, bound and crafting a tale
Trailing wrapped in a gasp

[Chorus]
All the pretty visitors came and waved their arms
And cast the shadow of a snake pit on the wall
All the pretty visitors came and waved their arms
And cast the shadow of a snake pit on the wall

Arctic Monkeys are an English rock band formed in 2002 in High Green, a suburb of Sheffield, England. The band consists of Alex Turner (lead vocals, rhythm/lead guitar), Matt Helders (drums, vocals), Jamie Cook (lead/rhythm guitar) and Nick O'Malley (bass, backing vocals). Former band member Andy Nicholson (bass guitar, backing vocals) left the band in 2006 shortly after their debut album was released. Their sound has changed extensively from album to album, gradually evolving from raw, youthful post-punk revival music to R ‘n’ B and jazz-inspired experiments.

All four original members of the band were devoted fans of hip-hop when they were younger, a genre that would have an immense influence on their later work, but it was the sound of The Strokes and The Libertines that would help shape their early style. The Arctic Monkeys became one of the first bands to find fame and recognition purely through internet publicity and social media; the Arctics used to sell their demos CDs at a bar where Alex Turner used to work, but due to the limited number of CDs, their fans started to upload them on the internet.

Initially, they refused to sign a record contract with any label through fear that they would want the band to change their songs, going as far as to refuse scouts guaranteed entry into their gigs. However, they eventually signed with Domino because of the “do it yourself” attitude of founder, Lawrence Bell, who ran the label from his own house.

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