Arctic Monkeys

Released: June 6, 2011

Songwriter: Alex Turner

Producer: James Ford

[Verse 1]
I etched the face of a stopwatch on the back of a raindrop
And did a swap for the sand in an hourglass
I heard an unhappy ending, it sort of sounds like you leaving
I heard the piledriver waltz, it woke me up this morning

[Chorus]
You look like you've been for breakfast at the heartbreak hotel
And sat in the back booth by the pamphlets
And the literature on how to lose
Your waitress was miserable and so was your food
If you're gonna try and walk on water
Make sure you wear your comfortable shoes

[Verse 2]
Mysteries flashing amber go green when you answer
But the red on the rest of the questionnaire never changes
I heard the news that you're planning
To shoot me out of a cannon
I heard the piledriver waltz, it woke me up this morning

[Chorus]
You look like you've been for breakfast at the heartbreak hotel
And sat in the back booth by the pamphlets
And the literature on how to lose
Your waitress was miserable and so was your food
If you're gonna try and walk on water
Make sure you wear your comfortable shoes

[Outro]
Oh-oh, oh-oh
Piledriver

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.

more tracks from the album

Suck It and See

From the album

Suck It and See (2011)

Arctic Monkeys popular songs

Piledriver WaltzArctic Monkeys

Arctic Monkeys

Suck It and See