Thumbscrews

Album: Shot (1996)
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Songfacts®:

  • A thumbscrew is a torture device. The Jesus Lizard frontman David Yow wrote this song about his landlord, who was giving him problems. In the song, Yow envisions torturing this guy:

    We will get the thumbscrews
    And put him in his place
    Leave a great big hole
    Where he used to keep his face


    In our interview with Yow, he explained that the landlord started out "a really, really swell guy," but he quickly turned on him. "He went from being kind of a friend to an enemy," Yow said. "That song and 'Good Riddance,' which was also on the same record, were written about that guy."

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