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IDLES - The Wheel Meaning

Updated: Mar 18

Idles The Wheel Review 


The Wheel by IDLES starts with a desperate plea, the singer is on their knees, begging their mother with a bottle in hand. IDLES plead for another chance, but are told that their brother is missed. The chorus is a mournful cry of "hallelujah," sung repeatedly as the singer expresses their despair. The second verse describes the singer being lost and alone, with no one around them. The chorus returns, even more mournful than before. The bridge offers a glimmer of hope, with the singer saying that they are "learning how to swim." The chorus returns one last time, but this time it sounds more defiant, as if the singer is starting to find their strength.


The Wheel is a powerful and moving exploration of grief, loss, and hope. Joe Talbotts raw emotion is palpable, and the lyrics are both poetic and relatable. The music is dark and atmospheric, but it also has a driving energy that keeps the song moving forward. Overall, IDLES - THE WHEEL is a powerful and moving song that is sure to stay with you long after you've heard it.


What Makes The Wheel So Special?

The Wheel is one of my favourite IDLES songs, it’s got this swing sort of beat and rhythm to it that helps it carry this gusto. Get this into your running playlist when it kicks into the chorus and the fuzzed effects here are easy to gas you up. 


Some of the key elements of the song that make it so powerful are the singer's raw emotion, the relatable lyrics, and the dark and atmospheric music. The song is also very well-crafted, with a clear structure and a strong sense of momentum. If you're looking for a song that will move you, then IDLES - THE WHEEL is definitely worth checking out.


Listen To IDLES The Wheel




IDLES The Wheel Meaning 


In IDLES' song "The Wheel,"  the titular symbol stands for the relentless cycle of addiction. The opening lines highlight the destructive choice between substance abuse and a better life with "a bottle in one hand...it's one or the other". The repeated phrase, "And so it turns again and again," drives home the inescapable feeling of being trapped in this vicious cycle. The mother's "crippled stance" hints at the wider impact of addiction, echoing the singer's own pain and suggesting how the "wheel" affects entire families.


The "wheel" continues to represent the losses caused by addiction in the second verse.  The missing "dog," "friends," "family," and "job" illustrate the sacrifices made as the "wheel" continues its destructive course. The return of "my man" with a "bag in his hand" furthers the idea that the cycle feeds itself, trapping the singer and perhaps others in its path. The singer's disorientation, highlighted by the seagulls and a lost sense of time, represent the confusion and disconnection wrought by the 'wheel' of addiction.


The pleading for a "Hallelujah" suggests a longing to break free from the "wheel." The use of "users" suggests the singer identifies a community trapped in the same cycle. However, by the song's end, those pleads for a "Hallelujah" become more defiant, hinting at the will to fight. The "wheel" represents the inescapable force of addiction, but the defiant ending  implies a struggle to reclaim power and halt those endless revolutions.



IDLES The Wheel Lyrics


[Verse 1]

I got on my knees

And I begged my mother

With a bottle in one hand

It's one or the other

And so it turns

Again and again


She woke from her slumber

With a crippled stance

She said she missed my brother

And wanted one more chance

And so it turns

Again and again


The wheel


[Pre-Chorus]

And so, it turns

And so, it turns


[Chorus]

Can I get a hallelujah?

The one from the back, now

Can I get a hallelujah?

Can I get a hallelujah?

I hear it from the back, now

Can I get a hallelujah?



[Verse 2]

So, I put up a poster

Saying "where's my dog?"

"My friends, my family, my job?" (Hey!)


Nobody turnеd back now

Except for my man

With a mournful pious grin

And a bag in his hand

And so it turns

Again and again


And then the sеagulls found me

I couldn't tell what year

But with no one around me

The motion was clear

And so it turns

Again and again


The wheel


[Pre-Chorus]

And so it turns

And so it turns


[Chorus]

Can I get a hallelujah?

I hear it from the back now

Can I get a hallelujah?

Can I get a hallelujah

Hear it for the users?

Can I get a hallelujah?


[Outro]

Can I get a hallelujah?

Can I hear it from the back now?

Can I get a hallelujah?

Hey!


Can I get a hallelujah?

Can I get a hallelujah?

Can I get a hallelujah?


IDLES TANGK Has Just Released!

IDLES have released their brand new album TANGK and we love it at Stay Free Radio. Check out our analysis of the following:


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