Sara wrote this song about her and Tegan’s past conflicts and the fights that they had in the early years of the band.
Talking to Glamour, the duo explained how the song came up:
“I didn’t necessarily set out to write those songs about Tegan,“ Sara explains. "I wanted to write about the struggles...
[Verse 1]
My life tethered like
Like a twin or a son
Scared to be severed right
Right before we begun
Doubled like a couple, we stood
Stood out in the light, light
Clutching each other like
Knuckles turned white, white
[Chorus]
I cried wolf
Howled it at the moon
So luck be damned
Break that mirror in two
I made us feel
Feel unlucky too
So luck be damned
Break that mirror in two
[Verse 2]
Our love twisted up
Like a chain or an eight
We square angles that
That always will ache
Excuses for the bruises we wear
Black and blue now, now
Breaking each other like
Knuckles in a fight, fight
[Chorus]
I cried wolf
Howled it at the moon
So luck be damned
Break that mirror in two
I made us feel
Feel unlucky too
So luck be damned
Break that mirror in two
[Bridge]
Cry, cry wolf
I don't know what this howling will prove
Cry, cry wolf
I don't know what I'm gon, what I'm gonna lose
Cry, cry wolf
I don't know what this howling will prove
Cry, cry wolf
I don't know what I'm gon, what I'm gonna lose
[Chorus]
I cried wolf
Howled it at the moon
So luck be damned
Break that mirror in two
I made us feel
Feel unlucky too
So luck be damned
Break that mirror in two
[Outro]
Cry, cry wolf
I don't know what this howling will prove
Cry, cry wolf
I don't know what I'm gon, what I'm gonna lose
Cry, cry wolf
I don't know what this howling will prove
Cry, cry wolf
I don't know what I'm gon, what I'm gonna lose
White Knuckles was written by Sara Quin & Tegan Quin.
White Knuckles was produced by Greg Kurstin.
Tegan and Sara released White Knuckles on Fri Jun 03 2016.