Machine Head Release Anti-Valentine’s Day Song ‘Circle the Drain’

Machine Head have just released a new “anti-Valentine’s Day song” for the new decade. “Circle the Drain” is inspired by an acquaintance of frontman Robb Flynn, who came home from fighting in Afghanistan only to have his relationship fall apart with his partner.

The track is another non-album cut from Machine Head, joining “Do or Die” as the band’s most recent offering. As for the song’s concept, Flynn explains, “She had messed around on him, then got paranoid about him messing around on her, and drove him crazy. We had a conversation on Valentine's Day and he said to me, 'They were just circling the drain…' The phrase struck me. A few days later, I incorporated it into the song I'd been working on."

Flynn continues, ”It was a strange parallel with my life at the time, having recently had two band members quit, and even more bizarrely, two long-time couple friends of my wife and I, also divorced. It was breakup season, and it played out with friends taking sides, people not being invited to certain events anymore, social and emotional pressure, and all the typical stuff that happens when a relationship goes bad … If the day ever comes when your life goes awry, this song will be a lifeline for you, something to help pull you up out of that dark place.”

Check out the lyrics to “Circle the Drain” below via Genius:

[Chorus]
I needed to start running away
We're no good, it's me I'm trying to save
Treading water, we're just numbing the pain
Spinning round as we circle the drain
Pick the pieces up and turn it around
I bring the hammer down

[Verse 1]
Somehow I couldn't say to you, the things to make it right
The words just came out wrong and then we'd end up in a fight
'Cause I guess I fucked up, messed this luck up
And I blame myself
But man, I gotta let it go
Take a shot and let it roll
Then I can almost clear my head
'Til I'm alone laying in bed
Thinking
Get the fuck away from me
Get the fuck away from me
Get the fuck away from me
Get the fuck away

[Chorus]
I needed to start running away
We're no good, it's me I'm trying to save
Treading water, we're just numbing the pain
Spinning round as we circle the drain
Pick the pieces up and turn it around
I bring the hammer down

[Verse 2]
Between the cocaine and the lies
The truth and alibis
Excuses don't mean anything when tears run down our eyes
All I do is remember, last September
Sitting in your car
And hearing "Man, I gotta go"
And I wish it wasn't so
But we were circling the drain
But we were circling the drain
Just can't change
Get the fuck away from me
Get the fuck away from me
Get the fuck away from me
Get the fuck away

[Chorus]
I needed to start running away
We're no good, it's me I'm trying to save
Treading water, we're just numbing the pain
Spinning round as we circle the drain
Pick the pieces up and turn it around
I bring the hammer

[Bridge]
Get the fuck away from me
Get the fuck away from me
Get the fuck away from me
Get the fuck away
Get the fuck away from me
Get the fuck away from me
Get the fuck away from me
Get the fuck away, come on

[Final Chorus]
I needed to start running away
I'm no good, it's me I'm trying to save
Treading water, we're just numbing the pain
Spinning round as we circle the drain

We needed to start running away
We're no good, we were just trying to save
Treading water, we're just numbing the pain
Spinning round as we circle the drain
Pick the pieces up and turn it around
And bring the hammer down
Bring the hammer down

At the end of 2019, Flynn revealed he had seven new songs written for Machine Head’s follow-up to Catharsis. Flynn also recorded a solo album of covers with various friends and musicians.

Listen to Machine Head’s newest track, “Circle the Drain,” in the player below.

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