Cornerstone Lyrics
I thought I saw you in the Battleship
But it was only a look-a-like
She was nothing but a vision trick
Under the warning light
She was close, close enough to be your ghost
But my chances turned to toast
When I asked her if I could call her your name
[Verse 2]
I thought I saw you in the Rusty Hook
Huddled up in a wicker chair
I wandered over for a closer look
And kissed whoever was sitting there
She was close, and she held me very tightly
'Til I asked awfully politely
"Please, can I call you her name?"
[Chorus]
And I elongated my lift home
Yeah, I let him go the long way round
I smelt your scent on the seatbelt
And kept my shortcuts to myself
[Verse 3]
I thought I saw you in the Parrot's Beak
Messing with the smoke alarm
It was too loud for me to hear her speak
And she had a broken arm
It was close, so close that the walls were wet
And she wrote it out in Letraset
"No, you can't call me her name"
Tell me, where's your hiding place?
I'm worried I'll forget your face
And I've asked everyone
I'm beginning to think I imagined you all along
[Chorus]
I elongated my lift home
Yeah, I let him go the long way round
I smelt your scent on the seatbelt
And kept my shortcuts to myself
[Verse 4]
I saw your sister in the Cornerstone
On the phone to the middle man
When I saw that she was on her own
I thought she might understand
She was close, well, you couldn't get much closer
She said, "I'm really not supposed to, but yes
You can call me anything you want"
About
“Cornerstone” is the seventh track of Arctic Monkeys’ 2009 release Humbug, and the second single to be released from the album.
The song has a straightforward narrative. The narrator visits several different pubs, and finds at each venue a woman who resembles the ex-lover he’s pining for. He approaches the women, but is repeatedly turned away when:
“I asked her if I could call her your name”
In an interview with NME, songwriter Alex Turner cited “Cornerstone” as one of the songs he’s most happy with, saying:
“‘Cornerstone’, maybe… it’s quite concise.”
This was reflected during Arctic Monkeys’ 2018 tour, where “Cornerstone” was performed at almost every concert.
In an interview with Uncut magazine, Turner shed some light on the writing process for “Cornerstone”, saying:
“I wrote ‘Cornerstone’ one morning, quite quickly. There’s something to be said for writing in the morning. At other points in the day you’re a bit more defensive. I saw it as a challenge to write something in a major key, but that wasn’t cheesy.”
Turner cites Yorkshire folk-pop artist Jake Thackray as an influence for “Cornerstone”. Thackray is known for his humorous and often sexually bizarre songs, as well as his affected vocals. With that reference in mind, it’s highly probable that the distinctive red polo neck sported by Turner in the music video for “Cornerstone” is to match the one worn by Thackray in this BBC Four broadcast of his song “Lah-Di-Dah”, the very song Turner mentions as a structural inspiration for “Cornerstone”.
Within the context of Humbug, “Cornerstone” is a musical diversion of sorts, thanks in part to its being written in a major key; a bright anomaly in a troupe of decidedly darker offerings.
Q&A
Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning
Turner cites Yorkshire folk-pop artist Jake Thackray as an influence for “Cornerstone”. Thackray is known for his humorous and often sexually bizarre songs, as well as his affected vocals. Turner said of Thackray:
“The way he pronounced things was hilarious.”
The song is almost certainly not based on a (completely) true story, judging by Turner’s discussion of it during interviews.
During Arctic Monkey’s 2018 tour, however, Turner made a running joke of pretending it was, occasionally throwing in anecdotes about the female character after performances:
“And all these years later, we’re all really good friends now, remarkably. It didn’t last with the sister. I think she married a chef.”
In the context of this song, it’s the name of the pub where the narrator meets his ex’s sister. But Cornerstone is also the name of a counseling center in Sheffield, which may hint that the narrator is unstable.
- 1.My Propeller
- 4.Secret Door
- 7.Cornerstone
- 12.Red Right Hand