(Intersperse with insanely addictive riff for best results.)

His eyes were heavy
He carried a card
One couple question
The other discharged
Terror couple kill colonel
in his West German home
Three shots from three feet
Dragged himself to the phone

Terror couple kill colonel
Terror couple kill colonel
(...etc...)





-Bauhaus, from In The Flat Field (1980)

And here, apparently, is the story behind this cryptic song. The revolutionary German Red Army Faction, led by the "terror couple" of Ulrike Meinhof and Andreas Baader, bombed a United States Army headquarters in Frankfurt on May 11, 1972.

Lieutenant Colonel Paul Bloomquist was in the officer's mess when the explosion hit. A shard of glass flew from the shattered window and embedded itself in Bloomquist's throat. He lay mortally wounded on the floor, unable to staunch the blood gushing from his jugular vein. It's doubtful that he was the target of the attack; he just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, the only fatality among many lesser injuries inflicted by three pipe bombs.

Bauhaus took plenty of liberties with the lyrics, but this has got to be the origin.

Thanks to Igloowhite for pointing me in the right direction on this one.

Log in or register to write something here or to contact authors.