The song "Working for the Knife" is about the struggle of being an artist and trying to create something meaningful, but not receiving the recognition one desires. The speaker expresses feelings of disappointment and defeat as they continuously work for a goal that seems out of reach. It also expresses the idea that they have made the wrong choices in life that have ultimately led to their lack of success and their unfulfilled dreams. Ultimately, the song is an expression of the difficulty of being an artist and the need to keep striving for something greater despite all of the obstacles in the way.