Songfacts®:

• In 2019, the marriage between Queens of the Stone Age frontman Josh Homme and Distillers frontwoman Brody Dalle reached a crossroads. After nearly 14 years, the fabric of their union unraveled. What followed was a harrowing chapter marred by accusations of violence, mutual restraining orders, and an emotionally draining battle over the custody of their three children.
  
  On "Paper Machete," Homme sings about his marriage breakdown.
• My love is dead
  You speak lioness and damsel in distress so fluently
  You sculpt, you change, you hide, then you erase
  
  "Paper Machete" is classic Queens of the Stone Age where Homme doesn't hold back. "Someone said it sounds very angry and yeah, it's OK for me to be angry and hurt once in a while, as long as that's not all you're running on," Homme told UK newspaper The Sun. "It can't be your only fuel. I'm honestly describing that emotion. And there's a lot of them on the record."
• You think you're brave? All the plans you made
  Behind my back and from far away
  Truth is, face to face, you're a coward
  Sharp as a paper machete
  
  "Paper Machete" is a wordplay on Papier-mâché, a blend of paper fragments and adhesive. In this context, it takes on a metaphorical twist, representing a weapon crafted from fragile paper sheets painstakingly glued together.
  
  This symbolic reference likely alludes to the complex dynamics between Josh Homme, Brody Dalle, and her boyfriend Gunner Foxx. In 2021, Foxx forged Dalle's signature on a restraining order petition against the singer regarding his kids. Homme was eventually awarded sole legal custody of their three children in March 2023.
  
  The choice of "Paper Machete" reflects the idea that those who exhibit superficial sharpness are ultimately feeble, their attempts at power and control proving futile in the face of true strength.
• Speaking with Consequence, Josh Homme delved into "Paper Machete" and its connections to Queens of the Stone Age's past tracks like "Little Sister" and "Regular John." Reflecting on this song's essence, Homme highlighted guitarist Troy Van Leeuwen's contribution. "Troy was saying, 'I'm going to do a lead that's the exact tone as 'Little Sister.'' I guess we call them cousins, like 'Little Sister' is related to 'Paper Machete' - and it's also related to our first song, 'Regular John,' all the way back," he said.
• Queens of the Stone Age's label, Matador Records, unveiled "Paper Machete" as the third single from In Times New Roman... on June 14, 2023. The album stands as a testament to Homme's resilience in the face of adversity, encapsulating a period defined by his cancer diagnosis, the loss of cherished friends, and the dissolution of his marriage. Homme draws strength from his pain and turmoil, creating some of the most intimate songs of his career.