Peaky Blinders S6: Here’s Why the Red Right Hand Track Is Missing

“Taking a walk to the edge of the town” from the lyrics of the Red Right Hand title track had become reminiscent of the muddy and coal-filled streets of Birmingham throughout the five seasons of Peaky Blinders.

The song is such an iconic part of Peaky Blinders that fans feel its absence quite loudly. At first, we just speculated that the song was removed to honor the memory of beloved Helen McCrory (Polly Grey) but that doesn’t seem to be the case.

As evident from the last 5 seasons, the genius Steven Knight took a well-thought decision of removing Red Right Hand to symbolize the growth of tunneler-turned-OBE Tommy “fooking” Shelby.

I mean who would doubt a guy who gave us Alfie Solomons, eh?

According to Steven Knight, the dark-toned Red Right Hand was symbolic of Tommy Shelby’s anti-hero character in seasons 1 through 5. Its absence, now, solidifies the change in his behavior, especially the sobriety and business-man approach.

I know it sounds crazy to think that Thomas Shelby has put down his glass of whiskey. Throughout five seasons, Peaky Blinders have just been smoking and drinking so much that a simple question “when does Tommy eat meals” sparked a massive Internet debate.

Regardless, it’s true that he has. And the reason for that is the great Aunt Polly.

With his wisest advisor and biggest support gone from his side, Tommy had to adapt and deal with his PTSD and internal dilemma. Like it or not, there’s no more Polly to smack sense into Thomas and ground him to reality.

But that’s not to say you won’t get to hear it ever again. It was briefly played in S6E2 after all. Additionally, Knight has promised a big twist in the series finale that will feature the song.

Red Right Hand’s Absence Explained (The Detailed Version)

Red Right Hand has a lot of meaning attached to it. In Nick Cave and the Bad Seed’s doubled-edged version, it talks about a person who embodies both the devil and a god, a rather elusive being on an ambiguous spectrum of morality and power.

This is a man who can help you actualize your most glorious dreams at a bloody, heavy cost.

Another reading of the phrase can be found in John Milton’s Paradise Lost where it first appears. Here it is about god’s right hand that deals out righteous vengeance.

These meanings have been quite apt for Tommy for the past five seasons, and as such, the song has appeared in his dramatic moments, in addition to the title card and end credits.

But S6’s Tommy isn’t the man we’ve seen before. He’s not a god, ghost, or guru. A businessman who sips on water? Sure. Just like the song was an integral way of describing Tommy in the past, right now its absence symbolizes the ways in which Tommy has changed.

But this begs the question, what will the song’s return symbolize for Tommy and the Shelby Family?

As it stands, the song making a comeback means only one thing: Tommy will revert back to his old ways. After all, he has been given a lot of reasons to do so. Tommy has lost Aunt Polly, his daughter Ruby, and his grand plan all in a matter of few episodes.

If nothing else, we know how much he hates fascists! The real question is—will this redeem him, empower him, or destroy him?

About Peaky Blinders

Peaky Blinders is a British period crime drama television series created by Steven Knight. Set in Birmingham, England, the series follows the exploits of the Shelby crime family and their leader Thomas Shelby (Cillian Murphy) in the direct aftermath of the First World War.

The fictional family is loosely based on a real urban youth gang of the same name, active in the city from the 1890s to the early 20th century. It stars Cillian Murphy, Sam Claflin, Aidan Gillen, Helen McCrory, Paul Anderson, Finn Cole, and Tom Hardy

Peaky Blinders season 6, which is also its last, will premiere on February 27 on BBC One.