Warren wanted a Beach Boys thing for this one, and Carl Wilson and Billy Hinsche came in, with Carl arranging the vocal parts. The other harmony vocalists (credited as the "Gentlemen Boys") were Jackson Browne, J.D. Souther, Zevon's longtime backers Waddy Wachtel and Jorge Calderon, and Linda Rondstadt/Stone Poneys guitarist Kenny Edwards.
Oh, Penelope
Are you filled with air?
Swallowed oxygen that make you float up?
Is it dropsy?
Where your lungs swell?
It's depressing me to see you struggle.
Oh, Penelope
Are you filled with air?
Swallowed oxygen that make you float up?
Is it dropsy?
Where your lungs swell?
It's depressing me to see you struggle.
I'm treading water with my oars
Glass galleons anchored, ocean's floor
I'm diving down with all my gear
In search of treasure, para me corazon
Take you to the forest.
Let you feel the raindrops falling down
Seeping through your red scales
Eliminate the faucet
Eliminate the need for water
Replace it with a safe shell
Don't want to see you floating upside down
On the top of the bowl when I come around to visit you
Don't want to see you floating upside down
No, girl
Need you there
Need you there
Need you there
Release that air
I'm treading water with my oars ( Release that air )
Glass galleons anchored, ocean's floor
I'm diving down with all my gear ( Release that air )
In search of treasure, para me corazon
Take you to the forest.
Let you feel the raindrops falling down
Seeping through your red scales
Eliminate the faucet
Eliminate the need for water
Replace it with a safe shell
If they summon the rains now
Are you gonna rise?
If they summon the rains now
Are you gonna rise?
Are you filled with air?
Swallowed oxygen that make you float up?
Is it dropsy?
Where your lungs swell?
It's depressing me to see you struggle.
Oh, Penelope
Are you filled with air?
Swallowed oxygen that make you float up?
Is it dropsy?
Where your lungs swell?
It's depressing me to see you struggle.
I'm treading water with my oars
Glass galleons anchored, ocean's floor
I'm diving down with all my gear
In search of treasure, para me corazon
Take you to the forest.
Let you feel the raindrops falling down
Seeping through your red scales
Eliminate the faucet
Eliminate the need for water
Replace it with a safe shell
Don't want to see you floating upside down
On the top of the bowl when I come around to visit you
Don't want to see you floating upside down
No, girl
Need you there
Need you there
Need you there
Release that air
I'm treading water with my oars ( Release that air )
Glass galleons anchored, ocean's floor
I'm diving down with all my gear ( Release that air )
In search of treasure, para me corazon
Take you to the forest.
Let you feel the raindrops falling down
Seeping through your red scales
Eliminate the faucet
Eliminate the need for water
Replace it with a safe shell
If they summon the rains now
Are you gonna rise?
If they summon the rains now
Are you gonna rise?
Lyrics submitted by fadedplasticflowers, edited by Nezumi
Penelope Lyrics as written by Wayne Shorter
Lyrics © Songtrust Ave, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Spirit Within
Bertoldi Brothers
Bertoldi Brothers
The Spy
Doors, The
Doors, The
Like a lot of the other comments are saying, I think this mainly about voyeurism. If the song was about his girlfriend, then why would he use the word spy. If you are a spy it means you shouldn't be caught, that is kind of the whole point, and if you are a voyeur, the whole point of the pleasure you get from it, is the fact that the other people don't know you are watching them. See a bit of a connection there?
Battle Royale
Word Alive, The
Word Alive, The
This song is def a twin to "Unfair" (a song she has been quoted as saying is about falling in love with someone who is already in a relationship) so it is presumably about the same person. Given the references to buying an apartment and not being able to see her love interest "after tonight," it's most likely that she's moving away and she'll "wait a day to break the bad news" (i.e. notifying him that she's leaving once she's already gone).
And, of course, the fact that she sees in him a fellow "idealist" and "dreamer" (terms commonly given to people with the INFP personality on the Myers–Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)) portends that she'll always be left wondering if they would've been perfect together.
Step
Ministry
Ministry
Both as a standalone and as part of the DSOTS album, you can take this lyric as read. As a matter of public record, Jourgensen's drug intake was legendary even in the 1980s. By the late 90s, in his own words, he was grappling with massive addiction issues and had lost almost everything: friends, spouse, money and had nearly died more than once. "Dark Side of the Spoon" is a both funny & sad title for an album made by a musical genius who was losing the plot; and this song is a message to his fans & friends saying he knows it. It's painful to listen to so I'm glad the "Keith Richards of industrial metals" wised up and cleaned up. Well done sir.
Holiday
Bee Gees
Bee Gees
@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday".
I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
A touching song about a man and his... goldfish. And yet it still kicks ass.