Lyrics for Particle Man as interpreted by Irrational

Particle Man Lyrics
Particle man, particle man
Doing the things a particle can
What's he like?
It's not important
Particle man
Is he a dot, or is he a speck?
When he's underwater
does he get wet?
or does the water get him instead?
Nobody knows
Particle man

Triangle man, Triangle man
Triangle man hates particle man
They have a fight
Triangle wins
Triangle man

Universe man, Universe man
Size of the entire universe man
usually kind to smaller man
Universe man
He's got a watch with a minute hand
millennium hand and an eon hand
when they meet it's a happy land
Powerful man, universe man

Person man, person man
hit on the head with a frying pan
lives his life in a garbage can
Person man
is he depressed or is he a mess?
does he feel totally worthless?
who came up with person man?
degraded man, person man

Triangle man, triangle man
triangle man hates person man
they have a fight
triangle wins
triangle man

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  • 39 Comments
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JamesD
04-17-2002

Rated 0 
TMBG rule as we all know. This song tells the story of a few types of people but whether your big or small no-one really gives a damn. Triangle man illustrates the restrictions, boundaries and protocols we all follow. (Or just the combined power of Foster & Allan, these irish folk singers could kill us all!)

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EmothicA
04-29-2002

Rated 0 
haha i completely agree! although, i feel tmbg are genious's in desguise!

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namingway
05-01-2002

Rated 0 
It's been suggested to me that the different "men" in this song represent different social forces - science, religion (the triangle for the Trinity), fate and the common man - and the conflicts between them (and how the common man always gets crapped on, no matter who's fighting or who wins). However, I think this is just one way to listen to this song - I like to listen to it and think of absurd, melodramatic pro wrestler personas. (Or is that personae?)

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Linoge
06-04-2002

Rated 0 
It seems like everyone has a different story for what this songs means:

http://www.tmbg.org/band-info/songs/interp/ParticleMan.html

But that's the greatest part about this song: so simple, yet so deep at the same time.

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belthazar
06-18-2002

Rated 0 
...i think this song is about a guy made of particles... a guy with a head shaped like a triangle... a really, really big guy... and also a really plain guy whom no one loves... don't try and look too deep intot his song... your head will hurt.

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thinkitbeit
07-09-2002

Rated 0 
lol this was on Animaniacs shown like that belthazar. Namingway that's an awesome thought....I never took the time to think about it before, but if they are thinking that much into it they rule even more!

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FloggingMolly
07-09-2002

Rated 0 
isn't this a cover song? I know another band (The Bobs) does an accapella version, but i think they wrote it. I could be wrong though, it's a great song. I love Tiny Toons.

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soul never ignorant
07-15-2002

Rated 0 
Okay people...they're just screwing around! I agree with belthazar...don't look into this song too much or you're head will hurt. So there!

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simiankolya
09-24-2002

Rated 0 
namingway is right! Particle Man represents microscopic theoretical constructs, Universe Man represents huge theoretical constructs, and Triangle Man represents the church and its attempts to stifle logic-based explanations of the laws of Nature. Person Man is the poor individual trapped between these views, and Triangle Man not only hates Particle Man for going against what the church teaches, he also hates Person Man because the church often wants to dumb down and control the people (in the most extreme cases anyway).

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c.f
03-10-2003

Rated 0 
first off...floggingmolly....tmbg definatley wrote particle man, not the Bobs, im a fan of both and trust me i know. Ive read lots of different theories about this song including the ones at the site Linoqe listed above. Everything from the holy trinity to the pathagory therom.....there are so many ways to interperet this song....and triangles....that it almost seems that Tmbg just wrote this song so that everyone could make their own little theories......wenever i get bored in class i always make little cartoon drawings of particle man triangle man universe man person man ect......and educate people with it on TMBG ....awsoem tune

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Myoria
04-23-2003

Rated 0 
First of all, you shouldn't take TMBG's lyrics so seriously. Second of all I've been to one of their concerts, and THEY said they wrote "Partical Man" when they were children.

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dude86
05-08-2003

Rated 0 
wow, seriously, i mean i listend to that song with my broter and we loved it, in a STUPID way, my opinion is, you are either drunk or stoned, so i think its ridiculous to put a deeper thinking in there... ok maybe when you're stoned and drunk yourself it might make sense to you but it's only meant to be a funny song,
c'mon guys!

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scheisse
06-13-2003

Rated 0 
myoria - do you always take TMBG seriously when they say something?

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Myoria
06-22-2003

Rated 0 
No! That is what I am trying to tell you! Don't take TMBG seriously, or you'll end up on an overdose of asprin for a throbbing head. ^^
I HAVE been to their concert, and that is what they said, IN PERSON.

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gakinmiff
05-07-2004

Rated 0 
I believe the first three "men" listed are in ascending order of dimensional complexity. The point, the plane and the time/space omniverse. Person man cannot see beyond himself, living his life in confined area that seeks no positive inputs only negative waste.
The question, "who came up with person man?" is made not by the narrator, but by the person itself. This is why it is hated. Just like the particle asking about its relevance to other things. The question is inherently juvenile. These things are what they are. Universe man knows his place. Traingle man knows what he is. The better question for person man is how do I be?

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KattHikarioftheTurks
10-09-2004

Rated 0 
I bet Universe man could kick Triangle man's ass -- especially if Triangle man tried to hassle Smaller man.

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AlienMaybe
10-18-2004

Rated 0 
Anyone ever read the comic book Watchmen? This song parallels the story so closely that it really makes me wonder. Those of you who have read it, think about it:

Particle Man = The Comedian
Triangle Man = Ozymandius
Universe Man = Dr. Manhatten
Person Man = Rorshach

The Comedian gets his ass kicked by Ozy at the beginning, Rorshach gets his ass kicked be Ozy at the end. Ozy has the whole Egyptian theme going on, what with a lot of pyramids and triangles and stuff. And Dr. Manhatten repaired watches as a hobby before he became a superhero.

It's probably a coincidence, but the parallels are interesting.

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uhhuh
11-06-2004

Rated 0 
Tiny Toon Adventures!

Particle Man = Plucky duck...

Probably one of the best moments of that cartoon...

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JeffKaos71
11-24-2004

Rated 0 
Tiny Toons video here! ------->

http://www.milkandcookies.com/keywords/tmbg

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kachingo
03-12-2005

Rated 0 
I thought they said they wrote this song about the book Flatland. Which like gakinmiff said the characters represent different dimensions.

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rgforest
03-18-2005

Rated 0 
Hey everybody!!! Flatland is so old it's in the public domain! Look it up on the net (Project Gutenberg has two copies) and we'll all listen for the collective DOH! when you "get" it.

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awsomo3000
04-10-2005

Rated 0 
Geez why does everybody try to analize tmng songs like this. I dont think this song has any real meaning its just a cool fun song. Lighten everybody.
PEACE TO YOU ALL!!

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NQArbuckle
05-05-2005

Rated 0 
there is no possible way this song (and many othe TMBG songs) can exist without some deeper meaning. it's a cool and fun and novelty song, but seriously. there's a lot of philosophical analysis behind this song for a reason: it's probably meant to be picked apart.
it doesn't matter what it's about though. art is subject to interpretation so you can think of this song any way you want.

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beau99
05-27-2005

Rated 0 
The two Johns have always said that Robert Mitchum was the inspiration for the "Triangle Man" character.

Dunno if that helps or not...

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WavinGerbs
06-17-2005

Rated 0 
Why are so many people opposed to analysing this song? My conclusion is that they are all freemasons, bent on keeping secret the hidden universal truths within Particle Man.

It interesting to hear the opinions of those that actually have them. I always thought of this song as a social criticism, how triangle man beats down on those 'inferior' to him, yet keeps away from universe man who could obviously kick his ass. And how person man is unhappy because he recognises the sitution he is in. Of course, nothing bothers particle man.

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