Please to bend down for the one called the Greenman
He wants to make you his bride
Please to bend down for the one called the Greenman
Forever to him you're tied

And you know for a million years he has been your lover
He'll be a million more
And you know for a million years he has been your lover
Down through the skin to the core

Heed the Greenman
Heed the Greenman

Please to dance round for the one called the Greenman
He wants to make you his child
Please to dance round for the one called the Greenman
Dressed in the fruits of the wild

And you know for a million years he has been your father
He'll be a million more
And you know for a million years he has been your father
Run to his arms at the door

Lay your head, lay your head, lay your head, lay your head on the Greenman
Lay your head, lay your head with mine
Lay your head, lay your head, lay your head, lay your head on the Greenman
Build a bed out of oak and pine

See the Greenman blow his kiss from high church wall
And unknowing church will amplify his call



Lyrics submitted by BlueAndStarry

Greenman Lyrics as written by Andy Partridge

Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

Greenman song meanings
Add Your Thoughts

7 Comments

sort form View by:
  • +2
    General Comment

    In the Apple Box booklet, Andy refers to this song as an homage to the male side of nature, whom he personifies as the "Greenman". His justification is that due to the trend in nature of there being opposite sexes/genders, Mother Nature must also have a partner/opposite coming from the other end of the spectrum that she comes from. Like many an XTC song, it's an appraisal for the rural/natural/wild/pastoral life.

    Great bloody tune as well. ;)

    The Distortedon October 04, 2006   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    the greenman is a carving on alot of scottish, english and welsh churches, pillars, and cathedrals. he also appears in a few other countries India, Italy and France. "see the greenman blow his kiss from high church wall/ an unkowing church will amplify his call"

    the carvings are all similar, a face within leaves and bark.

    Before I read about the carvings and stuff, I kind of always thought this song had to do with Islam. Green is the color of the religion. And it kind of had an arabian sound to it, I thought.

    kellyisadickslapon April 14, 2006   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    The Greenman is as others here have pointed out a pagan symbol of nature's fertile/masculine side. Its Andy's song of course, so it is written from the atheist pov and I don't know what Mayordperry is talking about - A cahnge of heart would imply Andy was questioning, when in fact this song, as does 'Dear God', demonstrates someone totally opposed to religion. Check the line; "see the greenman blow his kiss from the church wall". I love this part because he's saying, 'go one build your churches on top of what we should be worshiping: nature, but nature itself will in turn grow on your churches, and be there much much longer than any of those buildings.'

    The Greenman in folklore was a character that turned up in stories as a symbol of hope for good crops and fertile land, which pagans obviously held in highest regard. This song is a reminder of that tradition of worship, long since replaced with the religion (spits) and the father and lover references are beautiful descriptions of our natural world as essential to our birth, survival, learning and happiness, whereas religion only seems to create hatred and confusion.

    Totally magnificent song.

    lateleighon September 03, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    don't know what it means, but i know that the beat's pretty fantastic.

    pumkinhedon February 10, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I believe this song is an ecstatic embrace of nature, alluding to images of humans merging with nature in the artistic depictions of The Green Man in European churches. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_Man It's a great song, both whimsical and heavily drenched in spiritual meaning.

    zorbheadon May 15, 2016   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Well, in addition to the above pointing out that the green man is a male personification of nature, I think people are avoiding the obvious metaphor here. That is we are all tied to nature and, in essence, married to it. Like many a spouse, treat him right and he will reward you with a rich, bountiful harvest and good life. Be nasty and mean to him, and he will show his wrath, just like he's doing globally.

    quampon June 14, 2018   Link
  • -2
    General Comment

    Tough call - But compare the lyrics to "Greenman" with those of "Dear God" - Did someone have a change of heart?

    Maylordperryon March 03, 2006   Link

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

Album art
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
"Fast car" is kind of a continuation of Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run." It has all the clawing your way to a better life, but in this case the protagonist never makes it with her love; in fact she is dragged back down by him. There is still an amazing amount of hope and will in the lyrics; and the lyrics themselve rank and easy five. If only music was stronger it would be one of those great radio songs that you hear once a week 20 years after it was released. The imagery is almost tear-jerking ("City lights lay out before us", "Speeds so fast felt like I was drunk"), and the idea of starting from nothing and just driving and working and denigrating yourself for a chance at being just above poverty, then losing in the end is just painful and inspiring at the same time.
Album art
The Night We Met
Lord Huron
This is a hauntingly beautiful song about introspection, specifically about looking back at a relationship that started bad and ended so poorly, that the narrator wants to go back to the very beginning and tell himself to not even travel down that road. I believe that the relationship started poorly because of the lines: "Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet" So, the first night was not a great start, but the narrator pursued the relationship and eventually both overcame the rough start to fall in love with each other: "I had all and then most of you" Like many relationships that turn sour, it was not a quick decline, but a gradual one where the narrator and their partner fall out of love and gradually grow apart "Some and now none of you" Losing someone who was once everything in your world, who you could confide in, tell your secrets to, share all the most intimate parts of your life, to being strangers with that person is probably one of the most painful experiences a person can go through. So Painful, the narrator wants to go back in time and tell himself to not even pursue the relationship. This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
Album art
Mental Istid
Ebba Grön
This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
Album art
Holiday
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.
Album art
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it. “I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.