Frank Black – Ten Percenter

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I'm just another ten percenter
My mind is like an ocean
My mind is like an ocean
I'm hanging in the harbor

I'm just drifting letting out the line
I'm letting out the drifting line
I'm just tyring to a guy
who's hailing from Ann Arbor

Making jerk
And its good
Getting perk
Yeah, I would

I'm a jerk
If get'n cotton mouth
You better have some water
Sucking syrup and soda

you're goin' to just get hotter
But if you want to wile awhile
But if you want to wile awhile
Oh suck a syrup and soda

Oh dance oh sons and daughters
Making jerk
And its good
Getting perk

Yeah, I would
Making jerk
If you got cotton mouth

My mind is like an ocean
My mind is like an ocean
My mind is like an ocean

I'm a jerk
Making jerk
Soda jerk
And its good

Jerk
Jerk
Jerk
Jerk
Jerk

Send "Ten Percenter" Ringtone to Cell


Lyrics submitted by voltabolta

Track duration: 03:30

"Ten Percenter" as written by Charles Thompson

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

Lyrics powered by LyricFind


Ten Percenter song meanings
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7 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment:I think it is about beer. I just drank a ten percenter (barleywine) and my mind is like an ocean.
    Flag manray57on March 02, 2013   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation:The lyrics aren't totally correct.

    A "ten percenter" is someone who doesn't give 100% to a task. It doesn't refer to using 10% of your brain (a pseudo scientific myth by the way). The character in the song is a soda jerk. The person who hand pulls soda (carbonated beverage) from the storage container into your glass. This is often where you'd get ice cream or a float as well.

    "Cotton mouth" is when your mouth is dry or you're thirsty. It's reference is to being thirsty after you "suck a syrup and soda".

    "Soda jerks, Iggy Pop, and me."
    - Frank, from the Frank Black album press kit
    Flag bshirleyon February 25, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Basically he's talking about an idiot, or something adolescent, juvenile...

    He uses 10% of his brain, his mind is like an ocean (meaning it "floats around", no actual use), just eating and having some kind of sex (it could be masturbating, simple sex... anything).

    One of my favorite FB songs indeed, with the distorted beginning, that alien riff and his vocal jump "but if you wanna wile AWHIIIIIIIIIIIIIILE!"
    Flag Santiagofon February 23, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:"Makin' jerk?" Are you people ignoring this line? This song is about doing it.
    With yourself.
    Good ol' Frank.
    Flag Willboeon September 28, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I wonder if the cotton mouth is a weed reference, and if getting perk is literally getting that drug or if the whole song is about getting high, or maybe that we are all like stoners because we only use 10% of our brains?
    Flag ritecoastsurferon April 30, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:

    Iggy Pop is from Ann Arbor
    Flag jimmycocoapopson August 07, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I can decipher the title and mind ocean part-its based on the myth that people only use 10% of their brain power. Too tired to think about the rest. Love this song =]
    Flag HallelujahWinkon April 13, 2007   Link

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