Lyrics for Skinny Mean Man as interpreted by Shawnk00

Skinny Mean Man Lyrics
I know you love how I make it all go away
All the joy, all the pain, all the thoughts in your brain
For the price of your soul I will hold your heart in my talons
For three summers straight you've been my sweet arm candy
And no one will ever, ever take you away from me

I saw, I smelled what he did to you, girl
and, to be frank, the thought makes my innards curl.
How he preyed on your ripe insecurities
the thorn in your side is alive, and it’s killing me.
Obscure records entombed in his room with mechanical lust
diapered, desolate middle-aged doom.
On your knees in his downtrodden shit-eating grin of a room.
If only you’d meet me here soon.

If only you’d start breathing, I’d court you exclusively
With my shovel I’m pounding earth ‘til suddenly I see

You awake from the dirt and the grime
Stretch your fractured pretzel spine
Out to take your revenge for the crime
Filled with fire and finally mine

Paraded you around like a second place prize
Hair done up, black holes painted on your eyes
Held a book burning in your back yard
while your parents observed from their window, slightly scarred
And I’ve watched with my shovel in hand
I have in faith in you, child. From his nightmares I’ve plucked a plan.
Where that prick to the world is revealed as a wicked man
This is a prayer from your biggest fan.

If only you could see me, we’d dance like a heart attack
With a wail you let them know you’re furious, you’re back

You awake from the dirt and the grime
Stretch your fractured pretzel spine
Out to take your revenge for the crime
Filled with fire and finally mine

You awake from the grave that he dug
Pulsing, boiling, angry blood
Well aware that I’m falling in love
Filled with fire, I’m drinking gasoline to make it go faster
Gasoline will make it go much faster
Gasoline will make it go faster
Gasoline will make it go much faster
Faster

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Alcoholandirony
09-25-2007

Rated +1 
I love the intensity that Max sings this song with. There are some iffy lyrics; "dance like a heart attack?" Regardless, I'd give it a thumbs up overall and I'm pretty stoked for In Defense of the Genre.


And as for the meaning, it seems to be about a girl that is mistreated by the man she is with and Max is furious because he cares much more for her and wants to chance to make her feel better.

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mattisyourhero
09-25-2007

Rated 0 
The song is about the guy crazy in love with a girl who was murdered by her evil boyfriend, he has a strong desire to bring her back to life so they can be together at last.

Lyrics relating to the murder of the 'super-amazing girl' by her boyfriend
* "i smelled what he did to you, girl"
* "stretch your fractured pretzel spine"
* "...take...revenge for the crime"
* "you're awake from the grave that he dug"

Lyrics suggesting he wants to bring her back to life to be his:
* "if only you’d start breathing, i’d court you exclusively"
* "with my shovel i’m pounding earth ‘til suddenly i see / you awake from the dirt and the grime"
* "filled with fire and finally mine"
* "with a wail you let them know you’re furious, you’re back / you awake from the grave that he dug"
* "Well aware that I'm falling in love"

Seems to be pretty clear...


However, I'm not quite sure how drinking gasoline makes anything go faster. That's the confusing bit...

Anyways, even though it's slightly disturbing, the uniqueness of Max's lyrics has always been an appeal to why Say Anything is so awesome.

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overoverme
09-25-2007

Rated 0 
Anyone got the lyrics to the intro?
This song really reminds me of the darkness that Saves the Day brings out often. But mainly I think of Zombies.

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smileforthecamera
09-25-2007

Rated 0 
Intro

I know you love how I make it all go away
All the joy, all the pain, all the thoughts of your brain
For the price of your soul I will fold your heart in my talons
For three summers straight, you've been my sweet eye candy
And no one will ever, ever take you away from me

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Shawnk00
09-25-2007

Rated 0 
i put the intro lyrics up..

i cant believe there's already comments on this song ha.

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i am parker lewis
09-25-2007

Rated +1 
i dont think it is about a girl who was LITTERALLY killed by an ex boyfriend, perhaps metaphorically, the chorus is so fucking good, this cd is going to be epic, i CAN NOT stop listening to this song

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i am parker lewis
09-25-2007

Rated -1 
i dont know when this song was written but probably before this rant-off with Tim Kinsella, but this song could be max bemis "defending the genre" the dead girl being a metaphor the scene, and tim kinsella being the skinny mean man, i know that the times dont really line up, but interresting thought?

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overoverme
09-26-2007

Rated 0 
Not really.
It would be lame of Max to write a song about that thing, and he is certainly above that.

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mattisyourhero
09-26-2007

Rated 0 
Why does everything have to be a metaphor?!?! Why can't he write about Zombies?!?!

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jneus
09-27-2007

Rated 0 
I am a little behind the genre these days, who is Tim Kimsella ? and I have only heard this song... but I've seen lyrics for 3 others. where could I find those?

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jneus
09-27-2007

Rated 0 
figured that out... the others are acoustics on youtube

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imburningstar4
09-28-2007

Rated 0 
mattisyourhero:

This song is called...
It's a metaphor, fool!

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startthescene
09-28-2007

Rated +1 
ok. definitely not about tim kinsella. i know that genuinely pissed max off, but like.. not to a point where he'd write a metaphor of a song about it.

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jtshee010
09-29-2007

Rated -1 
after reading through all the lyrics, I can finally understand it.
I agree with everyone who's says its about a girl who the narrator (who ever Max is singing as in this song) was in love with but was murdered.
He wants to avenge her, and the gasoline thing at the end is like, he's killing himself so he can die and be with her?
Like many Say Anything songs (for me) I don't like it the first one or two time I hear it, but now I love it and happily can't get it out of my head!

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Manticore416
09-29-2007

Rated +2 
You guys are all missing it completely.

Her death is the metaphor. She's dating one of those people who listens to bands no one's ever heard of because he thinks it's cool, which is obvious by "Obscure records entombed in his room with mechanical lust
diapered, desolate middle-aged doom."
He got her to be with him not from love - which the narrator obviously feels for her - but by "feeding on her insecurities" - meaning that he probably made her think she'll be alone forever if she doesn't date him.
And because he's guilted and tricked her into dating him, Max views her as dead. She's not herself - she's completely submitted herself to her boyfriend. She hopes that she'll "start breathing" which is a metaphor for her "coming back to life" and if not wanting to be with the narrator, at least realizing how awful her boyfriend had been.
"You awake from the grave that he dug" (You realize he's taken away your life and independence)
"Pulsing, boiling, angry blood" (and you're super-pissed about it)
"Well aware that I’m falling in love" (self-explanatory)
"Filled with fire, I’m drinking gasoline to make it go faster" (could be understood as a metaphor as a "flame" standing for love - and adding gasoline is like adding passion with her to make their love together grow into something big, and fast)

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Manticore416
09-30-2007

Rated +1 
Also - if you want more evidence that he's basically brain-washed her into being with him, and that's what the metaphor of her being dead is all about - read the first verse carefully. You know, the one done in that "evil"ish voice. Yeah, that's the dick-boyfriend.

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thrwmyhrtawy.
09-30-2007

Rated -1 
this is the song that got me to like say anything
hah, it's amazing, :] not sure about the meaning,
but i love the 'stretch your pretzel spine'
hah, sounds pretty painfull

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i am parker lewis
09-30-2007

Rated +1 
tthrwmyhrtawy: this is the song that got me to like say anything
hah, it's amazing, :] not sure about the meaning,
but i love the 'stretch your pretzel spine'
hah, sounds pretty painfull

ummmm ok, this songs mean out for a week and say anything's been around for like 6 years, where have you been? other than probably elementary school

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i am parker lewis
09-30-2007

Rated +1 
*been out, not mean out

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AlsoRan
10-01-2007

Rated +1 
i am parker lewis: stop being such an elitist bitch.

Anyway, I believe this song is about the character max (remember this is supposed to be a concept album) watching someone elses [mentally] abusive relationship. The relationship seems to be between a young woman who crookedly admires a much older "middle-aged" man. The man takes advantage of the girl as Max watches obsessively, wishing he could do something, knowing its wrong.
This is where my interpretation goes a little crazy, but its what I believe.
I think that Max kills her, thinking it the only way to get close to her, blaming it on the man. "I have in faith in you, child. From HIS nightmares I’ve plucked a plan. Where that prick to the world is revealed as a wicked man."
He then lives out whatever fantasies he had with the dead girl. Not to be sick, but thats how I see it> "If only you could see me, we’d dance like a heart attack""If only you’d start breathing, I’d court you exclusively. With my shovel I’m pounding earth ‘til suddenly I see You awake from the dirt and the grime ...filled with fire and finally mine"
As for the ending with the gasoline, either he drinks it and dies to be with her, or burns the scene of his crimes.
I think the whole thing is just supposed to portray the really twisted and obsessive feelings Max or someone from another perspective had. And does anyone else feel that this whole thing is extremely similar to the book Lovely Bones?

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AlsoRan
10-01-2007

Rated +1 
if you listen carefully there is a match lit as he begins to say "gasoline will make it go faster" the first time, implying he burns something, and doesnt actually drink it.

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thrwmyhrtawy.
10-01-2007

Rated 0 
i am parker lewis : i didn't know who they were until my friend made me listen to this song.
and fuck you very much. don't assume shit.
it makes you look like an asshole.

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jumboshrimp815
10-01-2007

Rated 0 
I feel like this is talking about a woman being taken advantage of physically. The lyrics "I saw, I smelled what he did to you, girl
and, to be frank, the thought makes my innards curl.
How he preyed on your ripe insecurities
the thorn in your side is alive, and it’s killing me.
Obscure records entombed in his room with mechanical lust
diapered, desolate middle-aged doom.
On your knees in his downtrodden shit-eating grin of a room.
If only you’d meet me here soon."
So how all I think of is rape.

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i am parker lewis
10-01-2007

Rated +1 
i'm just sayin the way you phrased it made it sound like you heard this song years ago and have loved say anything forever

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aaron_kaump
10-03-2007

Rated 0 
this song is about the typical second place boyfriend scenario. there isn't actually a death outside of the song, obviously, thats max just making the song more passionate.

a girl "max"(for all intents and purposes, anyway.) loves has a douchebag boyfriend who treats her like shit. she only comes to her senses once he physically abuses her (well, kills, in the song).

i commend max on still being able to make fantastic songs, though i agree, i don't like the intro much either.

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